And so, an allergy to the sun is an increased sensitivity of the skin to being under direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In medical practice, this disease is called “photodermatosis”. According to modern statistics, among residents of large cities, every fifth inhabitant of them is affected by this disease.
What is sun allergy?
As we have already seen, sun allergy is a common and, to put it mildly, not very pleasant phenomenon. Photodermatitis can significantly ruin any holiday season, leaving unpleasant symptoms instead of pleasant experiences. However, you should not immediately put yourself in such an unfavorable diagnosis. After all, elementary non-compliance with the rules of hygiene of tanning and exposure to the sun can provoke burns, peeling of the skin and sunstroke. This is especially pronounced in people with fair skin, which is more sensitive to the scorching sun than swarthy.
During the summer heat, every person, regardless of whether he has photodermatosis or not, is simply obliged to adhere to special rules for being in the sun. Firstly, in no case do not sunbathe during the day, under direct sunlight. Often such a “procedure” is accompanied by periodic immersion in salty sea water, which dries out the skin and only aggravates an already unfavorable situation. River or lake water is more gentle in this regard, but it is still not the best way to tan. Remember that it has the greatest solar activity in the period from 11 to 16. At this time, you should avoid being in direct sunlight.
Another thing that needs to be distinguished from a true allergy to the sun is an increase in the sensitivity of the skin, as a result of exposure to various external and internal factors. So, medicines or plant pollen can increase skin sensitivity to ultraviolet light, even in a healthy person.
Such products include: seafood (mainly shellfish), chocolate, long-term fermentation cheeses (parmesan, blue cheese), carrots, tomatoes, celery, parsley. Abuse of these products can cause symptoms of photodermatitis even in a healthy person.
In no case should you sunbathe in the meadow, since the pollen of many meadow grasses can irritate the skin and increase its sensitivity to external influences. Getting on the skin irritated by pollen, ultraviolet radiation can provoke skin disorders.
And so, allergy to the sun , unlike non-compliance with the rules of staying under the direct rays of the sun, this is precisely a disease, while the first cases are negligence in relation to one's own health. During photodermatitis, our immune system perceives ultraviolet radiation on the skin as a harmful factor. Moreover, we are naturally talking about an adequate amount of solar radiation.
Sun allergy symptoms
- Skin rashes, in the form of small dots, in places exposed to sunlight. In some cases, allergic reactions may extend beyond the area of direct contact with the sun's rays.
- Redness and peeling of the skin;
- The appearance of edema;
- Skin rash with serous contents
Symptoms of skin manifestations of allergy to the sun must be distinguished from the usual manifestations of phototraumatism. This phenomenon occurs as a result of a large amount of solar radiation, which causes burns, blisters and peeling of the skin.
Precautions for people with sun allergies
- Avoid direct contact with sunlight during the day. Try to be in the shade at this time of day;
- Do not use tanning creams containing para-aminobenzoic acid, as they provoke skin photosensitivity;
- Eat minimal amounts of pseudo-allergen products;
- Refrain from contact of your skin with plant pollen;
- Do not sunbathe after taking a dip in the pool. The bleach contained in this water provokes skin sensitivity, irritating it;
sun allergy treatment
In general, the treatment of photodermatosis is very similar to the treatment of other forms of allergies. The main difference is due to the specificity of the manifestations of this type of allergy, for which skin manifestations are more characteristic, which leads to the use of various antiallergic ointments. Classical remedies for relieving allergy symptoms, such as histamine blockers and cortisol preparations, are also used. In the event of the development of anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema, emergency therapy is used.
sun allergy pills
Basically, for the treatment of allergies in the form of tablets, histamine H1 receptor blockers are used, which are collectively called histamine blockers. For more than 50 years of experience in the use of these drugs, a significant amount of statistical data has been accumulated on the drug and side effects of these drugs. Rich therapeutic experience has made it possible to develop the optimal ratio of dosages and time of administration, as well as interaction with other drugs used to relieve allergy symptoms (corticosteroids, epinephrine, anti-asthmatics).
Do not confuse histamine blockers (this name means histamine H1 receptor blockers) with histamine H2 receptor blockers, which are used to treat gastrointestinal diseases.
H1 histamine receptors are located in numerous tissues of our body: skin, bronchial vessels, larynx, mucous membranes, blood vessels of the nasopharynx. Histamine released by the action of the allergen, connecting with the H1 receptors of tissues, provokes the development of allergic reactions. The use of antihistamines allows you to remove swelling, dilation of the vessels of the nasal cavity, skin manifestations of allergies, remove tearing and redness of the eyes.
The first histamine blockers (diphenhydramine, diazolin, etc.), in their chemical structure, are fat-soluble compounds. Due to this, they penetrate through the barrier structures into the brain, where they have a depressing effect on the central nervous system. This causes the development of such side effects as constant drowsiness, lethargy, decreased reaction rate, learning ability. At one time, these were the only histamine blockers on the market, so, depending on the dosage and frequency of use, unwanted side effects were either tolerated or given at bedtime.
Early histamine blockers, among other things, did not have a high degree of selectivity for receptors, which led to the development of such side effects as constipation, increased heart rate, nausea, a feeling of dry mouth, etc. And the weak connection with histamine receptors forced the use of large dosages. Now, the first histamine blockers are used much less frequently, being replaced by more modern drugs.
Subsequent drugs - H1 receptor blockers: terfenadine, loratidine fexafenadine, ebastine, etc. have a less pronounced inhibitory effect on the nervous system. Often, mild drowsiness caused by these drugs is ignored because it is easily tolerated and does not disturb the usual rhythm of life. The dosages of these drugs are significantly lower than those of primary histamine blockers.
Mechanism of action:
The action of H1 histamine blockers is well studied by modern science. It is based on the fact that these substances are more reactive with histamine receptors than the hormone itself. Therefore, when exposed to cells, they displace histamine from the reaction chain. While they themselves are only capable of compounds with receptors, and not of biological action, it turns out that the chain of reactions provoked by histamine comes to naught. Histamine blockers are better at preventing allergies. So they, for example, begin to be used a week before the flowering of the plant - the allergen.
The terms of formation and the duration of the chemical bond with histamine receptors are different for all histamine blockers. So, the active substance of diphenhydramine begins to form bonds with H1 histamine receptors after 15 minutes, which makes it the drug of choice for the relief of acute manifestations of allergies. This connection is relatively easily reversible and stops after 5 hours. In contrast, astimezol has the latest onset of the therapeutic effect, which continues for another 2 to 3 weeks from the start of administration. This makes astemizole the drug of choice for the treatment of a protracted course of allergies. Astemizol is not used for emergency treatment of acute manifestations of allergies.
H1 blockers are used to treat the following allergy symptoms:
- Manifestations of allergic rhinitis: runny nose, itchy nose, mucus discharge, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing. All these reactions are well suppressed by the action of H1 blockers. The greatest effectiveness for eliminating these manifestations is the regimen in which H1 blockers are prescribed before the alleged contact with the allergen.
- Generalized and local urticaria. H1 blockers relieve redness, itching of the skin, eliminate rashes.
- Acute allergic reactions. In this course of H1 allergy, blockers are used as part of complex therapy together with injections of adrenaline, glucocorticoids, anti-asthmatics and other emergency drugs.
Allergy pills. Side effects
- First-generation drugs (diphenhydramine, diazolin, etc.) cause drowsiness, a feeling of weakness, lethargy. In addition, they can cause irritation in the mouth, nausea, dizziness, constipation, which is not typical for second and third generation drugs.
- Second-generation drugs (astemizole, cetrizine, loratidine, desloratidin, etc.) have a negative effect on the heart, which is expressed in an increase in heart rate, various arrhythmias, and an increase in pressure.
- Fexofenadine and desloratidine are excreted by the kidneys, therefore their use is not recommended for people with renal insufficiency, and is also prescribed with caution in elderly patients.
Sun allergy pills during pregnancy
During pregnancy and lactation, antihistamines are prescribed with great caution , since most of them are able to cross the placenta, as well as be excreted along with mother's milk, which can disrupt the course of pregnancy and the normal development of the fetus. It is also necessary to take into account what trimester the woman is in, this also changes the tactics of using antihistamines.
In general, during pregnancy, the attending allergist, after consultation with a leading gynecologist, weighs the risk of use with the potential benefit to the mother's health, taking into account alternative methods of treatment, selects the optimal drug.
Ointments for sun allergies
Allergy to sunlight, mainly manifested by skin symptoms (rash, swelling, itching, peeling and redness of the skin). For this reason, it is advisable to use ointments containing corticosteroids as part of therapy to relieve these symptoms.
Coricosteroid ointments and gels have a powerful effect on the skin manifestations of allergic reactions, relieve swelling, itching, peeling, redness of the skin, symptoms of urticaria. However, when prescribing the term and dosage of their use, it must be taken into account that they can accumulate on the skin. This can cause unwanted side effects, so they should be used only after the appointment of a competent allergist who is familiar with the optimal regimens and frequency of administration.
We draw your attention to the fact that the symptoms, as well as the methods of treatment described in this article are informative and cannot be the basis for self-medication, which is dangerous to health. Absolutely any disease should be treated by a competent specialist.
