Allergic to sunscreen – what should I do?
- Posted on: Mar 1 2019
Sunscreens have been created to protect our skin from the rays of the sun and skin cancer. However, there are some people who are allergic to sunscreen. For those individual it can be difficult to be protected in the sun, since they end up developing rashes on the skin.
Since sunscreen are made up of many ingredients and components, so it hard to identify what ingredients has resulted in a reaction to the skin. However, most individual are not allergic,but unfortunately a few are allergic to it, causing red, itchy and eczema like reaction on the skin. Therefore, it is important to be aware of skin appearance when an allergic reaction occurs.
What signs are the signs to look for?
The symptoms of sunscreen allergy are similar to sun poisoning. The symptoms to look out for are as follows.
- Hives
- Blistering
- Raised bumps
- Swelling
- Pain
- Scaling
- Bleeding
What should I do when I have an allergic reaction ?
It is important to reduce the inflammation and swelling when you have a allergic reaction. There are important steps we can take to avoid this. For instance, to take oral antihistamine to reduce inflammation or topical steroid creams. Therefore, both options can help with inflammation, redness and itchiness.
What can I do to find out if I will get an allergic reaction to sunscreen?
The best way to find out whether you will get a reaction to sunscreen or any products it is important to do a patch test. The best place to do a patch test is on the hands or inside of the elbow when you can apply the cream, then see if there is any skin reaction in a few days. Thus, being a best way in testing if your skin is allergic to sunscreen.
What should I use if I am allergic to sunscreen?
If you do develop a reaction from the sunscreen you use. Don’t worry, it does not mean you can never use sunscreen or protect your skin from the sun. This just means that you may want to try other sunscreens to see which one is best fo you and suits your skin the best. The best type of sunscreen to use are mineral sunscreen. Try to avoid chemical sunscreens as this can result in reaction in some cases. Thus, they are other options available to you.
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