Sun Allergy
 Die-hard sun worshipers, giving no thought to the idea of a sun allergy, continue to oil up hoping to better catch the sun's tanning rays.
On the other hand ... most Americans choose to slather on sunscreen instead. While sunscreen can help protect them from most of the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, it does zip, zilch, nada ... for sun-sensitive individuals. These would-be sun seekers wind up with an itchy, bumpy rash that is sometimes called "sun poisoning" even if they're wearing SPF 50.
 Children of the Sun "Sun poisoning" is really a sun allergy that occurs when skin is exposed to sunlight for the first time in the early spring, or during a winter vacation. While people with light skin are most susceptible to sunburn, sun allergy can affect people of all skin colors.
Even though Billy Thorpe neglected to mention those "children of the sun" might need a high SPF ... there are certain skin reactions to the sun that have nothing to do with sunscreen or other external factors. People with photodermatosis develop skin rashes (similar in appearance to hives) following exposure to the sun which is most likely due to an abnormal immune system. Polymorphous light eruption occurs in approximately 10 to 20 percent of otherwise healthy individuals, so it is a relatively common condition. Then there is another group of people who develop what they think is a sun allergy because of medications that they have ingested or agents that they have applied, including sunscreen. These people develop an irritant reaction, which is a rash or a tingling, itchy sensation on the skin. The chances of getting a true allergic reaction to sunscreen are actually very low. Sun Allergy TreatmentBeyond staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen, topical corticosteroids to treat the sun allergy rash is recommended. Some are over-the-counter, such as hydrocortisone, but that's not very potent. The more severe reactions require a prescription cortisone cream or ointment. The second approach to treat a rash is to use a medication called Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), which is an antimalarial agent that has been used for various skin conditions; it works quite well for skin eruptions due to a sun allergy.
Drew Voight 
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