Allergy to the sun

The long awaited summer, and thousands of fans flock beach holiday to the south, closer to the warm sea and golden sandy shores. Or prefer their suburban summer residences, enjoying the beauties of nature and soothing silence. However, the hot summer sun can easily spoil the "holiday" mood, rewarding people who had taken knows where the red blisters, which, moreover, incredibly itch. If this happens, there is photodermatitis, or, as they say, are allergic to the sun.

Collectively, fotodermatita except itching and blisters can be patchy peeling or hyperemia of the face, extremities, in the neck and other areas that are most open to solar radiation. The rash may spread to the entire body, if a person carries out for days on end at the beach.

As with any other allergy, the cause of hypersensitivity reactions to sunlight is excessive immune system response to local stimuli, which in our case is the active sun. It is active, ie hot and scorching. It is no accident allergy symptoms manifest themselves in the sun in the summer or when leaving the more arid regions, where the sun is hotter. In the immune system, in the development fotodermatita play an important role individual characteristics of the skin, in particular, the concentration of melanin and the thickness of the skin layer. But more often, according to experts, responsible for allergy to the sun are external factors. For example, some representatives of the vegetable kingdom in the summer allocate special chemicals designed to attract insects. These substances can condense on the surface of the skin and react with the natural skin secretions. Products of this reaction under the influence of sunlight and cause the characteristic symptoms fotodermatita. Similar reactions in the skin occur when use of the cosmetic industry, so the more often the cause of allergy to sun themselves become patients, especially women. Rage sun creams and other in pursuit of the beautiful and even tan has led to the indiscriminate use them, and yet in such tools often include components that actively entering into the photochemical reaction. These substances include phenol, para-aminobenzoic and boric acid, retinol derivatives, mercury compounds and some organic substances of plant origin. Unfortunately, people often do not know about the peculiarities of a particular ingredient, and therefore not particularly grasp the meaning of what is written on the packaging of cosmetics. As a result, an object for experimentation becomes your own body.

In addition, allergy to the sun can "earn" and the use of certain medications. Noteworthy among them some antibiotics (for example, commonly known tetracycline), sulfanilamidnye drugs, antihistamines, some sleeping pills, contraceptives and anti-inflammatory drugs, and medicines, appointed to suppress the growth of malignant tumor cells. Especially should beware immediately after cosmetic procedures, during which the skin is exposed to mechanical or chemical action: all types of peels, injections in the skin, etc.

To avoid the appearance of signs of allergy to the sun should consult a doctor and a beautician, not whether the danger of one or the other drug, or a cosmetic product on the photochemical reactivity. After cleansing the face and other rejuvenating procedures to avoid appearing on the sun during its peak activity (from 10 to 17 hours). If the need arises, do not hesitate to use a special umbrella or wide-brimmed hat. The same recommendation is relevant for people with overly sensitive skin.

If allergies still apparent, apply zinc or other "calming" skin ointment. Use cream with mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), which not only impede the appearance of the rash, but also eliminate the already formed blisters. If allergic reaction occurs too rapidly, you must use means on the basis of cortisone. However, the pattern and duration of treatment required to coordinate with your doctor, especially if you are using hormonal drugs!