Revista de Medicina Desportiva (English) July 2018 | Page 7
cream or milk (avoid extreme flow-
ing forms, oils, sprays that spread
very fine, residual or misting quanti-
ties that they often do not provide
sufficient amount of sunscreen).
It can also be applied chemical
filter associations (avoiding PABA
and oxibenzone) and ideally can
be used in association with min-
eral screens. The sunscreen should
ideally be applied at home, at least
20 to 30 minutes before the exposi-
tion to the sun, ideally reapplied
on the places of greater sensitivity
on arrival to the beach or swim-
ming pool, after wetting or intense
sweating and about 1.5 to 2 hours
later if there was no opportunity to
seek shade or wear proper clothing.
It can be necessary to take oral anti-
histaminic medication, supplements
with substances that increase skin
tolerance to light, such as Polypodium
leucotomos, afamelanotide and nicoti-
namide and, sometimes in recurring
cases, synthetic antimalarial drugs
(hydroxychloroquine). If the allergy
is recurrent, it may be necessary
to undergo preventive desensitiz-
ing phototherapy. It is advisable to
have a slow, gradual exposure to
the sun, on the beginning or at the
end of the day for gradual habitua-
tion of the skin to the UV. It must be
avoided the application of perfumes
and some disinfectants when there
is solar exposure, as well as to avoid
What to look for
Look on your skin the signs that:
• Had changed on size, color or shape
• Have a distinctive look from the other
signs (known as the signal of the
“ugly duck”)
• Are asymmetrical or have irregular
borders
• Are rough or scaly (sometimes it is
possible to feel the lesion before it can
be seen)
• Have several colors
• They want to scratch
• Bleed or there is some liquid release
• Look rosy
• Look like a wound, but they don’t heal
If you find two or more of these alert
signs, don’t waist time. Visit your
doctor immediately e if there is any
doubt see your dermatologist.
the intentional exposure from 11
to 17 hours, especially when UV
indexes are ≥ 7 (see www.ipma.pt
and www.apcancrocutaneo.pt).
The most frequent type of “sun
allergy” is designated “polymorph
sun eruption”, that is a clinical situ-
ation related to the hypersensitivity
to the UV radiation, namely the UVA,
that develops on the thin skin, not
daily exposed, like the breastline,
upper and lower limbs, trunk, and
it is are on the face. It occurs during
the first hours / days of exposure,
especially on environments where
UV is high and typically on the skin
that was not progressively exposure
to the sun. The skin becomes red,
with relief and very itchy and that
sensation of heat can also occur
even after the application of sun-
screen during those days of expo-
sure. The patients require prepara-
tion of the skin, the application of
sunscreen with high sun protection
factors (SPF 50+, as cream or milk),
the ingestion of medication starting
three weeks before and until the end
of the vacations. The anti-histaminic
drugs, the supplements with sub-
stances that increase the tolerance
of the skin to the sun, like Polypodium
leucotomos, and, sometimes on the
recurrent cases, the synthetic anti-
malarial drugs (hidroxicloroquine)
are some examples of medication.
Bibliography
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
-conditions/sun-allergy/symptoms-causes/
syc-20378077
Gozali MV, Zhou BR, Luo D. Update on treat-
ment of photodermatosis. Dermatol Online
J, 2016 Feb 17; 22(2).
Lim HW, Arellano-Mendoza MI, Stengel F.
Current challenges in photoprotection. J Am
Acad Dermatol 2017, Mar; 76(3S1):S91-S99
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