Allergic to the sun!!!!

epatolles

I have PMLE and wear sun block on the places where I get the rash and take antihystimines to get rid of the itch!

welshdent

See your GP but also take a look at the embarassing bodies website as I am sure there has been someone on there recently with the same problem

chrisaj

I suffer PMLE. It's not nice. I get it on the sides of my legs by the crease of my knees, it spreads halfway down my leg,it keeps itching like mad, and wont stop until it's broken out over 5 days or so, after which it goes away. I've tried betacarotene tablets a month before I go into the sun, and use a high factor sun sensitive suncream, which seems to work. I find this really annoying as I do like to sit in the sun, especially on my jollies
I find that lavender and peppermint oil in a lotion really helps as well, I use it as an aftersun on the raised bumps, it's very soothing and cooling. I was reading the other day that it appears mainly on women between 20 & 40 years old. I never used to suffer from it, but I'm well over 40 now, so hopefully next time I go away it won't break out

misstipsycake

utopiah wrote: »

Hi
I thought That i suffered from prickly heat for the last 9 years. Every spring when my skin was 1st exposed to the sun i would come out in this rash, mainy on my chest arms and lower legs/feet. It is a very red and itchy rash and would appear on my skin about 30 mins after sun exposure. As the summer went on i never got this rash and did think this a bit odd. Anyway after looking on the net on tips on how to avoid prickly heat i stumbled on some info that totally described my symptoms and i now think what i have got is polymorphic light eruption.(PMLE). Prickly heat is a sweat rash and usually occurs when sweat pores block. This rash is usually found in creases of the skin i.e backs of knees, waist, armpits and on the back. The pmle rash only occurs when the skin is exposed to the sun but for prickly heat, skin doesnt have to be exposed to the sun. I have just bought piz buin allergy sun cream to try. I hope it works as this rash really does get you down and is so unsightly. There is lots of info on the net about PMLE just google it.

Hi Sam, I have the same as utopiah - pmle, have been using Piz Buin Allergy for around 10 years now, unfortunately it is the only thing that works for me (and covering up!). However you should get checked it out with your GP.

utopiah

Well i sat in the sun for 30 mins today after covering exposed areas with piz buin allergy sun cream and i have no spots:j. I know this is very early days but i have never been able to do this for 9 years without the dreaded rash. I read on the net that your skin needs to be desensitized gradually to develop a resistance (hardening) over a period of weeks. I know advice is to get diagonosed by a gp but in all honesty what will they do. its not as if i'm doing everything harmful to myself by sitting in the sun for 30 mins with sunscreen on. I am at my witsend with this rash and will try anything that helps it. I too have read that mainly women develop this rash between the ages of 20-40. I developed it at the age of 32, it was really bad for years but the last year it doesn't have seem to have been so severe. sorry for waffling.

samuela66

utopiah wrote: »

Well i sat in the sun for 30 mins today after covering exposed areas with piz buin allergy sun cream and i have no spots:j. I know this is very early days but i have never been able to do this for 9 years without the dreaded rash. I read on the net that your skin needs to be desensitized gradually to develop a resistance (hardening) over a period of weeks. I know advice is to get diagonosed by a gp but in all honesty what will they do. its not as if i'm doing everything harmful to myself by sitting in the sun for 30 mins with sunscreen on. I am at my witsend with this rash and will try anything that helps it. I too have read that mainly women develop this rash between the ages of 20-40. I developed it at the age of 32, it was really bad for years but the last year it doesn't have seem to have been so severe. sorry for waffling.

yeah Utopia,

I use that on my chest with no breakout its great, I was in boots today and they do an allergy piz buin for the face which i have bought although I will also go to the docs for advice,

thanks everyone!

jewelly

I had the same reacton in the sun for a number of years. It was a side effect of the medication I was on - antidepressants. I used anti allergy sunscreens, but they never worked that well, so I just kept out of the sun for longer than absolutely necessary. Hope you get it under control. It's such a nuisance.

epatolles

utopiah wrote: »

Well i sat in the sun for 30 mins today after covering exposed areas with piz buin allergy sun cream and i have no spots:j. I know this is very early days but i have never been able to do this for 9 years without the dreaded rash. I read on the net that your skin needs to be desensitized gradually to develop a resistance (hardening) over a period of weeks. I know advice is to get diagonosed by a gp but in all honesty what will they do. its not as if i'm doing everything harmful to myself by sitting in the sun for 30 mins with sunscreen on. I am at my witsend with this rash and will try anything that helps it. I too have read that mainly women develop this rash between the ages of 20-40. I developed it at the age of 32, it was really bad for years but the last year it doesn't have seem to have been so severe. sorry for waffling.

don't want to depress you or anything but desensitising will not work in this country - perhaps if you went for exposure treatments - but definately not if you just expose yourself to the sun.

the major problem is that we have so many days without hot/strong sunlight so anything you do in the summer will quickly be reversed in the winter... :-(

utopiah

epatolles wrote: »

don't want to depress you or anything but desensitising will not work in this country - perhaps if you went for exposure treatments - but definately not if you just expose yourself to the sun.

the major problem is that we have so many days without hot/strong sunlight so anything you do in the summer will quickly be reversed in the winter... :-(

Thanks for the advice but how do you explain then that in the last 9 years my skin does not ever break out in a rash during july august and september. I know that it does not permently solve the problem and desensitizing has to be carried out every spring for every year as in the winter the skin will not be exposed to the sun in this country and reverts back.. Just a thought perhaps someone knows the answer to this. I have read lots of info and desensitisation does work just needs to be done year on year out.

utopiah

Just a note on desensitising: I am trailing this for myself, I aim to stay in the sun (weather permitting of course) for 30 mins a day with allergy sun cream applied to my skin 20 minutes prior to exposure. Then hopefully increase time in the sun always with sun cream on. I know my skin allergy and by july in the past i have never experienced an allergic reaction. Therefore I am hoping that by doing this i will prevent a rash. I know if this works then i will have to repeat at the beginning of every spring. I will post to let you know how i get on.