What may increase your risk for problems from a sunburn?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your doctor.
Conditions
- Being younger than 6 or older than 60
- Pregnancy
- Previous photosensitive skin problems, such as a phototoxic reaction, photoallergic reaction, or polymorphous light eruption
- A skin problem or condition present since birth (congenital defect)
- History of skin cancer
- A family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
- Multiple moles, irregular moles, or large moles
- Skin type, such as fair skin, red hair, or freckles that burns easily
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Smoking or other tobacco use
- Living or vacationing regularly at high altitudes or in tropical climates
- Regular use of tanning booths
- Regular sunbathing
Medicines
Note: Many medicines have a warning about photosensitivity on the label.
- Medicines to treat long-term (chronic) medical conditions:
- Antibiotics, such as tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, or sulfa drugs
- Thiazide diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Tranquilizers, such as phenothiazines (for example, Serentil or Thorazine)
- Blood pressure medicines, such as diltiazem (Cardizem)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Skin products that contain vitamin A or alpha hydroxy acids (AHA)
- Acne medicines, such as tretinoin
- Hormones, such as estrogen or progestin in hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills
- Oral diabetic medicines, such as sulfonylureas (Glucotrol)
- Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- History of or current radiation therapy
Diseases
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Hemophilia
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Kidney disease
- Lupus
- Lyme disease
- Macular degeneration
- Macular dystrophy
- Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Porphyria
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: December 28, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology | |
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