Sun sensitivity

[smk21]

Hi. Has anyone heard about people with ra are more sensitive to sun?

[Jacki08]

I only became sun sensitive once I was on medication . 😎

[helixhelix]

I'm horribly sun sensitive now because of the drugs - sulpha and hydroxy are the main culprits for me.

[Em13]

On other forums, people are experiencing sun sensitivity as a result of the hydroxy, and I believe SSZ also carries a warning. (I'm now on both.) My rheumatologist told me to get out in the sun and not to wear sunscreen as I need the vitamin D!

[Hidden]

I get stopped at the store and people compliment me on my deep rich tan. They just assume I came back from a Mexican vacation. I just smile and say "thank you". I can not bring myself to tell them it's the hydroxy and sulfa that I take for RA that does this. My own sister announced in a loud voice at a family gathering that my blonde hair looks stupid, and that I should dye it back to brown. I haven't dyed my hair since I got RA. It went blonde because of the hydroxychloroquine.

[oldtimer in reply to Hidden]

Sounds as if you sister doesn't understand your condition at all! Tough if she doesn't listen - but make sure you keep telling her about it in a matter of fact sort of way, not asking for sympathy but understanding.

[ElizabethAnneM in reply to Hidden]

I didn't know that it affected skin tone and hair colour! I was 'mucky coloured' (as my mother put it!) prior to medication and was a blonde a long time ago, I assumed the lightening of my hair was due to the grey becoming more predominant! I would rather be blonde than grey though!

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethAnneM]

I had blonde hair as a child and it went brown in my late teens. It is very strange to have bleach blonde hair now that I'm 50. My hubby says he sometimes feels like he is having an affair with a blonde chick. lol

[Matilda_1922]

I understand MXT makes you more sun sensitive

[sylvi]

I have more than ra and when i go out in the sun my glasses have reactions on them and i have to wear a hat or visor.xxx

[Matalow]

Yes I was always. Out doors walking sailing etc I had a good. Tan all year.l always used a good sunscreen, now I hide from the sun covered up and in the shade I'm no longer on mtx and HCQ, but still don't do sun so I think it could be just the RA.

Regards Mike

[Hidden in reply to Matalow]

I too spent my life out doors. In my youth, I lived on the beach baking in the sun with no sunscreen, just baby oil. Baby oil was used to intensify the sun. Crazy huh? ...Now I hide from the sun because of RA.

[mary4444]

yes i heard about sensitivty to sun wasnt told but it was one of the side effects of mtx xx

[Kb5417]

Deffo with sulfalazine !!!! I burnt in 12 degrees which isn't that strong 😡 I also work a lot outdoors and have a constant tan was worried that my liver or kidneys were failing but they're fine. Although I wear sun screen all year round now I know I'm doomed and will be rocking the leathery skin look when I'm older 🙈👊 wouldn't mind the blonde hair though I'd save a fortune !!!!!

[nomoreheels]

I'm not sure that RD itself does but I was told when I started DMARDs that my hydroxychloroquine was photosensitive & then again with methotrexate. Turned out the HCQ did affect me but only my eyes, they became light sensitive & I wore sunglasses to ease it but that's not quite the same though it is also listed as a side effect. When I started sulfasalazine (here in UK) nothing was said but it can also cause photosensitivity. I know some NSAIDs can too, celecoxib (Celebrex) for one (one of two I was prescribed when diagnosed) so I recommend you check if you're prescribed an NSAID just in case. I don't know which but some anti-TNF's/biologics can cause sun sensitivity as well I believe.

I think it's a case of how you react how much care you need to take, best not to find out by burning first though. When I was diagnosed I was living in a sunny climate & didn't have any problems at all, came back to the UK & the first summer my legs got sunburnt in the garden. Also we do need the Vitamin D sunlight gives us so neither is it good to completely cover up unless you find it's necessary.

[Judetheobscure]

On hydroxychloroquine I burned in the short time it took me to hang out the washing where previously I went brown. Have tended towards vampire mode ever since although don't devour any blood if I can help it. The plus side is that my skin, though pale, doesn't have as many sun crinkles as it might have done.

[Calph]

Yes the methotrexate and hydrox cause it. Nurse told me when i was going away to Spain in Oct to make sure I put a high factor sun screen on. I did have a sun sensitivity issue in the summer after sitting under shade in sun caused me to keep itching.

Regards Carol

[Amy_Lee]

This is new to me. I need to Google for more information on this. However, I am from a tropical country, Malaysia, a small country very near the equator. The sun is very strong during the day. Except office hours, I use to go out under the sun just in short and T-shirt because it is just too hot here. I do not find any different so far. Not getting any tan or sun-burn yet. May be I am a lucky person.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Maybe having a natural darker skin tone protects you? I am Caucasian. I truly believe Caucasians are people of colour. Our skin is pasty white in the winter, red in the spring, deep brown in the summer and light brown in the fall.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Wow!! Colour people? This is also very new to me!! How nice to see our skin colour change a bit with the seasons!!

Though I am an Asian, but I am quite a fairer skin colour person as compare to the general people around me. You may be right to say that our skin colour does help in this way. Anyhow, I will Google more and will ask my rheumy when I visit him next.

[Scottishlad]

I use a minimum of factor 20 in UK if the sun is strong. When abroad I use Factor 50. I was always sensitive to the sun but sulfasalazine and Hydroxychloroquine certainly make me more sensitive to the sun.

I think I will have to avoid sunny climes in high summer or at least take long sleeve shirts and good travel trousers.