Following a curious tweet on her ‘sun allergy’ we invited Amanda from Texas to share her experiences as a guest blogger in the hope that they may help others. This is the first of two parts.
Nearly a decade ago, if you had looked up sun worshipper in the dictionary, you would have seen my picture.
As a young girl growing up on the Gulf Coast of the United States, I was blessed with a pool in my backyard and a temperate climate. Swimming and spending time lounging in the sun were very much a way of life and, blessed with my mother’s Greek coloring, I was able to spend as much time as I wanted baking in the UV light without as much as a freckle.
When I got older, my pursuit of the perfect tan saw me augmenting time by the pool with time in the tanning salon and road trips to the beach. If I wore anything more protective than baby oil it was only out of desperation. The lotions and potions in my bag were labeled with phrases like “ultra-UV” and “mega-light amplifier.”
This is the way I lived my life. You’ll imagine my surprise then when, after an afternoon at the beach, I noticed four small red bumps on my right elbow. Although they were itchy, I applied some topical over-the-counter cream from a drugstore and went about my day. After a hike the following weekend, the four bumps on my arm were joined by more on my hand and my elbow.
Itchy and exhausted, I sought the advice of a primary care physician, who chided me for using a detergent to which I was allergic. An allergist gave me the same advice, as did the dermatologist I visited. Because absolutely nothing else had changed in my routine – from foods to medications or what I used to wash my laundry – I was confident there was more to the story and began my research.
The Internet was, for me, equal parts powerful tool and sanctuary. I read blogs, explored forums, flipped through pictures desperate to better understand what was going on. Many sites in Europe and Australia referred to a disorder called polymorphic light eruption (PLE), where sufferers experienced skin irritation after being exposed to UVA and/or UVB light. I knew I was on the right track. I was 25 years old.
Excited by my progress, I brought my research to the attention of my dermatologist who confirmed my diagnosis. Unfortunately, nothing could be done beyond staying indoors to the extent possible. I was a swimmer, a hiker, a runner and someone who enjoyed spending time outside. Certainly there was something that could be done?
Editor’s note: part two of Amanda’s blog will be published soon.
Image reference
‘Houston’s downtown skyline’ uploaded to flickr.com by ‘D.L.’ on April 23 2005, http://www.flickr.com/photos/falsecognate/11242523/.
