May 26, 2006 5:53 pm US/Eastern
Doctors Seeing Increase In Sunscreen Allergies
by Dr. Mallika Marshall
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
It looks like sun bathers are getting the message. Apply sunscreen generously.
But as more people use sunscreen, dermatologists say they're seeing more patients show up with reddened skin. Not from sunburns, but from sun block allergies.
"I used some sunscreen and the same day I broke out in a rash all over my body," said Rachel Charles.
Geraldine Gilligan's sunscreen also left her with a rash.
"It was all over, it was visible, it was uncomfortable and it was itchy," said Geraldine Gilligan.
Doctors say what's even more troubling is many people don't realize they're allergic to sunscreen, and so, they keep re-applying it.
"It can be extremely uncomfortable. It can cause puffiness, swelling to the point where people need to use eyes compresses and other measures such as antihistamines and other things, even steroids to control the reactions," said Dr. Cliff Bassett of Long Island College.
Since different sunscreens contain different chemicals, patients can have a simple patch test performed to deteremine which specific ingredient they're allergic to.
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