Surprise Sunburn? Your Medication Might Be to Blame
As I get older, protecting my skin from damaging UV rays has become a priority, but something that I didn't realize until recently is that one of my medications was making me more susceptible to the sun's rays. It turns out that there are actually a lot of medications that can do that. Are you taking one of them?
Ingredients in some medications can cause changes in the skin, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These "chemically induced changes" are called photosensitivity, and they can cause a whole bunch of problems.
Photosensitivity can make you more sensitive to light, and can even cause rashes, and make you more likely to sunburn. The FDA says photosensitivity can be caused by medications that you apply topically to the skin, or by medicines that you ingest or inject.
There are two different types of photosensitivity that can be caused by medications, according to SkinCancer.org. The first, photoallergy, is an allergic reaction and may not result in symptoms until several days after being exposed to ultraviolet light. They say it happens when the body confuses the sun exposure as a threat, activating an immune system response that can result in blisters, bumps, lesions, and rash.
Phototoxicity is the second form of photosensitivity, and it is much more common. Phototoxicity often occurs within just a few hours of UV exposure and can appear as an irritation to the skin. Both photoallergy and phototoxicity can result from being exposed to natural or artificial UV light.
Keep in mind that anytime your skin darkens in color or burns, you’re sustaining DNA damage. This means that if your skin is suffering a photosensitive reaction, you are also at an increased risk of developing skin cancer.t. -SkinCancer.org
READ MORE: Common Prescription Meds That Make Extreme Heat More Dangerous
If you are taking medications that make you more susceptible to sun exposure, try to stay in the shade when outdoors, especially during peak UV hours which normally occur midday. Limit sun exposure by wearing hats, long-sleeved shirts, and pants. Bonus points if they have a UPF rating. Always wear a Broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. For the best protection, it should be at least SPF 30, and should be reapplied at regular intervals.
Keep reading to see 13 common types of medications that can cause photosensitivity, and see if any of your meds are on the list.
These 13 Medicines Can Make You More Likely to Suffer a Sunburn
Gallery Credit: Kat Mykals
More From WBKR-FM
