Suzy Cohen, R. Ph., is a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience. The author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist (HarperCollins, July '07), she is "America's Most Trusted Pharmacist," and has helped millions of patients in various clinical settings, such as retail, hospital, nursing home pharmacies, and through  her nationally syndicated column, "Dear Pharmacist." A former spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Suzy Cohen is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, The Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists and The American Pharmacists Association. You can subscribe to Suzy's free weekly newsletter or ask her a question at her DearPharmacist website.

Suzy Cohen--

Question: You recently wrote an article about how good the sun can be for you in creating vitamin D. The instructions with the medication I take for acne (doxycycline) state that I should stay away from the sun, so I do. What can happen if I don’t? --DP, Gainesville, Florida

Answer: The sun does help you make more D which helps protect against prostate cancer and breast cancer. But some medications warn against sun exposure because of a side effect called “photosensitivity.” It isn’t a given because not everyone who uses a photosensitizing drug is affected. Offending drugs of this type cause some people to suffer a dreadful sunburn, brown splotchy patches or skin rash. Depending on the medication, this side effect may or may not be reversible. Some drugs are more likely to cause reactions than others.

Doxycycline is an antibiotic often prescribed for acne and has a strong reputation for causing skin damage in some people who are photosensitive. It is one of many drugs that increase a person’s photosensitivity, so you could burn after only a few minutes of exposure, where it might normally take two hours to get sunburned. Sunburn is just one type of reaction; it is possible to experience other short-term effects such as hives, eye burn, itches, blistering or scaling of the skin.

Chronic effects with certain photosensitizing drugs include premature aging of the skin, skin cancer, strong allergic reactions and even cataracts. Now this isn’t 100 percent foolproof, but eating certain foods and taking some supplements may prevent or reduce the severity of a sunburn. Seriously, studies suggest that antioxidant substances like vitamin C, E, lycopene and green tea extract may be helpful in protecting your skin. Chocolate too!

For the record, the FDA reports that many household substances also increase your risk for sunburn. Such ingredients are commonly found in deodorants, antibacterial soaps, artificial sweeteners, mothballs, nylon and wool fibers and cadmium sulfide, a chemical injected into the skin during tattooing.

Interestingly, many blood pressure reducing medications, female hormones, birth control pills (anything with estrogen in it) and anti-inflammatory arthritis medications and diabetic medications have the potential to cause photosensitive reactions.

If you get a bad sunburn take a painkiller (like Tylenol) then take a bath in oatmeal, it’s sold under the brand name Aveeno at pharmacies nationwide. I personally add a little baking soda to the bath for even more soothing sensation. Dry off and apply a lightweight moisturizer to your skin twice a day. Dermoplast or Solarcaine are over-the-counter anesthetics that you can spray on your skin. Aloe is fantastic, apply it straight from the plant. You can also use this folk remedy: Dip a compress into cool water that contain apple cider vinegar (50/50 mix) and apply it to painful areas of your skin.

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Update on Jun 30, 2008 by At Basil & Spice

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