Polymorphous Light Eruption (Sun Allergy) Remedies

This spring is the first I've ever experienced PMLE (Polymorphous Light Eruption), I would develop an itchy, red bumpy rash on my arms, legs and back of neck. The itchy rash would last for a few days, then reappear when exposed to the sun again. I started eating fish every day, sometimes twice a day. For two full weeks I ate breaded sole, canned sardines and canned smoked oysters (I wanted to increase my selenium intake). Happy coincidence, no more rash, no more itch.

Hi, My sun sensitivity started after I began taking doxycycline and methotrexate. I do have autoimmune disease (RA, lupus, countless food/environmental sensitivities), plus lyme and heavy metal poisoning. All these are contributing to my sun sensitivity, I think.

This whole summer, I suffered with terrible sunburns. Just by walking from my car to the store, I would break out in my face like you wouldn't believe. My face would blow up like beet red basketball, tiny blisters and bumps, which start weeping and oozing, stinging and burning and all that crap. My face becomes totally disfigured. My scalp would have rashes all over and the hair falls out.

Dermatologist put me on prednisone taper program each time, and currently I'm doing it the 3rd time. This time, it wasn't working, and no matter how I tried, the symptoms wouldn't go away. I began to panic. Is this going to be permanent?

After exploring internet, I found a cream called D____ tea tree antiseptic cream. I read the Amazon reviews and some said that it helped sunburns. So I got it from the local store and put it on. (I have super sensitive skin, so I was scared, but what would I lose?)

It gave me a chilling burning sensation all over my face and I panicked. Wash it off? But I left it on for few more minutes. Then the sensation subsided, and by night, the redness decreased significantly, and the bumps and blisters also began to go away. The cream has an effect of cooling your heat/inflammation, and my hot skin was actually cool, well, almost cold!

By the following day, the redness has reduced to 30% and the stinging pain mostly gone. Today's my 3rd day, and I'm looking pretty normal now.

I'm still on prednison taper program, but with the help of this cream, I think I can get off it quickly. After I'm off completely, I don't know how it's going to be like, since this cream is not an allergy remedy. But it sure worked fast and good for the suffering I was going through. It was only $8!!

I would recommend this product for people who go through this terrible burn from the sun. For dry skin people, it's not heavy enough to moisturize your skin. You can put your regular moisturizer on top of this cream. it'll give you a great relief!

I hope this will help some people who have the similar problems.

Eucerin Brand "Sun Allergy Protect" 50SPF sunscreen and "Eucerin's "Sensitive Relief After Sun Lotion" are both very helpful and have been formulated specifically for helping with this auto immune condition. Amazon, Walmart, eBay often have them and the names of the products change slightly depending on which country they are coming from.

I just got PMLE for the first time. All it took was a walk to the car. My chiropracter said it was due to a calcium deficiency. But, I also take advil regularly (trying not to) and I wash hair with a dandruff shampoo that has coal tar in it. Plus I have pinched nerves. I suspect all are contributing culprits. He recommended I take Cateplex F with calcium. This will take awhile to work. So, in the mean time I am trying not to scratch (not much luck there) and a topical cream. I started with aloe with lidacane but that didn't do much. I am currently using a cortizone 10 cream which gives 1 to 2 hours of relief. I am also avoiding the sun as much as possible. Hope that helps.

I had PMLE first starting in 2009, other symptoms where lupus type rash on face. But, this was not lupus. But, eczema. PMLE rash would come from sun exposure. I went totally gluten free for lent one year. I have been rash free every since.