I went biking today for a half hour around noon. When I got home my skin was very itchy. As well I became very tired and slept for 3 hours. I thought this odd as I got a solid seven hours the night before. This happens to me every summer, usually the itching goes away though after a few weeks, however I usually still get tired. I’m wondering if I’m allergic to the sun or not. I’ve read people who are allergic get the itchy skin thing though they usually get some sort of rash too. I have never gotten a rash from being outside. I wonder about the fatigue though. Could heat have something to do with it? Anyone else have this problem?
We only get three solid months of summer here in Saskatchewan. I don’t want to spend it sleeping!
I guess the first obvious question is, did you wear sunscreen? That sounds like it might be a sunburn; sunburns can exhaust you.
Nope no sunscreen
I don’t feel burned though. I didn’t know however that burns could exhaust a person. It may be something along those lines.
Did you have contact with lime juice? This can be a photosensitizing agent. http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/june.html (scroll down a bit)
Are you on any medications? Some may have a nasty effect when combined with sun.
Were you wearing any sort of perfume, lotion, or using a new brand of soap?
No medications, I am somewhat out of shape but I am young and don’t feel like being in shape is very far away. No new soap. I had orange juice the morning of but no lime juice.
Perhaps I have vampiric genes.
When you go into the sun after none for several months, your skin is extremely pale (I’m guessing this bit!) and sensitive. It takes less than 10 minutes of direct sun to start burning your skin even in Canada, half an hour is plenty. You now have burnt skin cells dying, causing the itchiness, and tiredness as your body uses up resources to repair the skin.
What didn’t help the itchiness and the tiredness is the biking itself. You would have ended up with salty sweat all over your skin, further irritating the damaged skin.
If this happens any summer, wouldn’t it make sense to at least give sunscreen a try?
Quite often, when suddenly exposed to sunlight I will begin to experience sneezing fits. Does that qualify as an allergy to the sun as well?
Nope, just means that you have the photic sneeze reflex - and welcome to the club, by the way.
Could be PMLE. Especially suspicious is the lessening of symptoms with more exposure (“hardening”)
Can’t diagnose over the internet but sunscreen (broad blocking with zinc) can’t hurt.
Choosy (Derm resident)