SPF/sunburn with doxycycline?

[Laquila]

I’ve just been prescribed this for persistent mild-moderate acne. The GP didn’t mention sun exposure or SPF but when I collected it from the pharmacy it had a warning on the label “Protect your skin from sunlight - even on a bright but cloudy day”. Looking into it further, I see that sunburn/phototoxicity (sp?) can be a side effect - has anyone experienced this? I wear Cerave moisturiser with SPF25 on my face at the mo, and Bioré SPF50 in brighter weather, but I don’t often wear higher than SPF25 on my body. Do I need to be more careful or is this relatively rare, does anyone know? I can’t really work out whether excessive sunburn is a rare potential side effect or something that will definitely happen if you don’t wear a high SPF with it, but if the latter, you’d think the GP would have mentioned it! We’re going to France in a couple of weeks, where it’ll probably be a bit brighter, and it’s be good to know.

I take it and have never had a problem. I'm quite fair and I don't always use SPF either as I have very low vitamin D. Obviously on holiday/ in summer I use sun cream but just what I would use normally.

Thanks fruitpastille! Did your GP flag it as an issue when you started taking it?

Mine is now off sick but the clinical pharmacist is going to call me this afternoon so I’ll ask her advice.

No one warned me but yes I did have huge issues and for a while after I stopped it. I had to cover up and avoid going out altogether in the end.

I've used it as an anti-malarial for 2 trips to sub-Saharan Africa, and despite being very pale and able to burn on a cloudy day in the UK, I was ok with F30/50 even when out all day. I think the photosensitivity is an idiosyncratic side effect, you can't tell who it's going to affect, so it's sensible to take precautions but it's not super-common.

Thanks MeYouWye and SockQueen - that’s really interesting. If it’s precribed as an anti-malarial then presumably as you say, Sock, it mustn’t be a consistent side effect. Sorry to hear you had such issues Wye. How long after did the photosensitivity continue?

A year at least. And I'd burn in cloudy weather.

My GP never mentioned it. And my pharmacist hasn't either but I'll ask next time. I survived last summer without any noticeable difference in my skin.

I’ve seen someone have horrific blisters as a result of the photosensitivity so do be careful. However as pp said I believe it’s a specific reaction some people get so most people are probably fine.

I have badly burnt from being in the garden yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours - gardening and playing with DC.
It was 14 degrees here yesterday, albeit it very sunny.
My face, neckline and backs of my hands have been utter agony today, and bright red.

I'm only on them for a week - hoping this doesn't last into the summer!

Thanks very much all - much appreciated. I spoke to the clinical pharmacist who said that a highly sensitive reaction would probably be much less likely at the dose I’m on, which is only 20mg twice a day.

I was out in similar conditions yesterday to AlaskanSnow and although I had a tiny bit of redness/flushedness at the end of the day, I didn’t actually burn.