Sun allergic dermatitis

Many people have been exposed to sunlight in their daily lives. For patients with vitiligo, exposure to sunlight is not allowed because it will aggravate the condition. However, for ordinary people, exposure to sunlight has no effect. But some people are allergic to sunlight, and their skin will become red and swollen after sun exposure.

Ultraviolet allergy is an abnormal allergic reaction caused by sunlight on the human body, also known as solar dermatitis or sunburn.

The main cause is that the two kinds of penetrating ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB in the sunlight, directly reach the dermis of the skin, causing symptoms such as redness, burning, heat and pain on the skin of people with allergic constitution. The symptoms of UV allergy mainly include itching, flushing, swelling, burning and even dizziness and nausea in the exposed parts.

Experts say that solar dermatitis is related to personal constitution, and people with weak constitution, fair skin and sensitive skin are more likely to be affected. The longer the exposure to sunlight, the more severe the allergic reaction will be, and the itching will last for 24 to 48 hours or even longer. Depending on the severity of the skin reaction, it is divided into first-degree UV allergy and second-degree UV allergy. First-degree ultraviolet allergy is manifested by diffuse erythema on local skin after sun exposure. Second-degree ultraviolet allergy is manifested by local skin redness and swelling, followed by blisters or even bullae, with tense blister walls and light yellow blister fluid. So how should we treat solar dermatitis if our skin is sunburned?

First of all, you must apply cold wet compresses, do not use hot water; take some anti-allergic drugs orally; do not use external ointments without authorization, it is best to go to the hospital for medical treatment. For patients who are photosensitive, they can train their skin's tolerance to ultraviolet rays before the arrival of summer and prevent solar dermatitis in advance. Ultraviolet allergies are generally caused by long-wave and medium-wave radiation. You can use long-wave and medium-wave radiation for a short period of time first, and then increase the time to allow the victim to slowly adapt.

At the same time, scientific sun protection is also a shortcut to prevent UV allergies. You can apply sunscreen half an hour before going out and reapply it after a period of time. In addition to external protection, you can also eat more foods such as tomatoes, lemons and nuts, which can help protect against the sun and whiten the skin. However, photosensitive vegetables such as white radish, celery and coriander can easily cause pigmentation on the skin, so it is best to eat less of them in seasons with strong sunlight. In addition, holding an umbrella, wearing a hat or wearing long-sleeved clothes when going out are also good ways to protect against the sun. Sun hats with large brims and dark-colored silver-plastic umbrellas also provide better protection.