If there was no sun, there would be no life on our planet. The rays of the heavenly body bring a lot of benefits. They give joy in winter, and in spring and summer they provide people with warmth and play an important role in strengthening immunity. But keep in mind that the sun can be harmful. For example, some people may become allergic to the sun while in the sun.
What is photodermatitis?
Allergy to the sun doctors call photodermatitis. This disease occurs mainly with increased sensitivity of the skin to bright sunlight. Such a phenomenon cannot be called rare, since almost 20% of the world's population faces it. Photodermatitis most often occurs in countries where solar activity is increased, but its manifestation is not excluded during a normal holiday on the coast.
Types of photodermatitis
In medicine, solar dermatitis is divided into two types, based on the specifics of which doctors prescribe the treatment of photodermatitis. The first type is endogenous. It depends on metabolismfunctioning of the body's immune system. This type of disease includes such manifestations as porphyria, solar eczema, solar pruritus, polymorphic photodermatosis and xeroderma pigmentosa. The second type is exogenous dermatitis, the occurrence of which is promoted exclusively by external factors. It appears due to the collision of sunlight with deodorants or creams on human skin.
External risk factors
Treatment of photodermatitis most often depends on the cause of its occurrence, so first of all you need to get rid of the allergen. Various substances that are part of many perfumes or cosmetics can cause allergies when they react with ultraviolet light. If you use an ointment, cream, cologne or perfume before going out into the open sun, you may experience solar dermatitis. The photo below clearly shows how this disease manifests itself on the skin of the face.
Very often allergic to the sun appears when a person is relaxing in nature. A large number of field plants during their flowering release a special substance - furocoumarin, which settles on the surface of the epidermis. Simultaneous exposure to furocoumarin and ultraviolet leads to reddening of the skin and the appearance of bubbles on it. Such a rash is accompanied by severe itching, and after a while the affected areas are filled with pigmentation.
Photodermatitis can be caused by drugs. Some antibiotics have this effect, for example "Tetracycline" and"Doxycycline". Also, the cause of the disease can be drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as Trazikor and Amiodarone. In addition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Aspirin or Ibuprofen, can cause an allergy to the sun. Most often, however, barbiturates, sulfonamides and oral contraceptives contribute to the development of this allergy.
Internal risk factors
Also, the type of human skin affects the likelihood of this disease. Dark-skinned people tan quickly and rarely experience sun allergies. The situation is completely different with fair-skinned people. They tan much harder, often getting sunburned or experiencing an allergic reaction to the sun. Photodermatitis in children develops much more often than in adults. This is due not only to the fair skin of babies, but also to their weak immunity.
Provoke solar dermatitis can be various disorders in the body. The main ones are kidney and liver failure, problems with the endocrine system or beriberi.
How does photodermatitis manifest?
Symptoms of this disease are skin rashes. They can be of a different nature. Solar dermatitis can appear as red spots or small pimples and blisters that are accompanied by itching. Also, this disease can be expressed in dry peeling or swelling. Often there is photodermatitis on the face. But it also happens thatthe rash occurs on some parts of the body, and very rarely it can appear on the limbs. Such an allergy develops, as a rule, after being under the sun for a long time. After the disappearance of symptoms, age spots may remain on the skin.
Sunny dermatitis doesn't develop overnight. Symptoms may appear some time after leaving the beach, and sometimes after several days.
Complications of photodermatitis are conjunctivitis and cheilitis. In addition, the patient may be haunted by general weakness and fatigue if he has complicated solar dermatitis. The photo below shows what this allergy might look like.
Diagnosis of disease
To diagnose a sun allergy, you need to see three specialists. They are a dermatologist, an immunologist and an allergist. Initially, the doctor asks how the disease began, what were the first manifestations, then he is interested in whether there are people in the patient's family who are hypersensitive to the sun, and also how harmful his profession is. When diagnosing, a mandatory test is carried out - a test that determines the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight. Then they prove or disprove the presence of this type of allergy in the patient.
Treatment
The disease is treated topically. The doctor prescribes an ointment for photodermatitis, which contains methyluracil or zinc. If the rash is accompanied by inflammation, an ointment containing glucocorticoids is prescribed. To improveskin regeneration, appoint "Panthenol".
To improve immunity, a special vitamin complex is prescribed for internal use. These are representatives of group B, nicotinic acid, as well as vitamins C, E, A.
If sun allergy is flaky, various moisturizers are recommended. Treatment of photodermatitis is sometimes possible with the help of folk remedies. For example, to dry pimples and moisturize the skin, you can use lotions with a decoction of celandine, chamomile or string.
In the endogenous form of photodermatitis, the very cause of the disease is treated. For example, in case of kidney failure or liver pathology, the doctor prescribes a drug that improves the functioning of a certain organ.
If the vesicles contain a large amount of exudate, they break open. It is advisable that a specialist do this, since you yourself can do it inaccurately or introduce an infection. Sometimes the symptoms disappear quickly, but in general, the treatment of photodermatitis lasts several days, and in case of complications, it can take weeks.
Prevention
Methods for the prevention of this disease are quite simple, in addition, there are not very many of them. A person with sensitive skin should sunbathe under an umbrella or under an awning. It is undesirable to be under the sun from 11.00 to 16.00 hours, at this time the celestial body is most active. It is necessary to protect the face with a headdress, and the body with loose clothing, which is sewn from natural fabrics, such as cotton or linen. Babies under three years of age should not be exposed to bright sunlight at all. People with sensitive skin should use special protective equipment.
Do not wear perfume, deodorants or moisturizers before going to the beach. These items often contain alcohol, which can cause burns. Do not use waterproof sunscreen as it clogs pores and can lead to pimples.
Treatment without doctors
Often at the resorts there is no way to get to the doctor. In this case, you need to know how to treat photodermatitis yourself. Acute allergic manifestations can be removed with the help of various cold lotions. To do this, you can use just ice, or you can use chilled tea leaves or dairy products. If the rash is localized in a certain place, you need to cover it from the sun's rays. Antihistamines can be used to minimize itching.
You should not drown out the manifestations of allergy to the sun only by means of external use, most often such treatment will not be enough. It should be noted that the disease cannot be ignored, even if after a couple of days it has passed by itself. If possible, be sure to consult a doctor. Adhering to the recommendations of experts, getting rid of photodermatosis will not be difficult.
