Rash From The Sun??

[summer]

I thought I noticed this last summer, but then thought maybe it was a coincidence. I don't spend much time in the sun, and I'm sure I don't need to explain that to all of you...

My doctor suggested that if I was in the sun for 15 minutes or so per day, that I might not need vit D supplement in the summer. Certainly, I can not do that on hot days, but today was beautiful and breazy so I went out to sit in the sunshine for a short time (maybe 20 minutes). It felt wonderful!

When I came in, I was very fatigued and went to sleep on the couch. Now this evening I notice that I have developed an itchy rash on my upper chest and neck. As I said, I noticed this last summer, but was not sure if it was related to being in the sun or not. Today, it seems pretty obvious. Does anyone else get this, and is it related to POTS?

Summer

[mkoven]

I've had allergic type reactions to excessive sun exposure going way back. It's usually only with intense expsoure, though. I went to the bahamas as a teenager and it was pretty bad. But I've had it happen on several occasions.

[futurehope]

Actually, I used to work with a lady who did not have POTS who told me she was allergic to the sun. She would break out in a rash (if I remember correctly) if she stayed in the sun. Since she loved swimming, she built herself an indoor pool so she could keep swimming no matter what.

[babettess]

I get a red, raised rash about the size of a dime on one shoulder when I've been in the sun too long. Very weird, I know!!! I have a very fair complection, burn easily and get sun poisoning easily. I use this weird rash as my indicator that it's time to get out of the sun as it comes before I burn. Two of my three daughters and I are all low in Vitamin D. (Third daughter hasn't been tested yet.) So far I'm the only one with the weird sun indicator rash, though.

Babette

[valliali]

have you totally ruled out lupus?

[tinkerbella]

with lupus you get a butterfly rash on your face. mine kinda looked like it. but i didn't want a biospy on my face. i had already decided with my PC

i wasn't taking the meds as the meds were the same for sojourn's syndrome which she was goin to treat me for.

google images for the pic of the lupus rash.

BellMia~

[goldicedance]

I get hives from excessive sun exposure as well as cold. I also break out on my arms and elbows from sweating.

From what my allergist told me years ago, it is not that unusual for someone with allergies to be "allergic" to sun and cold. The first time it happed I as out on a friend's boat. When I came back, it looked like I had horrible hives.

Lois

[summer]

Thanks, Everybody, for your replies.

mkoven, was it a hive like reaction? This is like a bumpy, itchy rash. I have not had it before the last two summers, only since I was diagnosed with dysautonomia.

Babette, I also am very fair complected (always burn, never tan!), and get sunpoisoning easily. I wonder if that's related?

Valliali and Bella, Well, lupus has certainly crossed my mind more than once. Infact, early last summer, I had what looked like a butterfly rash on my face after being in the sun. I ignored it and it didn't last long. I have not had it since. I thought since it did not come back, that maybe it was nothing. I also began having this sun rash, although as I said, I do not spend much time in the sun.

Then when winter came I developed raynaud's which I know can be related to lupus. At this point, I decided it was time to ask the doc about this. He did an ANA test which was negative - so I guess that rules it out.... does it? Can Lupus be ruled out with one negative test? If not, do you know what other blood work I need. I know I am always either borderline, or slightly anemic. My RH factor is not elevated even though I do have a lot of joint pain. Any suggestions?

Lois, I am also very sensitive to cold and develop raynaud's and chillblains. The rash I have now is like little itchy bumps.

Thanks again, guys, for taking the time to respond!

Summer

[tinkerbella]

lupus you get the ana and and many other factors.

i'm going back this month as my PC thinkS i'm having a flare.

i'd just go to a good dermatologist if you are able.

google rashes in images for a start.

if it's rosacea they make a wonder gel you use for three months and it takes it away.

they scare you on the internet with the wosrt cases.

bellamia~

[EarthMother]

I also can get 'sun poisening' on my chest and it shows up as bumpy, painful rash. Like mkovan, I got it first as a young person in the tropics.

With this pityriasis rosea that i've been trying to clear up for over a month now ... I also need some daily sun to fight the virus (rash) on my skin. To accomplish this, I do eary morning sun or very late in the day. I get the UV that I need but less sun damage it seems than if I was out the same amount of time during the peak hours of the day.

[ramakentesh]

Patients with Myasthenia gravis report that sunlight causes an exacerbation of their symptoms but I dont know about a rash. The reason I mention is that similar antibodies implicated in this disorder are also implicated in the version of POTs that causes venous pooling in the lower extremities - through decreased peripheral resistance and impaired noradrenergic vasoconstriction.

Personally I crave the sun.

[flop]

Could it be a heat rash? That tends to have little itchy bumps.

One way to know if a rash is due to sun or heat is to see if the rash also appears on skin that was covered up such as under your t-shirt. A true "photo sensitive" rash will only be on the parts of skin that were exposed - face, neck, arms, feet if wearing sandals, and usually has a clear border that matches where your clothes were.

Hope it clears up quickly! If it is heat rash a calming product such as calamine lotion can help to take the itch out.

Flop

[summer]

Hi All,

I appreciate all your responses. You've brought up some interesting ideas.

Bella, So if my ANA is negative, I don't need to worry about lupus? That's good to know. Thanks.

EM, Great suggestion. I didn't think about getting my sun in the morning or later in the day. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

Rama, I don't think I fit the clinical picture for MG, so I'm not really concerned about that. Also, I'm sure I'm a "constrictor" rather than a "dilator".

Flop, -definitely not a heat rash. It's not as fine. It's bumpier, itchier, and only in the area that was exposed to the sun. It has definite borders where my clothes were. It seems to be a little worse today than it was last night. There's some on my arms today that I didn't notice last night. Hopefully it won't last long.

Thanks again, Everyone, for your thoughts and ideas.

Summer

[valliali]

hi,

i don't think one ANA can totally rule out lupus. it can be challenging to diagnose. i had two negative ANAs, but when i began going to stanford, the rheumatologist wanted to do more thorough testing to officially rule out lupus. so, i imagine if the ANA was all that it took to rule in or out lupus, they would have be quite satisfied with two negative ANAs. i am sure i have read that false negative ANAs are quite possible.

i have read that people with lupus can be really sensitive to the sun and develop rashes, aside from the malar rash (the butterfly rash on the face). because one of my first symptoms was extreme facial flushing in the form of a butterfly on my face, i was of course highly suspect of having lupus. one of the questions my docs always asked was if i developed other rashes from the sun on my body.

i am not really sure what kind of rash a person with lupus would expect as a result of sun exposure, like if it is bumpy and itchy. i know that after getting dysautonomia, i also noticed that when i went into the sun, i developed little itchy bumps on my skin. i had worked in the sun for years prior with no reaction at all, so i too was really surprised. however, it went away. but my "rash" was very, very mild and hardly noticeable. it sounds like yours is more than that, so i think it's fair to want to pursue talking to doctors about other conditions that may cause a heightened sun sensitivity.

[Darlene]

Besides the common sunburn, a sun poisoning rash can be caused by common drugs that have been ingested. Even the most harmless of medications can cause an otherwise skin healthy person to suffer a serious rash after only a bit of light exposure. Some medicines known to cause this issue include birth control pills, tranquilizers, blood pressure medications, tetracycline, and those used to control medical ailments such as diabetes.

You can also develop a rash if you have contact with particular chemicals. Unfortunately many people don?t know these chemically based products are even capable of causing problems until it is too late. The simplest of items such as bar soaps, shampoo, cortisone creams, and even suntan lotions can cause an adverse reaction such as sun poisoning. Even natural products that use a fair amount of vegetables and fruits in lieu of chemically engineered ingredients can cause a problem. It has been shown that a large amount of the farming population has experienced a sun poisoning rash at one time or another.

[ramakentesh]

Sorry i wasnt suggesting you did meet the criteria for M.gravis. There was a study where a POTS patient with orthostatic hypertension (an overconstrictor) improved on mestinon. The implication again is that it is possible hyperadrenergic-type patients may be suffering a different kind of peripheral neuropathy (possibly parasympathetic leaving unapposed sympathetic activity?). It is possible that similar antibodies could be involved in these patients as well as dilators and M.gravis.

Edited July 7, 2009 by flop

[jjb]

Ava, my mom and myself are all sensitive to the sun.

Ava will get hives & fatigue. Some of the time the fatigue is from heat intolerance (she does not sweat well)

But sometimes I think it is directly related to sun exposure even when it is cool.

Her rashes only occur some of the time. Sometimes they are a red bumpy rash and sometimes welty hives.

She can get hives even if it is cool out.

I am less sensitive but occasionally get both the rash and fatigue. Think it depends on if there is something else going on in my system.

I get sun poison easily.

My mom hates the sun. She does not get rashy, but gets very fatigued and irritable.

I tend to think it is somehow related to the autonomic issues.

[jjb]

http://www.sunallergy.org/