Medical Questions » Allergy Questions » Question No. 1068
Question:I frequently go out in the sun as this is required of my job. So, I need to apply sunscreen, but whenever I apply sunscreen I develop itching skin rashes. Am I allergic to sunscreen? What should I do?
Answer:Yes, chemicals present in the sunscreen may trigger various allergic reactions. Mostly these allergic reactions represent contact dermatitis, an itching and blistering skin rash developed due to direct contact of a substance with the skin. These allergic reactions occur, wherever the sunscreen is applied on the body, mainly on the exposed area of the body.

Before providing you solution, you need to understand how Sunscreen works. There are two methods of sunscreen working - One as chemical absorbers (which absorbs UV rays of the sun, convert them into less dangerous form, which is not harmful for skin) and another as physical blockers (reflects the radiation away from the skin). Physical blockers are not known to cause contact dermatitis. But, they are heavy creams containing zinc oxide and titanium oxide. So, these creams are not absorbed nicely into skin and hence are not used much. But, they can be used if the person is having allergy to sunscreens.

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