Sunburn Boosters – Don’t Increase Your Sensitivity to Sunburn
You treat your skin well using sunscreen, cleansing daily, and moisturizing.
You might not even know it, but there are things in your kitchen and medicine cabinet that will increase your sensitivity to the sun.
Sunburn Boosters – Why You Should Beware
Prescribed medications, pain relievers, natural remedies, scents, various skincare products, and some sunscreens can raise your sun sensitivity. There are certain foods that can also cause an increase in risk. If you touch a lime peel, it can really increase the severity of your burn.
Even though the pain goes away, severe sunburns increase the risk of getting skin cancer. Sensitivity to the sun can also increase your risk. Too much sun can cause premature aging of the skin which creates brown spots and wrinkles. Second degree sunburns are extremely painful and take a long time to heal.
What Exactly is Sun Sensitivity?
Sun sensitivity is also known as photosensitivity, which is a reaction activated by the sun’s rays. There are different types of reactions, one of which is phototoxic. This happens when the drugs on your skin react to the sun rays and forms chemicals that cause damage to your skin. Sunburn symptoms can show up in minutes or it can take a few hours after being outside for too long.
Another type of reaction is photoallergic. What happens here is UV rays modify a chemical that was on your skin and causes an immune reaction. You will develop hives and blisters. They can appear within seconds or take a couple of days. The irritation is usually only where your skin was exposed to the sun, but it can spread.
The type of reactions that happens depends on the person, the chemical on the skin, how much was applied, and how much UV rays you were exposed to. Individuals with lighter skin are especially vulnerable to the phototoxic reaction.
There are many common drugs and foods that increase sun sensitivity. If you are using or taking any acne treatments, antihistamines, antibiotics, antifungal, cosmetic treatments, or diabetic treatments, you may want to check with your doctor to see if anything you are taking will increase your sensitivity to the sun.
How to Protect Your Skin from Sun Sensitivity
The best way to keep your skin safe is to avoid being exposed to the sun in the first place. If you need to go outside make
sure to use a sunscreen that has at least 15 SPF. If you skin is fairer, try using SPF 30 or more. Make sure you put it on 30 minutes before going outside and apply again every couple of hours. Be aware that UV rays can go through glass, so you can end up with a sunburn while you drive.
Other things you can do to protect yourself are wearing a hat or sunglasses and wear long sleeves. Try to stay in the shade as much as possible.
