Photosensitivity in Lupus – Indoor & Outdoor Lighting

Hello all! I’ve been very sick lately with a lupus flare up and we have pinpointed part of the cause of my flare up. I have become extremely photosensitive! I have been photosensitive since my diagnosis of lupus but this past year I have had more problems than ever with lighting. It is mind blowing! How in the heck have I become so incredibly allergic to light?!

Ultraviolet light (UV) is invisible radiation from the sun or florescent lighting. It is broken down into 3 separate categories: UVA (ages skin), UVB (burns skin) and UVC (no affect on skin, absorbed by atmosphere). The exact reason for UV lighting affecting people with lupus is unknown, however to read about the current UV light theory, please click here. Please note, not all people with lupus experience photosensitivity, however, it never hurts to be extra careful!

Florescent lighting is everywhere. For every hour you spend under florescent lighting, you are receiving the equivalent amount of UV rays as one half hour in the sunlight. Most people have no problems with lighting, and can go about their lives without the worry of what to wear and how to protect their skin (with the exception of sunbathing), however there are some people who are not so lucky. Until you or a loved one are experiencing issues related to UV exposure, you would not even think of lathering up your body with sunscreen and covering up before going to your local grocery store. Sounds kind of crazy? To me, it does, but this is my life and I wouldn’t expect anything less than crazy!

Exposure to UV lighting affects more than just your skin. You can be affected internally as well. I experience body aches, muscle pain, hair loss, and an overall feeling of malaise from exposure to UV lighting. I have just recently discovered that my own home is contributing to my flare ups!

Did you know that the energy saving light bulbs you have in your lamps are florescent lighting, which produce UV rays? Call me slow, but I did not realize that! We live in an apartment, and the lighting in the kitchen is the great big long florescent bulbs with a plastic cover. Even in my own house, I did not know that I was creating even more of a risk of developing a flare up of lupus. We are in the process of replacing our energy saving bulbs with the old fashion bulbs, which we are not happy about. We saw about a $30.00 drop in our monthly electric bill ever since switching to energy saving bulbs last year, however come to think of it, I have been having a nonstop rash of lupus also.

I go outside when I walk my daughter to the bus stop, and just my walks since she has started kindergarten has increased the amount and severity of lupus rashes so much that I even have the rashes on my outer thighs. Once the rash extends to parts of my body never exposed to any lighting I know that my flare up is out of control.

Many places of employment use florescent lighting, so if you are one of those people who think that you always feel slightly sick while at work, look around you and see if you are directly under a florescent bulb. That bulb could very well be the cause of your ill feeling (on top of just not wanting to be there!). Does shopping make you sick too? It is not the fact that you are spending so much money, but rather the strategically placed lights used to entice you into purchasing products that could make your stomach turn sour.

If you experience photosensitivity, whether it be due to lupus or not, the best course of action is to keep on hand several bottles of SPF 35-40 spray sunscreen. The spray sunscreen is so easy to apply, and with having to wear it every place you go outside of the home, who wants to spend all of that time rubbing each and every square inch of skin? Why buy several bottles? If you are like me and have brain fog, you will want to leave one bottle out by the doorway (with your shoes) and keep the rest of the bottles under the bathroom sink. You never know when you will accidentally misplace a bottle, and always want to be prepared!

Another good buy would be thin and light long sleeve shirts, comfortable lightweight pants, and a hat to protect your scalp and shade your face from both artificial and natural lighting. Simply wash your clothing in a UV protective detergent, such as SunGuard, and your clothing is said to have a 96% blockage of harmful UV rays for up to 20 washes. My doctor had suggested that I buy UV protective clothing. I have searched online for UV protective clothing, specifically at Coolibar, and have found that the clothing is very expensive. I am a mother of 2 and do not have a lot of money to spend on myself. My clothes come from TJ Maxx, Bealls Outlet, and other outlet stores! Not only is UV protective clothing expensive, but I’m not too crazy about the styles available and I am unable to try the clothing on before I purchase the item, hence my search for UV protective laundry detergent.

We will be purchasing UV protective laundry detergent from SunGuard with my husband’s next paycheck and I will write a review on the product after using it for a month. I am excited to see if this protective detergent will help my skin issue. Please stay tuned as I try and get my rash under control and hopefully help others just like me!