Living with Sun Hives
Every year I get hives. I'm not allergic to bugs, food or plants, but sun exposure. Yep I am allergic to the sun.
Pretty much any time I am exposed to the sun in the summer time I will break out in hives later that evening. It is a condition called Polymorphous Light Eruption (or Solar Urticaria, not sure which one I have, but I get hives from the sun). Sounds fun, right? No, it sucks.
Now you're probably yelling at the screen for me to just wear sunscreen, well I do! 100 spf won't even stop this from happening to me, so don't think I haven't tried. Pretty much any skin that is exposed to the strong sun, protected with spf or not will be covered in hives.
So here is how I am coping this year.
Sunscreen:
I got some of the new Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration sunscreen and I am in love. The last thing I want is a tan or a burn so it is definitely a girls best friend, plus the sample fits in my bag really well for touch ups. I also picked up some spray on sport sunscreen in spf 60.
Soothing Post Sun:
Now for the post sun, they make a After Sun Moisturizer, that I was skeptical of but found out I love it. It gives that soothing hydration like aloe vera but with a little extra. It really calms my hives and stops me from scratching fast. Oh and it smells great.
I also have a big squirt bottle full of aloe vera, it works well and I go through it fast, but the Hawaiian Tropic is my new summertime favourite.
Next up is Life Brands SunThera3. I go some Aloe After Sun Cleansing Wipes to carry around and calm my skin. They work well but need a bit more moisture to them. I also grabbed their Hydrating After Sun Masks. They are sheet masks and really calm the itch on my delicate face.
Cover Up:
Finally I cover myself, with a lightweight throw over shirt, a scarf (my chest area is always getting it the worst), sun glasses and a big sun hat. You'll also see me hiding in the shade. If I am by a pool, I'll be under some beach towels, I am not getting any extra uv rays if I can prevent it. This truly is my best bet for not suffering later that day or night.
So that is my action plan for this summer, so far so good, only a few days of hives so far. I hope I could help others who have issues. Personally avoiding exposure is my best bet and it might be yours too.
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