When The Warm Sunshine is Your Mortal Enemy
Sunbathing has become a special sort of torture for me
Welcome to the WATC world, where I write about the weird things that happen to me, but also about a bunch of other stuff… Essentially, I’m a piñata: you just never know what treats are about to fall out of me…
I’m trying a different structure with my publication: A story, a stat, and a spark. That last section might vary depending on where my head’s at at the time of writing.
Let me know if you like it. xoxo
If someone told you they were allergic to the sun, which reaction would you have?
a.) What? Impossible!
b.) Okay, freak of nature!
c.) Poor thing, that’s terrible.
d.) Picture or it didn’t happen.
For some reason, each spring, I forget I’m allergic to the sun.
It began in my 30’s after having kids. It’s one of those things that gets triggered by the 3Ps: puberty, pregnancy, or perimenopause. So, I’m probably the only person you’ve ever met who’s been looking forward to menopause for quite some time.
I didn’t know what it was for years.
I’d break out in a rash when we went to Cape Cod in the summer. We’d spend the week on the beach, and I’d get a rash that was first itchy and later painful like needles stabbing me over and over. I assumed I was allergic to something local to Cape Cod.
Then, I got it in Puerto Rico. We’d been on a winter escape-the-snow vacation. Misery.
I made numerous dermatologist appointments, but by the time they could see me, the rash would resolve. Meanwhile, I changed detergents, soaps, personal care products, sunscreens, and so on. Nothing helped.
This unresolved mystery went on for SEVEN YEARS until I presented myself at my dermatologist’s office without an appointment, straight from the airport.
“Look!” I exclaimed. “It’s happening right now! This is the rash!”
To her credit, she didn’t shoo me out the door to take care of other patients with actual appointments. She did a skin punch right then and there and sent it off to the lab. The results: Polymorphous Light Eruption (PMLE), which is a rash, yes, but it’s also an autoimmune condition.
What’s the fix?
Do I need to move underground or coat my windows with special films?
Nope. The solution is more sun, not less. More UV, not none.
As counterintuitive as it sounds, the best way to prevent and manage PMLE is to “harden” your skin to UV rays. Essentially, it’s exposure therapy.
I’m usually very diligent about it.
At the first break in winter’s frigid temps, I go outside to let some sun hit my hands, collar bones, and anywhere my skin is thin, as those spots seem to get the worst reactions. But I failed this year.
Spring has been cloudy. I haven’t been good about getting a little exposure daily. So, now, after a trip to the Carolinas over Easter break, I’m suffering.
I can’t say it wasn’t worth it. I had a few great days of warmth and sunshine—something New Jersey could use a lot more of. But now, I still have some residual spots that are as stubborn as they are itchy.
People with this condition often mistake it for prickly heat or just a random rash. But, it’s actually a thing. If you get dots that feel like bug bites after prolonged (10+ minutes) of sun exposure, you might have PMLE. Sunscreen won’t prevent it. Your only options are a physical block (shirt, gloves, umbrella, etc.) or conditioning your skin to it. I do both, but let’s be real: when it’s 95 degrees, I’m not wearing gloves.
Come on, menopause, I’m counting on you!!
Autoimmune disorders affect 10% of the population (13% of women and only 7% of men). Yes, ladies, we’re taking it on the chin again. Good thing we’re tough.
Is there anything your own body has been doing lately that makes you wonder… what can this be? It might be something worth writing about!
SIS is coming Thursday, May 1st, 1pm ET.
The Substack Investigators are back at it!
, and I are conducting another groundbreaking, fun-flinging deep dive into all things messaging.We’ll be diving into templates, About pages, Hero posts, and introductory emails to help you have the best experience with your Substack publication.
To join us, be sure to upgrade your membership and mark your calendar. Session link will be sent out tomorrow.
As a ginger, I don’t have an “allergic” reaction per se, but it’s still not good. Hence my proclivity for hats (I don’t care if the world knows I’m bald, but once the sun found out it was relentless). Probably unrelated to hair color, bright sunlight can make me sneeze; also not an allergy.
Be on the alert for further autoimmune issues as you progress through life. I experienced similar sin exposure issues that started in my late teens that continued without doctors having a clue, or any interest really, what the cause might be. A few years after the start of menopause (which started for me at 42), the sun exposure issue got even more intense and was joined by severe joint pain and problems with eye dryness which finally led to a diagnosis of Sjogren's Syndrome and eventually lupus.