{"id":15709,"date":"2016-06-27T22:09:03","date_gmt":"2016-06-27T20:09:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/?p=15709"},"modified":"2026-02-02T12:08:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:08:50","slug":"summer-sun-allergy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/summer-sun-allergy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Survive Summer with a Sun Allergy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever since I\u2019ve moved to France, I have developed an allergy to the sun.\u00a0It means that my\u00a0body reacts adversely to the sun with itchy rashes erupting on my\u00a0arms, neck and even sometimes on my face. The real name of this condition is \u201cpolymorphous light eruption\u201d, but it is easier to get the point across when I\u00a0say \u201csun allergy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Every year, my skin\u00a0begins to react to the sun in early spring, when the sun is getting closer to the Northern Hemisphere. It\u2019s always\u00a0the same story: after many days of rain comes good weather for which I\u2019m not prepared. Even though I avoid the sun at all costs\u2014by walking in the shade, staying inside, keeping on my long sleeves\u2014\u00a0I always end up having a big reaction akin to hives. It happens even if I have been exposed to sunlight for only a few minutes. Over the course of the summer, my body will build\u00a0up\u00a0a tolerance therefore toning down my allergic reaction.<\/p>\n

For those who are not familiar with this\u00a0problem, I want to say that benign polymorphous light eruption is not related to having\u00a0sunburns. Strangely, my skin is very resistant to them, the problem\u00a0being the\u00a0allergic reaction to the sun.<\/p>\n

There are medical solutions to alleviate this problem: cortisone creams, phototherapy or taking antimalarial drugs. Personally, I prefer to avoid these treatments and adopted\u00a0simpler solutions.<\/p>\n

Avoid\u00a0Exposure to the Sun<\/h2>\n

This piece of advice falls in the easier said than done category. Yet, that\u2019s\u00a0what I\u2019m usually told by\u00a0doctors when I discuss my sun allergy. The problem is that it is impossible to avoid the sun unless you are a hermit living in a cave!<\/p>\n

I do not purposely expose myself\u00a0when the sun is at its peak, but with an active lifestyle and likewise\u00a0holidays, it\u2019s inevitable that my skin will absorb some sunlight. To reduce the symptoms of polymorphous light eruption, I have adopted new habits.<\/p>\n

Sunscreens to Fight Sun Allergy<\/h2>\n

If you are sensitive to the sun, forget buying sunscreens that have SPF rating\u00a0below 50. You\u00a0must choose a sun protection factor of at least 50, 50+ offer an even higher protection (in Europe this is the highest SPF rating allowed). You should also look for a sunscreen that protects you from UVB and UVA rays. This should not be too hard to find.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s\u00a0complicated is to find a sunscreen\u00a0suitable for sensitive skin and to be worn daily at work. This means that I avoid\u00a0strong coconut perfume\u00a0or a product\u00a0leaving greasy or white\u00a0stains. After all, I\u00a0try to maintain a normal appearance at work! I only buy higher-end sun block\u00a0as these products are often made for\u00a0intolerant skin.<\/p>\n

I am usually\u00a0very mindful\u00a0of the ingredients contained in\u00a0beauty products, but I do not pay attention to those of sun cream, because they are rarely natural and organic! After many trials and errors, I found a few skincare\u00a0pharmacy\u00a0products that are suitable to protect my sensitive skin against the sun:<\/p>\n

\n
\"Bari\u00e9<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\"Anthelios<\/h4>\n

<\/div>\n

\"Eau<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"Av\u00e8ne<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
Bari\u00e9sun Dry Oil\u00a0SPF50+ from\u00a0Uriage<\/h5>\n

<\/div>\n

\n
Anthelios XL SPF 50+ from\u00a0La Roche-Posay<\/h5>\n

<\/div>\n

\n
Hydrabio Eau de soin SPF 30 from\u00a0Bioderma<\/a><\/h5>\n

<\/div>\n

\n
Mineral High Protection Tinted Compact SPF 50 from Av\u00e8ne<\/h5>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>

\n
\n

This dry oil spray is easy to apply and leaves\u00a0a slightly glossy film on skin (akin to\u00a0a freshly applied moisturizer).\u00a0Its smell and appearance are discreet. I keep a bottle at the office and\u00a0apply it before going out\u00a0for lunch.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\n

A tiny bottle for big\u00a0protection. This sun cream texture is so light that it is completely invisible. It is perfect for the face, and the bottle can be taken anywhere. When I travel, I always have it with me, it’s great for quickly reapplying lotion through the day.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\n

This light mist is a favourite among\u00a0French\u00a0beauty bloggers. I use it when I\u2019m wearing makeup to put a sunscreen layer without ruining my face. Unfortunately, this eau de soin<\/em>\u00a0is not available in SPF\u00a050.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\n

It is a creamy compact foundation that does not contain any chemical sunscreen filters. The product has been formulated especially for sensitive skin, therefore\u00a0it is fragrance-free and contains only broad spectrum mineral sunscreen filters. Perfect to maintain a professional appearance, it is now part of my daily makeup routine.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

It is not enough to\u00a0put on sun protection\u00a0in the morning, you\u00a0must\u00a0reapply every two hours and after swimming. On vacation, it means that you need to\u00a0always have\u00a0a bottle\u00a0of sun screen with\u00a0you. As for everyday life, I prefer to keep a bottle of sun lotion at the office to reapply it before going for lunch and in the evening.<\/p>\n

If I know that I will be exposing my-self to the sun\u00a0a lot, I apply my sunscreen on my whole body before<\/em> getting dressed. I do this because clothes move around and also because the sun rays can pass through clothing and trigger my sun allergy.<\/p>\n

\n

Physical Protection: Clothing to Shield You from the Sun<\/h2>\n

When it\u2019s 40 degrees Celsius outside, the last thing you want is to be dressed from head to toe. Yet, it is one of the best ways to protect yourself from the sun. There are clothes specifically designed to protect you from the sun, they are often made\u00a0by outdoor clothing brands and at Uniqlo.<\/p>\n

As for regular fabric, the looser the weave and the less it will offer protection. When vacationing, I always take in my suitcase some cotton or linen shirts as well as\u00a0pants or long skirts made of soft fabric. This is useful for protection, but also to stop the progression of the sun allergy when rashes begin to appear.<\/p>\n

To protect my face from sunlight, I often add to my outfit a large brimmed hat and big\u00a0sunglasses that protect the delicate skin around the eye.<\/p>\n

When I\u00a0stay in the water for a long time, I wear over my swimsuit\u00a0a\u00a0cotton t-shirt\u00a0or a rash-guard. Also, I often go swimming with my\u00a0sunnies and a hat, I choose cheap accessories that I do not mind losing to the sea.<\/p>\n

What to Do When You Get a Sun Allergy Skin Rash<\/h2>\n

You have taken your precautions and despite your best efforts, your skin is covered with red rashes that itch like a thousand mosquito bites? First, you must immediately get out of the sun. Then, to defuse the allergic reaction, I take antihistamines before I go to bed\u00a0(these usually cause drowsiness). I will not give you any brand suggestion, the best is to ask\u00a0your pharmacist or doctor for the best drug for you to use.<\/p>\n

Have you ever had an allergy to the sun?<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever since I\u2019ve moved to France, I have developed an allergy to the sun.\u00a0It means that my\u00a0body reacts adversely to the sun with itchy rashes erupting on my\u00a0arms, neck and even sometimes on my face. The real name of this condition is \u201cpolymorphous light eruption\u201d, but it is easier to get the point across when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":22676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[384,704],"class_list":["post-15709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle-en","tag-beauty","tag-sensitive-skin"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/ete-soleil-surf.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15709"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31480,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15709\/revisions\/31480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boeingbleudemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}