Does anyone know how much sun we need to avoid? I just want to know if I have to put sunblock on to go out to the mail box, or to the store.
I've heard doxy can cause a person to burn, but I don't know if the sunburn effects are cumulative.
Posted by ralphi (Member # 33834) on :
It just makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it probably depends on how fair you are to begin with.
I stick a hat on (or stay in the shade) if I'm just stepping out for a minute (like to the mailbox). Any longer than that and I slap a little sunscreen on.
Just be careful; you won't spontaneously combust or anything Posted by joysie (Member # 11063) on :
The effects for me were cumulative and different from a regular sunburn. This is actually a chemical reaction. Unlike regular sunburn, I felt it way in advance of seeing the skin reaction: Tingling, burining, etc well prior to the redness.
I got "burned" through my tinted driver-side windowwith 70 SPF block on my hands. My son never once had a reaction.
Be very careful: My knuckles are still red 4 years later.
A good drug, though , otherwise !
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Be careful when driving. You get more exposure than you think. Lather up on the sunscreen!
Posted by Mindy159 (Member # 31149) on :
Wow. Thanks everyone!
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I got my hands sunburned through the car windows in Ohio in March with sunscreen on. I had to wear gloves to drive. It was actually sunpoisoning.
I didn't have this problem with any other drug .... I could go out in the sun with minocycline and Levaquin .... but my sun sensitivity was severe with doxy.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that over 90% of the common commercial sunscreens are carcinogenic. I'm not saying you shouldn't use it (although I definitely never use it), I'm just saying that at least you should be aware that it's poison and increases your chances of cancer.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Totally agree, James. I never use it either. I did use it on my hands to drive when on doxy ... but normally, I just do things the old fashioned way and stay out of the sun in the middle of the day.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Sunscreen was not enough protection for me. I agree it was more like sun poisoning than just a burn. I could not have any sun hit my skin at all. Five minutes and I was fried.
Posted by jackie51 (Member # 14233) on :
I got pretty burned by Doxy last spring. Was only out for maybe 20-30 minutes in the morning. Blister city on my arms and swollen knuckles. Took a few weeks to go away. Wasn't pretty.
Be careful. Once it was burned, the light coming through the car window was painful.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
I have been on doxy for most of the summer, and I've spent many sunny days outside without getting doxy burns.
My theory is that if you take a TON of antioxidants, you have a lot less chance of getting burned.
If you think about it, it seems logical, since every burn is basically oxidative damage (hence it would be countered by antioxidants). It's the same logic behind the relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer: If you are taking enough antioxidants, then sun exposure LOWERS your chances of getting skin cancer, but if you are deficient in antioxidants, then sun exposure INCREASES your chances of getting skin cancer.
Posted by ralphi (Member # 33834) on :
James, I disagree with your theories about sunscreen and antioxidants, but to each their own!
There's been a lot of debate on skin care boards about this very topic, and after a lot of research, I've decided that, for me, the risk of skin cancer far outweighs any risk of using sunscreen (which is much, much lower than EWG and other groups would lead us to believe, IMO).
Antioxidants can help, but they aren't enough, in my opinion. And I've never seen any research that suggests sun exposure can lower your risk of cancer. Tanned skin = damaged skin.
Like I said, to each their own, but for me, suncreen is my friend, especially on Doxy Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
ralphi - you are correct that everyone has their own opinions, but there is a lot of data showing that sunscreens are more carcinogenic than the sun itself, and that cultures living near the equator wearing minimalist clothing have the lowest rates of skin cancer. If it was true that sun exposure causes skin cancer, then these people would have the highest rates of skin cancers, but the opposite is true.
I'm not arguing with you. I'm just saying that I didn't make up this stuff on my own "from thin air".
BTW, tanned skin is NOT damaged skin. BURNED skin is damaged skin. There's a big difference.
Posted by ralphi (Member # 33834) on :
I'm sorry, but sun exposure does cause cancer, whether you burn or not. The most damaging rays, UVA, do not cause burning like UVB rays do. Radiation is radiation.
And if a fair-skinned redheaded person lived the same lifestyle as the indigenous population, I would be willing to bet that he/she would get skin cancer.
Most of the articles/studies that claim sunscreen is highly carcinogenic tend to take the ingredients out of context.
For example, labs often study very high concentrations of an ingredient (usually on rabbit's ears), and draw their conclusions from that response, while in an actual sunscreen formula, there would be much lower levels of that ingredient.
It is true that there is some level of risk from some chemical (as opposed to physical) formulations. The most talked-about is Oxybenzone/benzophenone-3, a chemical filter, which can be absorbed systemically and is excreted in urine at a much higher rate than other filters.
Could sunscreen be potentially harmful? Sure. Is UV radiation a cause of skin cancer? Yes. I guess it's up to us to decide which is the bigger risk.
I'm all for eliminating unnecessary chemicals from our lives, but I think there is a balance point, too.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
The reaction is called --Photo Toxic -- Google it and look at the pictures - will freak you out-
I was Photo Toxic about as bad as it gets- even light from my computer screen burned my skin- I wrote maybe 100 posts about it -
Do a search on me #6304 and put Sun in the search box -
ANY type of Citrus even in Tiny amounts can make this reaction MUCH WORSE (Lemon in tea)
I quit eating ANY citrus and the Photo Toxic reaction almost completely went away-took 4 months to go away tho -
( I spent over 2 years getting the Hell burned out of me before finding about the citrus thing)
Regular Sun Screen dose not help much- needs to be - Full Spectrum - Blue Lizard or similar brand sun screen is what you need --
--Jay--
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Ralphi - I'd like to see some studies. You're just quoting the lies they propagate on the Mainstream Media.
Read these articles, and tell me why you disagree with them. There are numerous references to studies.
BTW, not even the FDA claims that sunscreens prevent skin cancer. That's pretty amazing.
I'd be more than happy to read any articles or studies you think are proving otherwise.
Posted by ralphi (Member # 33834) on :
James, none of these articles are peer-reviewed, the authors didn't conduct randomized, double-blind, controlled trials of any magnitude themselves, and the websites are all selling something (as evidenced by the .com at the end of the urls, as well as the requirement for subscription).
They may be interesting, but they don't hold weight in a scientific discussion. Google scholar is probably a better bet for research!
Groovy2 - Thanks! My husband loves lemon in his tea and being out in the sun tears his skin up. Even in the car. He has to stay covered up. I will search your posts.
Posted by bridge (Member # 30896) on :
Glad that you posted this...
I recently started doxy (monodox to be specific) and while I did not get a normal 'sunburn' after going for a run or a day on the beach (bad, I know but I couldn't help it - 85 degrees in jersey in oct!)..
when I went to bed it felt like my skin was "burning", without it turning red..
Is this the sensation that some of you are referring to?
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Ralphi - your first and third links are referencing the exact same study. Your second link is the summary only, without any other information, so it is irrelevant.
There are enough 3rd-party studies referenced in the links I gave above. I am content with the information I presented, and I think it is enough to help someone make an educated decision.
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