Sun Rash: What Does This Mean
I’ve heard people say that they think they have a “sun rash”. What does this really mean? It actually can mean a few different types of rashes. First of all, there are certain medications that you may take that will say to avoid sun exposure. If you do go out in the sun while taking these due to the sensitivity you may break out in a rash. This is why it’s good to ask your doctor about any possible side effects. Read the literature too as a doctor may not always mention every possible symptom.
A second rash that is sometimes associated with a sun rash has to do with sun poisoning. This can also be called photodermatitis. It may include fluid in blisters and be bright red. You can also just have pimple clusters that itch. My best friend from elementary school had red hair and freckles and said that the sun didn’t like her. She would get awful red spots and patches after being out in the sun. She said she was allergic to the sun and this seems to be the case.
I remember that her mom made her wear hats and sunglasses and that she had to avoid the sun during peak hours. When she was in her thirties she developed a mild form of skin cancer. When she was a kid she used a lot of calamine lotion even if we just were outside waiting for the school bus in June to take us home. Aside from calamine lotion, oatmeal baths, corn starch and soft powders can help relieve sun poisoning. Aloe vera gel from the plant can also be quite soothing. If these red marks open up, you may get an infection so keep your eye on this.
A heat rash is also another term people use for sun rashes. This is the same as prickly heat and can be little red pimples or welts. Look at the parts of your body where you are most subject to perspiration issues. It can happen after working out , extensive time in the sun or a propensity to sweat. A heat rash isn’t actually a sun rash since that usually means photodermatitis. However people will call it that at times . Usually a heat rash will be fading in three to seven days. You can accelerate the healing with oatmeal baths, cool compresses and corn starch.
My daughter had an amoxicillin rash. It showed as a sun rash after the beach but maybe she would’ve gotten it anyway too. It took a few weeks to clear up and we were quite scared.
The side of my family that has red hair and freckles gets sun rashes really bad and have to go to beach very early in morning only.
My friend takes an anti-depressant and gets a sun rash when she’s out for a while exposed to sun. It’s too bad because she really needs to take it for her moods. My husband’s co-worker gets weird raised blisters when he’s out in sun during peak hours. I think it is sun poisoning and not prickly heat. I love the sun so would be so bummed if I couldn’t be out in summer.
My cousin got a sun poisoning rash and she was at the beach on a day that was cloudy a lot of the day. But she also was taking birth control pills so maybe she had a reaction from the medication with the sun exposure.
I’ve been getting heat rashes for over 3 years now and i think it may be from birth control pills too. That was how long i was on them for. I can’t tan at all in the summer because i would get them everywhere on my body. I’ve been going to the doctor and all the medications did not help me at all. So now i will have to see a dermatologist and see what they can do or ill try staying off the birth control pills or switch the pills.
I don’t remember the brand but once on vacation I bought a sun tan cream at 7-11 and I got a really bad suntan lotion rash being at the beach all day and re-applying it. I’m pretty sure that’s what caused the rash because I didn’t put any on my back and never broke out there.
i have a red ..itcy.. rash…between my breasts and neck area…also on my side around the waist area…it is very itchy and i have been using Caladryl lotion and Gold bond medicated powder to sooth it…i dont believe i touched any poisin ivy…but it has been very hot and humid where i live…. the rash seems to really bother me if i am exposed to sun and heat….i do take high blood pressure meds …lisinopril 5 and hydroclorazide 25 …but i never had this before…i have been on that med for 2 years….help ….thanks