{"id":234688,"date":"2023-09-04T15:52:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T15:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=234688"},"modified":"2023-09-04T15:52:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T15:52:52","slug":"warning-to-millions-of-brits-whose-medication-makes-them-more-sun-sensitive-as-temperatures-hit-32c-are-you-at-risk-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/warning-to-millions-of-brits-whose-medication-makes-them-more-sun-sensitive-as-temperatures-hit-32c-are-you-at-risk-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Warning to millions of Brits whose medication makes them more sun sensitive as temperatures hit 32C – are you at risk? | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

MILLIONS of Brits taking certain medicines should be extra cautious as the weather heats up this week. <\/p>\n

With temperatures set to reach upwards of 30C, it's important to be aware of the dangers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

However, you should not stop taking your medication. <\/p>\n

Forecasters are predicting the\u00a0mercury to rise to 30C\u00a0on Tuesday, in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and the Bristol Channel.<\/p>\n

But parts of the country are set to fry further on Wednesday and Thursday with highs of 32C in Berkshire and southern areas of the Midlands.<\/p>\n

Many common prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can make the skin more sensitive to the sun.<\/p>\n

Read more on medicines <\/span><\/h2>\n

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This could impact the skin in several ways, from flushing or burning of the skin, to increased skin cancer risk.<\/p>\n

Certain drugs can also reduce the body\u2019s ability to maintain a safe temperature.<\/p>\n

Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, previously said:\u00a0"Some medicines contain ingredients that may cause photosensitivity and can cause sunburn-like symptoms, a rash\u00a0or other unwanted side effects.<\/p>\n

"It can be triggered by products applied to the skin, or medicines you swallow or inject.<\/p>\n

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"Quite a few medicines can make you more photosensitive, including common drugs such as antibiotics, oral\u00a0contraceptives and antidepressants, but not everyone who takes them will have a reaction."<\/p>\n

Antidepressants like selective\u00a0serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, may increase sweating, increasing the risk of dehydration.<\/p>\n

Certain oral contraceptives including the combined Pill – the most common form of birth control taken by women in the UK – could increase sensitivity to light. <\/p>\n

Antibiotics can make you more likely to burn in the sun. <\/p>\n

"The one that comes to mind right away is bactrim, or sulfamethoxozole trimethoprim," \u00a0Megan Rech, a pharmacist at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, US, told Health. <\/p>\n

Bactrim (called trimethoprim in the UK) is prescribed on the NHS to treat and prevent UTIs, such as cystitis.<\/p>\n

And some people find that antihistamines like diphenydramine (found in products like Benadryl) reduce their ability to sweat.<\/p>\n

In hot weather, this side effect could increase the chance of life-threatening consequences, like severe dehydration or heat stroke.<\/p>\n

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) said people taking drugs linked to increased light sensitivity can reduce their risk by \u201cstaying out of direct sunlight\u201d.<\/p>\n

It also advises people to \u201cprotect with a high factor sunscreen, and cover up with long sleeves, trousers and a hat\u201d.<\/p>\n

The RPS added: \u201cIf you have questions about your medicines and the possibility of a photosensitivity reaction, your pharmacist will be able to advise you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The NHS recommends spending time in the shade when the sun is strongest, which in the UK is between 11am and 3pm. <\/p>\n

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It also suggests cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses and using at least factor 30 sunscreen.<\/p>\n

A sun cream of at least factor 30 and 4-star UVA protection should be used – two tablespoons if you are covering the entire body.<\/p>\n

Am I at risk?<\/h3>\n

THERE are dozens of medications and over-the-counter drugs that can cause sun sensitivity. <\/p>\n

Some of the most common include:<\/p>\n