Eczema and The Sun - Friends or Foes?

© Michelle Howard Smith - All Rights Reserved

 Did you know that most people are unaware that eczema can be contracted by a rare form of sun sensitivity?  This type of reaction usually affects elderly people but can also affect younger people.  The most prone areas are the parts of your body that are exposed to the sun such as your face, arms and hands.  This is why it's so important to protect your skin from culprits like the sun, especially if you are already prone to eczema (for example: it runs in the family or you have it on other parts of the body)

So What Causes Sun Sensitivity Eczema?

Well, eczema and the sun tend to be foes for some individuals suffering with eczema.  Some people have a reaction to sunlight directly or because they are taking medications that cause them to be sensitive to sunlight.

Other culprits that can encourage eczema are skin care and cosmetic ingredients. This is a good reason why you should be using natural skin care products, especially if you have skin problems like eczema.  Products that are formulated with primarily natural ingredients are much kinder to sensitive skin and don't contain ingredients that can cause skin reactions.

Being exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays (UVA and UVB) is hard enough on our delicate skin.  When you have eczema, it's even more damaging because it can cause eczema to worsten.  I always have to fight with my daughter about putting on her sunblock.  She often forgets to put it on which is totally bad for her since she is prone to getting eczema patches on her face and arms. I sometimes feel like an old grandma saying, "Baby, eczema and the sun don't mix well."

The best course of action to prevent eczema and the sun from doing their dirty little dance is to protect your skin!  I have been shouting the importance of using sunblock for the longest kind of time and people are becoming more aware (of course they aren't more aware of using sunblock just because of my shouting but still I shout!).  Sunblock with an SPF rating of at least 30 is required.  Yeah I know the experts say 15 but have they checked the effectiveness of our ozone layer lately?  The last time I checked factories were still spitting out ozone damaging chemicals and heightened hair enthusiasts were still using aerosol sprays to maintain their up-dos.