please help!!!!!!

[abby47]

This year all of the sudden I am having severe itching after sun. I can't ffgure out if its a reaction to sunscreen or sun. I used tanning oil two days ago and I thought it was that but yesturday I used regular sunscreen and it got worse. I didn't start itching until about 5 hours of sun exposure. I haven't used sunscreen on my legs and they have barely itched but my back, chest, stomach, and arms have broken out into a rash and itched horribly! I've taken benadryl and do not know what else to do! I am on vacation at the beach and don't understand why all of the sudden I am having problems. Last year I was out all day every day and never itched! Please help!!!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
I cannot confirm anything without examination but it sounds like solar urticaria.

It is the development of hives minutes after exposure to the sun, which resolve in less than 1 hour.

Apply a good sunscreen with minimum spf 30 atleast half an hour before going out in the sun. You can take non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine or Loratadine(Claritin) when the rash appears. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms. You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. Also apply calamine lotion and a mild steroid cream like dermacort on the rash.

To prevent solar urticaria in future, desensitization using phototherapy and photochemotherapy are often advised. In this we try to decrease the amount of exposure by gradually increasing exposure to the form of radiation that brings about the reaction.

Please discuss this treatment option with your dermatologist.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[abby47]

Thank you for answering me back! Do you know if this could be just a temporary thing since I have never had it before? Or is it possible for me to have just now started being allergic and have it forever.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi and welcome. I have the same thing happen to me and it seems we have an allergic reaction to UV. What i do is rinse the area with somewhat hot water (not hot enough to burn your skin) but hot enough to relieve the itching then i put some 1% corizone cream with aloe and clears up in about 3 hours. Just keep those areas covered and use block.