How to prevent recurrent sun allergies?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have sun allergies which are getting worst over the years, over each trip, my symptoms get worse. Yesterday, I sunbathed for an hour and I woke up with a terrible rash on my leg (where I applied less sunscreen than other places on my body). Usually, it goes away overnight by being in the shade and hydrating it, but I woke up with a worsened almost purple rash. I will be traveling in the near future to very sunny places. I am worried about what to do to prevent this from happening again and getting worse. I have attached four pictures, taken in the span of 16 hours. The last one was today morning, 16 hours after being in the sun. Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern. From the pictures (attachment hidden to protect the patient’s identity) it seems that you have developed severe sunburn. Sunburn is a clinical reaction due to the acute effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the skin. In your case, it is severe because it has swelling and reddish papules. For the treatment, I would suggest using normal saline or a dilution of potassium permanganate (1:10,000) for compresses or soaks. These can help cleanse away serous discharge, crust, and debris, as well as reduce oozing and inflammation. Systemic oral steroids may be required in your case, so consult your nearby dermatologist for this.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Regards.