Sensitivity to the sun and photoallergy during the summer
By besweet
@besweet (9831)
Ireland
June 18, 2012 1:08pm CST
A few days ago I went for my first swim at the beach! The sea was wonderful and warm enough and the weather was great! We had a great time and we stayed under the sun for many hours. Even though I always use sunscreen for protection with high spf, I was a bit burned from the sun because my skin isn't very tanned yet and the sun was very strong.
The same afternoon, I was feeling the inner side of my arms and the area under the bikini bra very sensitive and itchy. The doctor at the pharmacy told me that I have a light form of photoallergy!
I didn't know that this kind of allergy exists until the time that I had it.. When I stay under the sun for long, even with the umbrella I feel burning and red rashes appear on my skin. I was looking forward for the summer because I love swimming and going to thebeach, but right now I am worried that I will have to avoid the sun and I won't be able to go for swimming.. My advice to everyone is to be careful of the sun and always use sun protection because this kind of allergies can appear without any warnings. Did anyone have any similar incidents at the beach?
2 people like this
2 responses
@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
18 Jun 12
Not me, and not at the beach, but my dad was allergic to sunshine too. He wore long sleeves and a hat and STILL had running sores on his neck from the sun that filtered through the weave of the hat (and it was cloth not straw!)
So... I have a very good reason to suspect I'm allergic to everything under the sun (including the sun in all likely hood as I get older!)
2 people like this
@besweet (9831)
• Ireland
19 Jun 12
Haha! Sun is wonderful and it is too bad that those allergies exist! Do you remember your dad having this problem for ever or it appeared at some point in his life?
In my case, I never had an allergy problem when I was younger, it just happened suddenly. I think that some people simpy become sensitive easily, we can never predict when an allergy will come! And I have also heard that sometimes it might go away in the same way.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
19 Jun 12
He never was much of one to enjoy being outside. And he woke up every morning and sneezed - I say he was allergic to mornings... 
But the sun thing showed up late in his life - some time in his fifties (hummmm... probably around my age come to think of it...)
But the sun thing showed up late in his life - some time in his fifties (hummmm... probably around my age come to think of it...)
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Jun 12
hi besweet sometimes photo allergy will be outgrown but keep on using lots of sunscreen take benadryl several times a day and sun yourself in degrees. I used to break out in welts then they left white spots on my skin that a tan shows up really well. I no longer have photo allergy but I still sunburn as I am very fair skinned, almost white as I have anemia too. I use lots of sunblock and limit my time in the mid day hours on the beach.I do no t let myself burn like that any more.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9831)
• Ireland
19 Jun 12
What is benatryl? I only bought a cream that I apply twice a day on the itchy areas. I think one of my friends has the same as you with the white spots and it is a bit different. When a person gets exposed to the sun so much, it is easy to become sensitive in different things.
I should probably limit my time under the sun as well, for now I have increased the level of sunscreen protection a lot and I sit under the shadow. But when I sit by the sea I feel so relaxed and free that I can't leave! :)
Thank you for your comment!!
