Sun Allergy in Babies: What You Need to Know
The sun is the source of life for living things. It is the most important source of vitamin D known as calciferol and stored in the liver. Vitamin D deficiency in infants and children causes delayed growth, muscle weakness, skeletal deformities and rickets, predisposing to obesity and weakening the immune system.
Uncontrolled exposure to sunlight, which is very important for the development of people, especially babies, can have harmful effects. Ultraviolet rays from the sun have harm as well as benefits, and unprotected contact of these rays with the skin can destroy the skin barrier and cause some allergic reactions. White-skinned people and babies are more sensitive in this regard. Especially babies need to be protected while benefiting from sunlight for skin health.
What is Sun Allergy?
Sun allergy is the general name given to the clinical findings that occur as a result of the harmful effects of sun rays on the skin. These effects are also called photodermoses and are considered to be the destruction of the skin barrier in a sense. It covers skin rashes that occur as a result of the interaction of products such as soap, perfume, cream, various cosmetics with ultraviolet rays, and some reactions in which the immune system plays a role. However, allergic reactions do not occur only as a result of the use of certain products.
Genetic factors, skin structure and sensitivity prepare the ground for allergic reactions. An important point here is that sun allergy is often confused with sunburn. This confusion hinders proper treatment. For two conditions with differences that can be understood with a simple skin examination, it would be best to consult a specialist if the correct diagnosis cannot be made.
What Are the Symptoms of Sun Allergy in Babies?
Sun allergy symptoms in babies are usually seen in the form of itching, pain, crusting, tiny blisters, occasional cracking, bleeding or hives on the skin. Rashes are observed more frequently on the face and arms, in areas that are not exposed to the sun frequently. Allergies should not be confused with sunburn. Sunburns manifest themselves as a burning sensation and redness in areas of the skin that are directly exposed to the sun, and usually no improvement is observed in a short time.
How to Identify Sun Allergy in Babies?
Vitamin D and sunlight, which activates this vitamin in the body, are very important for the development of babies. However, due to the sensitivity of their skin, especially babies are at greater risk of sun allergy. So how is sun allergy detected in babies? In general, symptoms in the form of tiny blisters that appear as itching, crusting and sometimes painful on the skin are observed within minutes after exposure to the sun, and these symptoms usually disappear on their own within 24 hours of being away from the sun.
Sun allergy and sunburn should not be confused in order to apply the right treatment. Sunburns show signs of redness and burning in areas exposed to the sun for a long time. Since the development of burns requires prolonged exposure to the sun, healing does not occur in a short time.
Treatment
Sun allergy in babies tends to be more painful than adults due to skin sensitivity. So, how does the sun allergy that drives babies and their parents into nightmares go away? If the cause of the allergy is a drug or cosmetic product, it is observed that the symptoms usually go away on their own when the use is stopped. If the complaints do not go away, it would be most appropriate to continue the treatment by a specialist doctor. The most important thing to do before reaching the sun allergy symptoms and treatment process is to be under control. ‘What is good for sun allergy? ‘, it is necessary to be protected in order not to seek the answer to the question. Protecting babies from the sun and depriving them of sunlight are not the same thing.
It should be ensured that babies benefit from sunlight in a way to eliminate harmful effects. So how should babies be brought out to the sun? First of all, the time that babies stay in the sun should be limited and they should be prevented from being exposed to the sun between 10:00 and 16:00. If going out in the sun outside these hours, long sleeved clothes and wide-brimmed hats should be preferred. Sun exposure time should be increased gradually and adaptation of skin cells to sunlight should be ensured. At this point, babies should be protected from possible symptoms by using protective creams produced for baby skins that are sensitive and prone to allergic reactions, and they should be prevented from being deprived of the sun.
Does Sun Allergy Cause Itch?
One of the most important symptoms of allergic reactions caused by the sun is itching. Sun allergy itch is a condition that can be very unsettling for babies. Symptoms such as pain, redness, swelling and dryness of the skin can also accompany itching and cause greater discomfort in infants. Although sun allergy treatment is possible, the most important thing is to be protected and controlled. The treatment process requires much more effort and time than prevention.
What Are Creams for Sun Allergy?
When it comes to sun protection, easily accessible sun allergy creams may seem like parents’ biggest helpers. But the best way to cure an allergy is to avoid the factors that can cause it. Protective lotions with high protection factor both strengthen the skin barrier and prevent UVA and AVB rays from damaging the skin. This allows you and your loved ones to enjoy the sun comfortably without being exposed to allergic reactions. Protective creams should be applied half an hour before going out in the sun and should be renewed every 2 hours as long as you stay in the sun.
In addition, creams should be applied again after washing and drying. The amount should be paid attention to when using the cream. 1 teaspoon for face, neck and each arm, 2 teaspoons for chest, back and each leg will be sufficient. After-sun lotions, which will be used in the same amounts after the effects of the sun, moisturize and soothe the skin. By refreshing the skin, it helps to remove harmful effects such as drying and cracking caused by the sun on the skin.
Allergy is a situation that is likely to occur after the sun, especially in babies. If sunscreens suitable for allergic skin are used correctly and at the right time, the situation will be kept under control without allergic reactions. In applications for sensitive baby skin, the preference of products that do not contain perfume and whose chemical content is minimized will contribute to faster and more impressive results.