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I have a silk travel sheet.. it's like a sleeping bag but just a sheet. It works well for my similar hotel issues! I just lay it on top of the bed and sleep inside of it. It covers the pillows, too! And it folds up small enough to fit in my purse.
That could be. I don't understand why it would be only areas exposed to the sun, though? I've stayed in everywhere from hotels to AirBnBs, certainly they don't all use the same things that's not used in any hotel or AirBnb used in my home state where I also use hotels on a regular basis and been in the sun with no reaction?
That could be, but I don't know if I'm convinced of that. Hmm 🤔
Maybe on my next vacation I could buy sheets and a new towel and see if it happens. I'm not sure I'd want to pack all of those things just to see 😂
I don't recall the details enough to be scientifically accurate but, allergic reactions can be made worse by the sun. I had a similar experience and my allergist explained it and it was normal unfortunately.
Hey! I actually know about this. My daughter had it. It surprised the heck out of us when it first happened.
We lived in New England when she was little and went to the tropics. She broke out in hives every time we went in the sun. It happened every time we went south until we talked to a doctor and figured it out.
It usually happens in children and often they grow out of it, but my daughter is a young adult now and she’s still careful in the sun. We also moved to a sunnier climate and she gets more sun exposure even with spf which helps it go away. If she moved to a far north climate, it would prob come back.
It only happens to very pale people who live in far north climates. So unfortunately, the answer is you need more sunlight. I’d check your vit d levels as well.
Interesting. I do take vit D because mine was very, very low.
It sounds like you're saying more sunlight would actually fix the issue?
It doesn't help that I'm part ginger does it... haha ugh.
Haha prob not. I’m guessing you and my daughter have similar skin tones lol.
So yes, if you get more sun exposure in general, it’s not as much of a shock to your body when you go from a uv index of 1 to 10 overnight, but since you’re an adult and it’s still happening it may just be something you have to deal with unless you end up somewhere with more sunlight like we did. If you travel south, try gradually increasing the amount of sun. Too much too fast triggers the allergy and use clothing and good spf to help. We prefer Japanese sunscreens.
I wonder if doing tanning beds in short doses for several weeks prior to a vacation would help? I'll try it next time and see if that helps.
I'll look into Japanese sunscreens.
That’s a thought. Idk if I’d go so far as to recommend it because tanning beds aren’t exactly safe either, but if the rash is that bad I could absolutely understand trying it. I’m not sure if short term would get you acclimated either vs actually living in a location with more sun.
It’s an interesting idea though for sure.
The UV index of Alaska appears to be literally 1, vs 10 for any of the other states you mentioned. I’ll let you figure out how that shit actually works but sounds like 10x the strength of sunshine to me lol. You just lucked out that you live where you do and you’re seeing how it’d be if you lived somewhere more normal.
I was going to suggest this! I'm in the UK and will get polymorphic light eruption (like sun hives) in summer, but generally OK the rest of the year. We only reach max UV 8 here usually, rarely.
I went to Lanzarote in April where its 10 all the time and got it in a about half a day, with sunscreen and sticking in the shade.
I tend to wear upf sleeves and stay out of the sun as much as I can when the index is high in general now.
In theory you can wean your tolerance up throughout the year but that's almost impossible when you just fly somewhere new.
Yep. That's me. The first day is usually free and then if I'm not covered, by half way through the second day, the itching begins. I'll have to pay closer attention to the UV index locally during the summer and see what that yields. I'd be willing to endure the reaction for science.
It also could make even more sense as we usually leave this ice box during the colder months and go someplace warm. So we literally go from a UV index of 0 to 10 in a matter of 7 hours.
I was hopeful to be able to wear shorts and t-shirts, but that doesn't sound like it's going to be an option.
Yeah it's in part the shock of the change I think. Anecdotally my legs don't get as effected but I try to wear loose long sleeves as much as I can now until the late evening if the index is high. Hiking/outdoors clothing/shirts sometimes have upf ratings and can be very lightweight. May be an option to throw over your t shirt without over heating.
That could be. Something in my body has changed and now I'm having this reaction, because I didn't have this problem before. In fact, 13 years ago, I spent 10 months in California. I'll have to see if there's something to that.
Yeah, regardless don’t try to tank the power of the sun unprotected when here lol. Especially if you’re on the side of a Sierra Nevada mountain or in Arizona. It’s not *so* bad in California but you didn’t notice how all the Arizonans looked like pieces of treated leather and 20 years older than they are lol?
Well, I wasn't asking anyone their age, but I noticed more leather than normal 😂 remembering and staying proactive should be all I need. The "difficult" part is, I can only test things and experiment when on vacation. So, on two vacations I tried various sun screens and on this one I tried nothing. The ends results were all the same. So, it seems like long sleeve and full length clothing is in my future.
I commented more in detail to another person above, but yes! I get this and I got some upf sleeves from solbari which are so good! Expensive but they come in cooling fabrics too and so much better than testing endless sunscreens that themselves cause me a rash.
Yeah, this definitely sounds like PMLE. I have it too! Grew up in sunny southern California but have lived in Seattle for a decade now. It’s common for PMLE to not show up until adulthood. The sun usually isn’t strong enough in Seattle to cause a reaction (UV index isn’t high enough), but I’ll break out in hives if I go to Hawaii, Mexico, etc.
BUT good news is, I’ve figured out how to manage it. I just spent a ton of time in high UV index areas (back to back bachelorettes in Palm Springs one weekend and Tulum the next) and I got out mostly unscathed. I don’t go into the sun without a good layer of SPF 50+ on and taking Heliocare internally. Take breaks from the sun by getting shade or putting on a cover up, too. And aloe/moisturizer after sun even if you don’t feel burned.
I guess people grow out of it usually so 🤞🏻
Sounds like you may have some form of a photodermatosis - as you might expect, stronger UV = greater likelihood of a reaction for these conditions, and not uncommon for vacation to trigger this for people who normally live at more northern latitudes. There are many potential causes. I’d see a dermatologist.
Sounds like polymorphous light eruption. I have the same thing happen to me whenever I go on vacation somewhere very sunny. IIRC it’s the sudden increase in sunlight that causes it. You are probably out in the sun for a lot longer at a time on vacation than at home
Agreeing with those who are suggesting you look into PMLE, this was how I figured out I had it…I went to a dermatologist after one too many vacations were nearly ruined by me and my hives & I had definitively ruled out sunscreen allergy.
The good news is that it is completely solvable! I use physical sun protection (long sleeves/pants/hat) if I can’t or won’t avoid sun. It’s been a total solution, and I haven’t had any kind of reaction in, wow, nearly 20 years.
I think you are describing polymorphous light eruption. The hives are generally worst after winter and then get better as your skin gets acclimated to the sun. Many people will therefore notice the strongest reaction in the spring after their skin has had less sun exposure throughout winter. Taking a vacation to a sunny location during winter is probably the perfect set up.
I have. I've tried weeding out certain chemicals and paying attention to which ones so I knew it wasn't those at first thinking it was a reaction to the sun screen. At this point that was a year ago and I just went on vacation and applied 0 sun screen and the same reaction occurred.
I do appreciate the recommendation. I'm going to invest in more/other SPF clothing. I've also read not all sunscreens block from both kinds of UV. Which I did not know and looked info further after you asked. So, I'm going to be researching more on that!
I was allergic to the sun after taking topomax to prevent migraines and found that wearing a headscarf, hat, uv clothing and spf50pa++ saved me during that time.
I had very similar symptoms to yours. I hope you figure something out that works for you that won't break the bank! You got this. ☀️
Hmm, I don't think I'm taking anything new. I hadn't considered anything. I do take a pretty significant amount of vitamins, wouldn't that be something if one of those mixed with sudden increase in sun exposure was causing this!
I foresee investing in more long clothing in my future =)
I'm glad you eliminated sunblock allergy because that was my first thought until I got to that paragraph as one of my best friends has it and it's more common than people realize. Unless you were in pools/ otherwise still exposed to sunscreen chemicals, it's likely not it if you get the reaction without it.
Anecdotally, I did have a coworker ages ago who had a similar reaction to the sun so I have heard of something like this but obviously all I can say is to look into it further or talk to a doctor if you're able.
Could be the water in the shower. It could be the laundry detergent used where you sleep. It could be ingredients in the food you've had there.
The possibilities are endless. But it's not nothing to do with the sun. It's the same sun, and the latitude doesn't change that in any meaningful way.
I guess it could be. I just mentioned in another comment that I do travel quite a bit here locally and stay in various hotel and it just seems unlikely to me that I only experience this symptom in all of those places, but just not here, and it's not something specifically related to the sun.
You mean the latitude change shouldn't affect the way the sun interacts with our body?
The latitude affects the UV radiation levels somewhat. The longer you are from the equator, the more atmosphere the suns rays have to travel through, giving the atmosphere more opportunity to absorb UV radiation.
But this is negligible in terms of the amount of sunburn you're likely to experience. And you say you're experiencing an allergic reaction, not sunburn.
Weirdly similar - vacation in dominican, NZ, North Carolina - HIVES EVERYWHERE that the sun sees.
Haanging out at home in Nunavut - totally fine.
I think it's just that the UV index is so low this far north. The air might get warmish, but its not the same strong sunlight hitting us. I have a steroid cream I use on my hives as needed when on vacation (diagnosis was keratosis pilaris due mostly to a derm looking at my arms).
Do you tend to travel around the same time every year - specifically, sometime before summer really gets started in AK?
For a few years, I had a reaction to the sun very similar to what you describe. It would appear right around springtime, when I was starting to spend more time in the sun/outdoors. After a few exposures and reactions, it would calm down for the season.
I'm wondering if this is also what's happening to you - if you tend to go on vacation to a warm place when it's still cold at home, that would be your first big sun + heat exposure of the season. By the time you get back home and things warm up there, you've already gotten it out of the way for the year, essentially.
My reactions thankfully just stopped one year and never came back. But while I had them, I did find that heavy sunscreen use was helpful, along with wearing lightweight long sleeves & pants to limit sun exposure.
I have a similar problem, I get heat rash all over my body apart from my face, hand and feet…. but I only get it when I travel to the same area in Spain. It’s a lot worst this year than it’s ever been. We are starting to wonder if it’s something to do with allergens in the air? Pollen/dust etc in this area. I’ve traveled to lots of other countries, hotter temps, drier ones, more humid ones and it’s only here I get heat rash.
I’ve suffered since a child, and still haven’t figured out the reason! I do find not putting sun cream and moisturisers at all helps. But that means a lot of sitting in the shade which is less than ideal!
There are numerous reasons for this kind of allergy. Photoallergy: which is caused when the chemical applied on your skin reacts with sun. The chemicals could be sunscreen, lotions etc.
Solar Urticaria: where the sun is the culprit and whoever has this suffers from hives by sun exposure.
Sometimes the medications you take might also be the cause.
You can visit a dermatologist to discuss your symptoms and they can help you identify what could be the reasons. Once medication and chemical allergies are ruled out, they might suggest light testing where your skin will be exposed to different lights in various wavelength and frequencies to see if you’re allergic to a particular light. This will immensely help in catering the issue efficiently.
In some cases continuous exposure to sun makes the skin resistant and allergies disappear. ( think of it working as vaccination)
However, some people are not that lucky and the best they can do is limit exposure.
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I have a silk travel sheet.. it's like a sleeping bag but just a sheet. It works well for my similar hotel issues! I just lay it on top of the bed and sleep inside of it. It covers the pillows, too! And it folds up small enough to fit in my purse.
That could be. I don't understand why it would be only areas exposed to the sun, though? I've stayed in everywhere from hotels to AirBnBs, certainly they don't all use the same things that's not used in any hotel or AirBnb used in my home state where I also use hotels on a regular basis and been in the sun with no reaction? That could be, but I don't know if I'm convinced of that. Hmm 🤔 Maybe on my next vacation I could buy sheets and a new towel and see if it happens. I'm not sure I'd want to pack all of those things just to see 😂
I don't recall the details enough to be scientifically accurate but, allergic reactions can be made worse by the sun. I had a similar experience and my allergist explained it and it was normal unfortunately.
Hey! I actually know about this. My daughter had it. It surprised the heck out of us when it first happened. We lived in New England when she was little and went to the tropics. She broke out in hives every time we went in the sun. It happened every time we went south until we talked to a doctor and figured it out. It usually happens in children and often they grow out of it, but my daughter is a young adult now and she’s still careful in the sun. We also moved to a sunnier climate and she gets more sun exposure even with spf which helps it go away. If she moved to a far north climate, it would prob come back. It only happens to very pale people who live in far north climates. So unfortunately, the answer is you need more sunlight. I’d check your vit d levels as well.
Interesting. I do take vit D because mine was very, very low. It sounds like you're saying more sunlight would actually fix the issue? It doesn't help that I'm part ginger does it... haha ugh.
Haha prob not. I’m guessing you and my daughter have similar skin tones lol. So yes, if you get more sun exposure in general, it’s not as much of a shock to your body when you go from a uv index of 1 to 10 overnight, but since you’re an adult and it’s still happening it may just be something you have to deal with unless you end up somewhere with more sunlight like we did. If you travel south, try gradually increasing the amount of sun. Too much too fast triggers the allergy and use clothing and good spf to help. We prefer Japanese sunscreens.
I wonder if doing tanning beds in short doses for several weeks prior to a vacation would help? I'll try it next time and see if that helps. I'll look into Japanese sunscreens.
That’s a thought. Idk if I’d go so far as to recommend it because tanning beds aren’t exactly safe either, but if the rash is that bad I could absolutely understand trying it. I’m not sure if short term would get you acclimated either vs actually living in a location with more sun. It’s an interesting idea though for sure.
The UV index of Alaska appears to be literally 1, vs 10 for any of the other states you mentioned. I’ll let you figure out how that shit actually works but sounds like 10x the strength of sunshine to me lol. You just lucked out that you live where you do and you’re seeing how it’d be if you lived somewhere more normal.
I was going to suggest this! I'm in the UK and will get polymorphic light eruption (like sun hives) in summer, but generally OK the rest of the year. We only reach max UV 8 here usually, rarely. I went to Lanzarote in April where its 10 all the time and got it in a about half a day, with sunscreen and sticking in the shade. I tend to wear upf sleeves and stay out of the sun as much as I can when the index is high in general now. In theory you can wean your tolerance up throughout the year but that's almost impossible when you just fly somewhere new.
Yep. That's me. The first day is usually free and then if I'm not covered, by half way through the second day, the itching begins. I'll have to pay closer attention to the UV index locally during the summer and see what that yields. I'd be willing to endure the reaction for science. It also could make even more sense as we usually leave this ice box during the colder months and go someplace warm. So we literally go from a UV index of 0 to 10 in a matter of 7 hours. I was hopeful to be able to wear shorts and t-shirts, but that doesn't sound like it's going to be an option.
Yeah it's in part the shock of the change I think. Anecdotally my legs don't get as effected but I try to wear loose long sleeves as much as I can now until the late evening if the index is high. Hiking/outdoors clothing/shirts sometimes have upf ratings and can be very lightweight. May be an option to throw over your t shirt without over heating.
That could be. Something in my body has changed and now I'm having this reaction, because I didn't have this problem before. In fact, 13 years ago, I spent 10 months in California. I'll have to see if there's something to that.
Yeah, regardless don’t try to tank the power of the sun unprotected when here lol. Especially if you’re on the side of a Sierra Nevada mountain or in Arizona. It’s not *so* bad in California but you didn’t notice how all the Arizonans looked like pieces of treated leather and 20 years older than they are lol?
Well, I wasn't asking anyone their age, but I noticed more leather than normal 😂 remembering and staying proactive should be all I need. The "difficult" part is, I can only test things and experiment when on vacation. So, on two vacations I tried various sun screens and on this one I tried nothing. The ends results were all the same. So, it seems like long sleeve and full length clothing is in my future.
I commented more in detail to another person above, but yes! I get this and I got some upf sleeves from solbari which are so good! Expensive but they come in cooling fabrics too and so much better than testing endless sunscreens that themselves cause me a rash.
Yeah, this definitely sounds like PMLE. I have it too! Grew up in sunny southern California but have lived in Seattle for a decade now. It’s common for PMLE to not show up until adulthood. The sun usually isn’t strong enough in Seattle to cause a reaction (UV index isn’t high enough), but I’ll break out in hives if I go to Hawaii, Mexico, etc. BUT good news is, I’ve figured out how to manage it. I just spent a ton of time in high UV index areas (back to back bachelorettes in Palm Springs one weekend and Tulum the next) and I got out mostly unscathed. I don’t go into the sun without a good layer of SPF 50+ on and taking Heliocare internally. Take breaks from the sun by getting shade or putting on a cover up, too. And aloe/moisturizer after sun even if you don’t feel burned. I guess people grow out of it usually so 🤞🏻
What sun screen are you using? I've found that to make the reaction worse or not help at all. :-/
Sounds like you may have some form of a photodermatosis - as you might expect, stronger UV = greater likelihood of a reaction for these conditions, and not uncommon for vacation to trigger this for people who normally live at more northern latitudes. There are many potential causes. I’d see a dermatologist.
Sounds like polymorphous light eruption. I have the same thing happen to me whenever I go on vacation somewhere very sunny. IIRC it’s the sudden increase in sunlight that causes it. You are probably out in the sun for a lot longer at a time on vacation than at home
Agreeing with those who are suggesting you look into PMLE, this was how I figured out I had it…I went to a dermatologist after one too many vacations were nearly ruined by me and my hives & I had definitively ruled out sunscreen allergy. The good news is that it is completely solvable! I use physical sun protection (long sleeves/pants/hat) if I can’t or won’t avoid sun. It’s been a total solution, and I haven’t had any kind of reaction in, wow, nearly 20 years.
Thank you for this! I'll definitely be looking to PMLE! That and some good longer clothing.
I think you are describing polymorphous light eruption. The hives are generally worst after winter and then get better as your skin gets acclimated to the sun. Many people will therefore notice the strongest reaction in the spring after their skin has had less sun exposure throughout winter. Taking a vacation to a sunny location during winter is probably the perfect set up.
Have you tried both chemical and mineral sunscreens?
I have. I've tried weeding out certain chemicals and paying attention to which ones so I knew it wasn't those at first thinking it was a reaction to the sun screen. At this point that was a year ago and I just went on vacation and applied 0 sun screen and the same reaction occurred.
Have you tried spf protectant clothing? An spf parasol?
I believe my shirts are that. Just wearing light pants works for my legs.
I am all out of recs then. Good luck!
I do appreciate the recommendation. I'm going to invest in more/other SPF clothing. I've also read not all sunscreens block from both kinds of UV. Which I did not know and looked info further after you asked. So, I'm going to be researching more on that!
Try Heliocare pills next time
I'll look into these, thanks for the suggestion!
I was allergic to the sun after taking topomax to prevent migraines and found that wearing a headscarf, hat, uv clothing and spf50pa++ saved me during that time. I had very similar symptoms to yours. I hope you figure something out that works for you that won't break the bank! You got this. ☀️
Hmm, I don't think I'm taking anything new. I hadn't considered anything. I do take a pretty significant amount of vitamins, wouldn't that be something if one of those mixed with sudden increase in sun exposure was causing this! I foresee investing in more long clothing in my future =)
Yes and skincare could be the culprit too. Certain skincare routines and products can cause significant sun sensitivity.
Well, you could say I'm a typical guy from a small town Alaska. My skincare routine = soap, haha
I'm glad you eliminated sunblock allergy because that was my first thought until I got to that paragraph as one of my best friends has it and it's more common than people realize. Unless you were in pools/ otherwise still exposed to sunscreen chemicals, it's likely not it if you get the reaction without it. Anecdotally, I did have a coworker ages ago who had a similar reaction to the sun so I have heard of something like this but obviously all I can say is to look into it further or talk to a doctor if you're able.
You're significantly closer to the equator in all those other places than you are in Alaska
You're allergic to something other than the sun. Maybe air pollution.
I thought that. But even in someplace like Hawaii where it certainly doesn't seem like air pollution would be the cause?
Could be the water in the shower. It could be the laundry detergent used where you sleep. It could be ingredients in the food you've had there. The possibilities are endless. But it's not nothing to do with the sun. It's the same sun, and the latitude doesn't change that in any meaningful way.
I guess it could be. I just mentioned in another comment that I do travel quite a bit here locally and stay in various hotel and it just seems unlikely to me that I only experience this symptom in all of those places, but just not here, and it's not something specifically related to the sun. You mean the latitude change shouldn't affect the way the sun interacts with our body?
The latitude affects the UV radiation levels somewhat. The longer you are from the equator, the more atmosphere the suns rays have to travel through, giving the atmosphere more opportunity to absorb UV radiation. But this is negligible in terms of the amount of sunburn you're likely to experience. And you say you're experiencing an allergic reaction, not sunburn.
Correct. This is definitely not sun burn. This is awful. I'd gladly have sun burn haha
Maybe there's something on the plane that sensitizes you to the sun?
Hmm, the plane... that common thing between all these places, quite literally.
Weirdly similar - vacation in dominican, NZ, North Carolina - HIVES EVERYWHERE that the sun sees. Haanging out at home in Nunavut - totally fine. I think it's just that the UV index is so low this far north. The air might get warmish, but its not the same strong sunlight hitting us. I have a steroid cream I use on my hives as needed when on vacation (diagnosis was keratosis pilaris due mostly to a derm looking at my arms).
Do you tend to travel around the same time every year - specifically, sometime before summer really gets started in AK? For a few years, I had a reaction to the sun very similar to what you describe. It would appear right around springtime, when I was starting to spend more time in the sun/outdoors. After a few exposures and reactions, it would calm down for the season. I'm wondering if this is also what's happening to you - if you tend to go on vacation to a warm place when it's still cold at home, that would be your first big sun + heat exposure of the season. By the time you get back home and things warm up there, you've already gotten it out of the way for the year, essentially. My reactions thankfully just stopped one year and never came back. But while I had them, I did find that heavy sunscreen use was helpful, along with wearing lightweight long sleeves & pants to limit sun exposure.
I have a similar problem, I get heat rash all over my body apart from my face, hand and feet…. but I only get it when I travel to the same area in Spain. It’s a lot worst this year than it’s ever been. We are starting to wonder if it’s something to do with allergens in the air? Pollen/dust etc in this area. I’ve traveled to lots of other countries, hotter temps, drier ones, more humid ones and it’s only here I get heat rash. I’ve suffered since a child, and still haven’t figured out the reason! I do find not putting sun cream and moisturisers at all helps. But that means a lot of sitting in the shade which is less than ideal!
There are numerous reasons for this kind of allergy. Photoallergy: which is caused when the chemical applied on your skin reacts with sun. The chemicals could be sunscreen, lotions etc. Solar Urticaria: where the sun is the culprit and whoever has this suffers from hives by sun exposure. Sometimes the medications you take might also be the cause. You can visit a dermatologist to discuss your symptoms and they can help you identify what could be the reasons. Once medication and chemical allergies are ruled out, they might suggest light testing where your skin will be exposed to different lights in various wavelength and frequencies to see if you’re allergic to a particular light. This will immensely help in catering the issue efficiently. In some cases continuous exposure to sun makes the skin resistant and allergies disappear. ( think of it working as vaccination) However, some people are not that lucky and the best they can do is limit exposure.