Hello Beautiful! Continuing from last post, the sun is a well known immune system depressant. The reason for this is that ultraviolet rays damage the tentacles of your Langerhans cells, the immune system’s spiky sentries. Let’s talk beyond sunburn.
Super sun-sensitive skin
Certain drugs and chemicals when applied to the skin or ingested can heighten your skin’s susceptibility to UV damage. There are conditions which may be aggravated by the sun including acne, rosacea and lupus erythematosus. It is thought that certain drugs can also affect the structure of the cell membrane, making the cells prone to absorbing higher doses of UV rays. If you experience a flare-up of an existing skin condition in the sun, conceal the area under clothing and use high factor sun protection on the exposed areas. Once you return from holiday, see a dermatologist.
Polymorphic light eruption
This is often incorrectly called “prickly heat,” but PE is an allergic type reaction to the UVA sun rays. It is suffered by up to 14 percent of the white population, 60 – 70 percent of them female. Prickly heat is not sun-induced, but occurs in hot humid conditions when the sweat glands overwork and become blocked. Distinguishing PLE from prickly heat is relatively easy. The PLE rash generally occurs in sun exposed areas while prickly heat is found where the sun rarely reaches, such as skin creases like your armpits and groin.
The skin reaction usually occurs one to five days after first severe sun exposure and tends to happen on skin that hasn't seen the sun for some time. You can help to prevent PLE with a high factor broad spectrum sunscreen. But once PLE rash has flared up, it will take 7-10 days to subside, provided it is covered.
Don’t despair
Although most of the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays are indeed negative to our skin, there are also a few benefits that we derive from them. The rays produce vitamin D, help improve skin conditions like acne and psoriasis and can help seasonal affective disorder sufferers.
Stay Beautiful
~Jacqueline~