People with fair skin in particular are plagued by symptoms of sun allergy. These include skin blisters and itching. Here you will find tips on what you can do about it and how to protect your skin from it.
Reddened skin, unpleasant itching, blisters and knots – all of these can be symptoms of a sun allergy. However, a sun allergy is not an allergy in the sense of a hypersensitivity of the immune system. Rather, the term sun allergy refers to a number of diseases that are all related to sunlight.
When it is exposed to the sun, the skin tries to protect itself by producing more of the skin pigment melanin and thus protecting the cells from UV radiation. In the case of a sun allergy, this protective mechanism no longer works.
The most common sun allergy is polymorphic light eruption, also called sun eczema. It mainly occurs when the skin has not been exposed to the sun for a long time and then comes into intensive contact with sunlight again. Severely itchy redness, blisters or even small nodules (papules) form on the skin.
Exactly which symptoms occur and how severe they are varies from person to person – hence the term “polymorphic”. In addition, the symptoms do not appear immediately, but only a few hours or even days after exposure to the sun. Women are more frequently affected by polymorphic light eruption than men.
The best thing to do is not to think about a sun allergy in the first place. The most important remedy against sun allergy is therefore prevention: You should avoid intensive sunbathing without adequate protection through clothing and sunscreen, especially if your skin has not been in the sun for a long time. Light skin types should be particularly careful, they are more susceptible to sun allergies.
If a sun allergy has already developed, anti-inflammatory creams with antihistamines and hydrocortisone can help, which must be postponed by the doctor. In most cases, however, the symptoms disappear by themselves, so that a doctor’s visit is not necessary.
A quick remedy for the pain and itching is primarily to cool the affected areas of the skin. Curd compresses and aloe vera can also soothe the skin. When it comes to products with aloe vera, however, you should only use fragrance-free versions, as fragrances irritate the skin further. You should also avoid further contact with the sun.
In addition to polymorphic light eruption, there are many other forms of sun allergy. The best known is Mallorca acne, in which itchy pimples form after exposure to the sun, reminiscent of acne. Blame for the Mallorca acne is not only the UV radiation, but the combination with high-fat creams. Those affected should therefore only use oil-free sunscreens.
Rarer types of sun allergy are solar urticaria, in which larger wheals form, and chronic actinic dermatitis, in which deep furrows and scales can develop.
