Polymorphic light eruption in DS8 any tips?

[Abneyandteal19]

DS8 just been diagnosed.
Blotchy red rash in his arms and legs- it stops at the sleeve of his t shirt/top of shorts.

School keep calling me about it and it seems to be worse on school swimming days (they don't shower)

So far I've bought him long sleeved polos and am putting factor 50 on him daily. This is keeping it at bay but not disappearing. I am collecting him after swimming to shower and return to school.

Doctor thinks a virus he has recently might have 'kick started' it but it's never happened before??

For context he does have other allergies- nuts, soya, some animal fur and Hayfever but none are severe eg treated by antihistamine not Epipen. He takes daily antihistamine for Hayfever and adding Piriton does not seem to have any affect on the skin rash.

Does anyone have any experience? How long did it last? Anything else I can do?

Maybe something useful here

www.bad.org.uk/pils/polymorphic-light-eruption/

This is interesting. It describes my ds last week. Doctor said it was a reaction to a virus.

I don't have any answers but wondering if DS has this too. We heard about Juvenile spring eruption last year which he gets on his ears but this year his arms have been irritated in the sun.

Maybe not helpful as I am an adult (think I had it as a teen too) but I get this on my arms in April/May every spring and it lasts for a few weeks until the skin gets used to the sun. What helps is using Piz Buin Allergy suncream in the day (saw recommended somewhere and it's the only suncream that works for me in stopping the rash). In the evening some Eurax (the one used for chicken pox) to help soothe. Also a gradual build up of sun exposure helps.

If it's PLE, I'm f50 makes it worse. Gradual exposure helps.

I had this on my legs, it does stop after several days when the skin gets used to the sun.

Ultrasun suncream spf30 staying out of the sun between 11&2 and antihistamine help my dh. He only comes out in red lumps on his hands and feet with prolonged exposure, if he does the above we can get to day 5 of a 7 day sun holiday without breaking out.

I have this. I take fexofenadine, use altruist sun cream, and wash with Dettol soap at the end of the day.

I suffer terribly from PMLE
This is the only product that stops it happening for me!

I am also careful about prolonged sun exposure

https://www.eucerin.co.uk/products/sun-protection/sun-creme-gel-sun-allergy-protect-spf-50

I had this when I was pregnant and breastfeeding and for a year after, thank god it seems to have gone away again, although I’m still v cautious re sun exposure. Asthma, eczema and food allergy person - I’m not sure if they’re linked or not!

Definitely worse at this time of year and then you build up a bit of a tolerance as you get more exposure over the summer.

I think keep the sun off him as much as possible with long sleeves etc so it doesn’t get worse, maybe ask doctor for different antihistamines plus steroid cream to help treat the rash if it’s not calming down?

I agree altruist suncream is really good. I had some uv long sleeve things that you put on so you could wear them with short sleeved tops. They were a bit annoying and maybe not suitable for a child, but a lot handier than putting on a load of sun cream. I did live in a hot country at the time though.