EDU: Avoid Sun due to Medications, Sunscreen

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

It's fast approaching spring and hence, more time is spent in the out of

doors. Here are some precautions to keep in mind when living with AOSD, taking

medications and sun safety.

Sunscreen tips:

How to find the right SPF for you. Ask yourself:

How long does it take your unprotected skin to get " pink " at noon in July?

Lets say it's 20 minutes. Thats your skin / sun factor.

Now, look at your sunscreen SPF. Lets say it's a 15 SPF just for kicks and

giggles. Multiply your skin / sun factor by the SPF. (20 minutes x SPF15 = 300

minutes... divided by 60 minutes to get the number of hours those minutes total

to. 300 minutes divided by 60 minutes per hour = 5 hours. Five hours is thte

total number of hours you can spend in the sun with this SPF 15 and still be

protected from the sun with this sun screen. If you plan on being in the sun for

more hours than 5, you will need a higher SPF.

So, IF you plan a full day in the sun, this will not be a high enough SPF.

BECAUSE once you have used your SPF time limit for your skin, even with a sun

screen, reapplying more sunscreen will do no good. You will NOT be protected by

applying more.

Plan your day's activities, then buy your sunscreen to allow for a couple

extra hours. Don't worry, you will still tan with a high SPF. You won't however,

be exposed to the UVB (burn) rays or the UVA (aging) rays of the sun. Fun in the

sun without damage is the name of the game.

However, if you take medications the increase your sun sensitivity, you may be

even more inclined to get photosensitivity reactions (skin reactions caused by

exposure to sun), even with SPF precautions. Exposure to UV light in tanning

beds and indirect sun exposure – such as light reflected off pavement – also can

trigger these reactions. Some drugs will allow deep burns rather quickly even to

protected skin.

FDA has also reported that photoreactive agents have been found in deodorants,

antibacterial soaps, artificial sweeteners, fluorescent brightening agents for

cellulose, nylon and wool fibers, naphthalene (mothballs), petroleum products,

and in cadmium sulfide, a chemical injected into the skin during tattooing.

Though dozens of medications may cause this problem, some of the more commonly

used medications include some antihistamines, used in cold and allergy

medicines; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, used to control pain and

inflammation; and antibiotics, including the tetracyclines and " sulfa " drugs,

Other medications containing photoreactive agents include some

antidepressants, antibiotics, anti-psychotics, cancer chemotherapy drugs (Like

MTX), cardiovascular drugs, diuretics and oral diabetes medications. The herbal

remedy St. 's wort, sometimes used to treat depression, also has been

associated with photosensitivity.

Tanning booths and the use of indoor tanning products can be more of a problem

than natural sunlight, and this is true with photosensitivity reactions as well

as in general. FDA enforces policies in which sunlamp product manufacturers must

develop an exposure schedule and establish a maximum recommended exposure time

(and therefore the maximum timer interval) based on the characteristics of their

particular products. This information must appear on the product's warning label

and is no way to be considered as a safe limit.

FDA warns that some tanning operators may claim that UVA sunlamps are safer

than the sun and UVB lamps. This is not true. In fact, exposure to the UV

radiation from sunlamps adds to the total amount of UV radiation you get from

the sun during your lifetime, further increasing your risk of cancer.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, sun damage and cancers from the sun

usually take about 10 years from the time the damage was done to show up. What

damage you did today won't show till 10 years from now so BE CAREFUL! (If you

can see the damage now, how much worse will it be in 10 years?) Also, the more

times you get a burn under the age of 18, the greater your chances of skin

cancers so be mindful of protecting your children.

Read the information on your medication bottles and the pages that come with

your prescrption. Most of them will tell you if you need to avoid sun exposure.

Here are some links for more information.

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/0009.Newton.photosensitiv.html

Medications may increase sensitivity to sunlight.

http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/_tw9208 Medications and sun exposure.

Why they cause problems - phototoxicity & photoalergy.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/496_sun.html Chemical photosensitivity, A

reason to avoid the sun. Detailed explaination on photoreactions, phototoxicity,

photoalergy, photophobia. Good information.

http://www.consumerreports.org/main/crh/displayc.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=446609 & \

FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=411909 & bmUID=1114085457216 Drugs that increase heat

sensitivity can interfere with sweating, increase the body’s heat generation,

deplete its water or salt stores, or dull the sense of thirst. Protective

measures when it’s hot or humid include limiting your exertion, drinking plenty

of water, and asking your doctor about adjusting the dosage or timing of your

medication before exercising. Consumer Report that lists drugs that increase

sunlight sensitivity, heat sensitivity, or both.

(Beautiful Southern Oregon, USA)

We may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our

sails.

May you have enough happiness to make you kind, enough trials to make you

strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

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