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Sun Rash

By March 28, 2011 - 9:02am
 
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I have been getting sun rashes since I was a kid. What usually happens is when I am outside somewhere hot I end up with very chapped lips and little tiny red bumps all over my forehead, cheeks and nose and some on my neck, my entire arm and if I am wearing shorts then on my legs as well...it also gets itchy and burns as well at times. I have tried using Sunscreen but any type of product I use with SPF I end up with the same reaction. Like if I use a skin care product that has SPF, I will end up with the same red bumps and chapped lips. Just last week I got back from Jamaica and that is what happened. I used aloe vera to help with the dryness and everything, but it did not go down at all.

So when I got back I went to the doctor and they said it is just a reaction from the sun and use allergy mediciation (such as clariten or a generic brand) to get rid of it. But when I got back a day or two later my face cleared up sort of on it's own and with the help of the mediciation. I still have some on my arms currently and it just dried up right now.

What I am trying to figure out is how I can prevent this from happening everytime I am on holiday. Because when this happens I look pretty swelled up and it does not look good. Do I have to take the allergy medication with me everywhere I go to prevent it from happening? Or will this keep happening even if I take themediciation? Like when I ended up with the reaction in Jamaica, I had to start to stay out of the sun as much as possible and wore loose pants, wore a hat etc.

Are there other ways for me to prevent this all from happening especially when on holidays???

Add a Comment4 Comments

Just thought I would interject that I get this if I don't wear sunscreen. I have been told by the dermatologist that it is an allergic-type sun sensitivity. If you want to travel, travel. But knowing you have this condition, you may want to take extra precautions and figure out what works for you to control it so you won't be out of town and have to deal with a bad reaction to the sun. Asking the right questions is a good start.
Take care,
Christine

March 31, 2011 - 8:31am

Oh okay. I thought there were certain side affects with certain medications that are common. And yes, I can accept that only warm/cold climates work for me, but avoiding vacationing certain places won't allow me chances to travel places and see different places around the world. So giving that advice, I thought personally was not good. Thanks for the advice you have given me so far...but telling someone that, restricts them from exploring the world.

March 31, 2011 - 6:06am

I am not exactly sure if it is the heat or the sun. This happens depending on the summer weather, like I could be in really hot weather in Toronto (which I have been in) and nothing has happened. Last time this happened was when I was in Toronto and I went to Ontario Place and I was in the water and then after I got home my lips got chapped and the those little bumps appeared on my arm only. And that day the weather was not too hot like it was in Jamaica it was a little bit on the cool side and there was some sun here and there (I could possibly get reactions to chlorine water as well, that is what the doctor said when I went to him after I got back from Jamaica), but I did not go in chlorine water in Jamaica just the sea salt beach water. I don't go out of the country to hot places often. This was my first time going to Jamaica. I lived in Toronto all my life so I am use to all the seasons. I don't get this type of reaction all the time, I think it depends on the sun and heat. I am going more for maybe the heat. But I can't really tell.

So, if I were to go on a stronger prescription, what types of side affects would they have? I just want idea of some side affects....

March 28, 2011 - 2:03pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am not exactly sure if it is the heat or the sun. This happens depending on the summer weather, like I could be in really hot weather in Toronto (which I have been in) and nothing has happened. Last time this happened was when I was in Toronto and I went to Ontario Place and I was in the water and then after I got home my lips got chapped and the those little bumps appeared on my arm only. And that day the weather was not too hot like it was in Jamaica it was a little bit on the cool side and there was some sun here and there (I could possibly get reactions to chlorine water as well, that is what the doctor said when I went to him after I got back from Jamaica), but I did not go in chlorine water in Jamaica just the sea salt beach water. I don't go out of the country to hot places often. This was my first time going to Jamaica. I lived in Toronto all my life so I am use to all the seasons. I don't get this type of reaction all the time, I think it depends on the sun and heat. I am going more for maybe the heat. But I can't really tell.

So, if I were to go on a stronger prescription, what types of side affects would they have? I just want idea of some side affects....

March 28, 2011 - 1:37pm
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