CF related Sunburns? (Not caused by antibiotics)

[CyrilCrodius]

Are you getting sunburnt?
I met a CF friend today at the climic and she told me that she also doesn't tan and only gets sunburns. It has always been like that for me, even when not taking antibiotics that causes photosensitivity. I'm so white!

<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><em>Copied from other similar thread by Administrator.</em>
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;">When I was on cipro 4 weeks ago, there was a day where the temperature soared very high. A very nice "summer day" that I spent outside sitting in a shaded area. I totally forgot that I should stay away from the sun while taking cipro, but I stayed in a shaded area anyway because I know that I burn easily. I was wearing a t-shirt and got sunburns on my arms and neck solely by walking from the house to the garage during the day, which is about 20 meters away from the house. That was about 3 weeks ago.
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;">I noticed this week that whenever I go in the sun, the areas that were then sunburnt turn red. I got another sunburn this week, this time on the upper part of my chest and the part that was burnt while I was on Cipro is still red, while the rest of if is turning brown.
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;">I googled about it, it turns out that drug induced photosensitivity DOES take long to resolve. It can take several weeks to several months depending on the drug. I assume that with fluoroquinolones, it's going to take long.
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049648-followup#showall">http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049648-followup#showall</a>
Edit : I specifically stated that this thread was NOT for antibiotic related sunburns because what I want to know is about risks of sunburns related to CF, NOT to antibiotics. Grr, do you even read threads before merging?

 

[MCGrad2006]

Maybe because a lot of CF mutations originate from Irish descent? Irish people tend to have much lighter skin. I don't tan (although I used to when I was a kid and spent my WHOLE summer outside). I do find it much more difficult to tan...which I am not complaining about. My uncle got diagnosed with late stage melanoma last year and died in 4 months time, it was so untreatable. So I HAVE to be more careful.

 

[Incomudrox]

My mutation from what I can find is from ethnicity closer to the equator. I know for a fact I am part Native American Indian (possibly at least 1/4). Needless to say - I don't burn. I tan to a nice golden brown. Bactrim only makes this happen faster for me.

 

[Havoc]

I have noticed increased sensitivity when on quinolones, but an SPF 15 is enough to prevent burns. I am almost full-blooded Irish and I tan quite well. Like Incomudrox, there is some native American in my family tree, but I am nowhere near 1/4, my grandmother is 1/4, though.

 

[CyrilCrodius]

Yeah, but what I want to know is about CF related increase in risks of sunburns, not something related with quinolones or any other drug. THANK YOU VERY MUCH mr/mrs administrator for the confusion.

 

[CyrilCrodius]

I thought that maybe it had something to do with vitamin D deficiency, as I think that vitamin D is required to produce melanin, so people with vitamin D deficiency may have a hard time producing melanin, resulting in more sunburns.
Google has yielded interesting results relating Vitamin D deficiency and sun sensitivity. For example, anecdotal reports like <a href="http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/?o=1444">High vitamin D levels protect against sunburn</a> or some related studies like <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733837">1α,25(OH)?-vitamin D and a nongenomic vitamin D analogue inhibit ultraviolet radiation-induced skin carcinogenesis</a>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn#Diet">Wikipedia says something interesting too</a> : "<em>Dietary factors influence susceptibility to sunburn, recovery from sunburn, and risk of secondary complications from sunburn. Several dietary <span class="mw-redirect">antioxidants, including essential vitamins, have been shown to have some effectiveness for protecting against sunburn and skin damage associated with ultraviolet radiation, both in human and animal studies. Supplementation with <strong>Vitamin C</strong> and <strong>Vitamin E</strong> was shown in one study to reduce the amount of sunburn after a controlled amount of UV exposure.<sup id="cite_ref-Eberlein-K.C3.B6nigPlaczek1998_34-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn#cite_note-Eberlein-K.C3.B6nigPlaczek1998-34">[35]</a></sup> A review of scientific literature through 2007 found that <strong><span class="mw-redirect">beta carotene (Vitamin A)</strong> supplementation had a protective effect against sunburn, but that the effects were only evident in the long-term, with studies of supplementation for periods less than 10 weeks in duration failing to show any effects.<sup id="cite_ref-K.C3.B6pckeKrutmann2008_35-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn#cite_note-K.C3.B6pckeKrutmann2008-35">[36]</a></sup> <strong>Lutein</strong>, a carotenoid, was also found in a study on mice to protect against ultraviolet-induced inflammation and immunosuppression.<sup id="cite_ref-LeeFaulhaber2004_36-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn#cite_note-LeeFaulhaber2004-36">[37]</a></sup>"</em>Considering that CFers are frequently deficient in vitamin A/C/D/E/K, or at least, their vitamin levels are in the lower part of the spectrum, it would make sense that they would be more sensitive to the sun because of deficiency in these vitamins.<em></em>
I found something else that MAY hint to calcium deficiency also resulting in more sunburns.
<em>"In lab experiments with human melanin-producing skin cells called melanocytes, Oancea, graduate student Nadine Wicks, and their team discovered that the cells contain rhodopsin, a photosensitive receptor used by the eye to detect light. Moreover, they traced the steps of how rhodopsin unleashes calcium ion signals that instigate melanin production."</em>
Source : <a href="http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2011/11/melanin">http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2011/11/melanin</a>

 

[kelliemarie]

I get really bad photo sensitivity reactions as well, but I have something that is called a Lupus Antibody (Cogulant). We only found out about it when my mediport developed a sheath around the tip and did blood tests. I guess this antibody can produce photo sensitivity as well though. I have extremely bad reactions so at the beginning of every summer I go to a tanning bed for like 2 minutes at a time to get my body used to the sun again, also I found that beta carotene vitamins help.

 

[justdance]

I amabout 75%Irish blood, with some Italian from my father's side. I live in a mild rainy climate with barely any sunshine but AS SOON as the sun is out I start to tan and will go very dark if I stay out in it!
I like it! Although I have to be careful because after a week sun bathing on vacation I can look too dark...jersey shore style, it can look sprayed on!
I know this post is not related to antibiotics but I was on vfend for 4 weeks once and wowzers, I turned mahogany in the tiniest bit of sunlight.

In short- no I don't think CF determines skin colour or ability to tan. But the genes that have been co-transmitted along the way would probably be laden with north European tendency toward low melanin content so it's just more prevalent.

 

[Swallowtail66]

I think I am just snow white. I don't tan, just burn. However, my children are 1/2 half South American and they tan nicely, even with CF.

 

[CrisDopher]

I am caucasion w/ CF and I tan rather nicely. But I exercise outside year round, so that may help keep me from getting too white in the winter. I'm also getting more religious about sunblock when I go out.

 

[CyrilCrodius]

People who tan nicely : Are your vitamin levels alright? <div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><em>I found that beta carotene vitamins help.</end quote> </em>My post above you seems to point to that! I know that vitamin A is one of the vitamins which tends to be a bit low in my blood levels. I should try to increase it.

 

[justdance]

Come to think of it my dietician did mention that my vit D levels were the highest she'd seen in her cf patients! All my vitamins are always well within normal (if not in the upper) range, with the exception of vit A as retinol, vitamin A as carotene is absolutely fine but retinol is a bit low.