Investing a lot more time outside is a result of the warm weather. You likely already know how damaging the sun can be to your skin and take precautions to avoid becoming sunburned, but you might not be as familiar with another summertime skin problem: rashes.
Margarita Dermatitis
Margaritas can be a cool summer beverage whether they are served frozen or on the rocks, but they may cause more harm than just a possible hangover. Citrus juice spilled on sun-exposed skin can quickly cause phytophotodermatitis, often known as margarita dermatitis, a painful burn. A scorching rash develops within hours when a photosensitizing substance in limes called furocoumarin, which is also present in other citrus fruits, parsley, dill, celery, and several other plants, is triggered by ultraviolet A (UVA) light.
Blisters or red, itchy patches of skin are possible, and the worst of your symptoms should appear within two to three days. Because the rash only affects the parts of your skin that were in direct contact with the lime juice, it may look like drips, streaks, or other strange patterns. Your skin may grow darker (hyperpigmented) when the blisters heal; this effect might last for months.
Wash your hands after touching limes and promptly rinse citrus juice from your skin if you’re outside in the sun to help prevent margarita dermatitis. This is true even if you’re using sunscreen because you can still get burned.
Seabather’s Eruption
Following a swim in the ocean, did you notice a rash beneath your swimsuit? You might have sea lice or seabather’s eruption, sometimes referred to as pica-pica (Spanish for “itchy-itchy”). This happens when small sea anemones and thimble jellyfish get entangled underneath your bathing suit and release stinging cells that inject toxins into your skin, triggering an allergic reaction. While swimming, you could get a stinging sensation. A patch of itchy, red pimples that resemble bug bites or hives appears in places exposed by your swimsuit in 4 to 24 hours.
The southeast coast of the United States, up to New York, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, are where sea anemones and thin-skinned jellyfish are most prevalent.The rash is more prevalent in the spring and summer, in children under 15, and in surfers who spend longer in the water than other people.
It’s a good idea to take off your swimwear and take a shower right away after going for a swim in the ocean because these animals frequently release their poison in fresh water. Rinse your suit in hot water until all of the residual organisms are gone.
Swimmer’s Itch
Because it appears on skin that isn’t covered by swimsuit, swimmer’s itch differs from seabather’s eruption. An allergic reaction manifests as small red bumps or huge red welts when minute parasites from infected snails residing in warm, shallow water in lakes, streams, or the ocean burrow into the skin.
Epsom salts or crushed oatmeal can be used to a bath to help with itching relief. You can also apply baking soda paste or a cool compress to the affected skin. Ask your doctor if topical cortisone or an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine may help if the itching doesn’t go away.
Polymorphous Light Eruption
In the late spring and early summer, those who are sensitive to sunlight may develop polymorphous light eruption (PLE), which are extremely itchy pimples that resemble bee hives. Usually, the chest, neck, arms, and face will develop the rash.
Within ten days, this sun hypersensitivity ought to go away on its own. The skin becomes accustomed to UV rays as the weather heats up, thus it often only manifests once per season.
Consult your doctor about using an itch cream or taking an antihistamine to get rid of the itching. Your doctor might advise a topical corticosteroid in extreme situations. Prevention is your best option: When the sun is at its brightest, try to spend as much time in the shade as you can between 10am to 2 pm.
Hot tub rash (folliculitis)
You may have hot tub folliculitis, a skin rash, one to two days following soaking in water polluted with the common bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is present in water and the ground. Since hot water tears down the chlorine that kills bacteria, it occurs more frequently in hot tubs (thus the name). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rash can also develop after swimming in a lake that has been contaminated or a pool that has not been properly maintained.
A red rash with tiny, millimeter-sized lumps that itches and is worse in regions covered by a swimsuit is one of the signs of hot tub folliculitis. Around the hair follicles, you might also see painful or irritated pimples.
Checking the chlorine and bromine levels in the water prior you dive in is the best method to avoid hot tub rash. As soon as you exit the water, take a quick shower with soap and wash your suit in hot water.
Cold Sores
A viral infection that causes small, fluid-filled blisters on or near the lips is known as a cold sore. If you’ve previously experienced cold sores, you might have noticed that recurrences are more frequent in the summer because of exposure to sunshine. People frequently are unaware that the sun can cause triggers.
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your lips, particularly if you’ve had herpes in the past. Inform your doctor right away if you start to develop a cold sore. Within the first 24 to 36 hours after the onset of symptoms, using an antiviral medication can help stop or delay the breakout.