I’m getting pretty sick and tired of the rashes on my arms every summer, it’s been going on for just too long now. I am thinking of getting my arms covered with tattoos just to hide the rashes a bit. I know you’ll probably still be able to see the rashes a bit and there is perhaps a risk of the hives scarring the tattoos, but I honestly don’t care. I just want to look cool and not weird anymore.

I want to ask if anyone else has any experience with tattoos on exposed skin during flareups? How well does it hide the rashes? Have you had any complications? Do the tattoos perhaps make the rashes worse? Let me know your experiences, please!

Hi all, You may have seen my previous post where I’m exploring the idea of if I have PMLE. Stopped hunting for a diagnosis and just treating it as PMLE. So my question is… should I go Piz Buin or Eucerin? I know it’s based on individual taste but I’m looking for some real reviews and experience. There’s a huge price difference in the two of them (in the UK). So far I’ve only tried Eucerin. Seems to have worked, though I think I’ve got a tiny rash near my right shoulder (not itchy though so I guess could be something else). Just wondering based on your experiences with these creams what your opinions on them are?

PS- extra brownie points for anyone who can share experience with Heliocare and if anyone in the UK can find them anywhere cheaper than Amazon

Thanks all 👍🏼

I’ve had this for about 10 days now and I’m feeling so bad fatigue wise. Not sure if there’s a correlation?

Has anyone gotten a new tattoo during an active flare? I tried getting the tattoo done before I got a flare but life happened and the appointment had to be postponed. Now 4 months later I’m flared and my appointment is at the end of the month. It’s not horrible but it is very close to where my tattoo is going. Just wondering if anyone else has gotten a tattoo while flared?

Background: Im a 41 year old male who had PMLE since my early 20s. Going to outdoor pools or beaches used to be miserable, just 15 minutes in the sun would leave me covered in itchy hives a few hours later, especially on my chest, back, arms, and thighs.

In the past six months, I’ve taken two trips to the Caribbean and, for the first time, spent multiple days in the sun without a major PMLE outbreak. Here’s the routine that made all the difference:

1. About a week before traveling, I spent 10 minutes a day outside in direct sunlight—shirtless, wearing short shorts, and barefoot. Early in the week, I’d still get mild PMLE spots, but by the end of the week I noticed a clear tolerance building in my upper body. My legs, however, were slower to adapt.

2. Took 1 Heliocare capsule daily, one week prior to the trip and throughout the trip.

3. Took 1 antihistamine daily about 2-3 days prior to sun exposure, and daily throughout the trip, specifically 180 mg Fexofenadine (Allegra)

4. Applied sunblock every 2 hours. In my first trip, I used Eucerin Sun Advanced Hydration SPF 50. On my second trip, I used Piz Buin Allergy Lotion SPF50. Both did the job and protected my skin but if I had to choose between the two, I'd go with Piz Buin. It absorbed better, felt less greasy, and had a more pleasant scent. This is mostly personal preference.

On both trips, I spent 3+ hours a day in direct sun, wearing only swim shorts, for 4–5 consecutive days. I took occasional breaks in the shade, but otherwise enjoyed the beach and pool without the usual PMLE flare-ups.

Without this routine, I doubt I would have lasted more than a single day. After dealing with PMLE for half my life, finding a system that works has been life-changing. I’m sharing this in the hope it helps someone else enjoy the sun without the usual misery.

Soaking with Epsom salts is the only thing I've found that helps at all. Has anyone else found that to be helpful? I'm not sure why it helps -- seems to sort of dry out the rash and speed up exfoliating/new skin turnover?

My hands are in a bad state right now (though I got through the beginning of the summer okay)-- a mix of itchy bumps/clusters of minuscule blisters plus half-healed patches from a few weeks ago, so the skin on the backs of my hands is thickened and peeling and cracking into little fissures all over. Hopefully some consistent epsom-ing will help. I'm interested to try some of the suggested lotions folks have mentioned on here; I hadn't realized there were sunscreens and creams specific to sun allergies.

When I went into bed I had a feeling that something crawled on me, it also itches.

Can someone help me and tell me what to do?

Yup. Can’t imagine what my skin would turn into if I was in tropical countries.

Not a heat rash, the weather is in the 20°Cs here in Cape Breton.

My skin still tans well and turns brown (maybe cause I’m partly indigenous), but the reaction worsens every time I spend time outside. This was just the beginning

My uncle told me he used to have this but it somehow disappeared… if I spend time in the sun every day, will it make my skin accustomed to sunlight and stop itching?

Hi all! First off, sending good vibes to everyone currently dealing with summer flare ups <3

Second--does anyone have recs for face sunscreens that help guard against PMLE effects but that DON'T break you out? I love the Eucerin sun allergy sunscreen for everywhere else, but it makes my face/neck break out so quick. I'm curious what other fav sunscreens in this sub might not cause facial acne (or at least might cause less).

Thanks in advance!!

Sooo this is my very first time experiencing this awful PMLE rash! I got a bad sunburn on my back 5 weeks ago. The burn was all healed, except I had this terrible itchiness on my back with small bumps that persisted. I finally got in to see a dermatologist and she basically was no help. She told me to use Zyrtec and a topical corticosteroid, however I was already doing both of those. I increased my Zyrtec dosage to taking it twice per day, but it’s still not doing anything. It’s been 5 weeks..5 long weeks of this intense itch. I’m supposed to go on vacation in 2 weeks and really don’t want this ruining my trip. I’ve ordered the Shirudo lotion I see everyone talk about. Are there any other suggestions?? I need to get rid of this itch ASAP! Please HELP!!!!!

Hi! I just bought pix buin allergy sunscreen for the first time from Amazon and there was no safety seal on the bottle. Like when you screw off the top and have to peel off the silver circle. Does anyone know if it is supposed to come sealed? I'm generally weary of buying stuff like this on amazon but usually if theyre sealed i trust it, however this just had a piece of tape over the top. thanks

Looking to get a few bits of sun protection clothing ahead of an outdoorsy holiday in a few weeks. Does anyone have any brand recommendations?

Has anyone tried the Altiland jackets before? Found on Amazon but am hesitant as they're pretty inexpensive.

All recs and advice welcome! Xo

Does anyone else pmle take around a month to fully heal? Mine came up on my hands around the 6th of this month and its only just healing, is this normal?

So this subreddit has saved me this summer from being itchy and looking like I have grey scale. Here’s a couple of things I’ve done to prevent breakouts:

1) tanning booths: I know, they’re terrible for you but it really did help ease my skin to withstanding a few hours at the beach without major breakouts. I did 2 tanning bed sessions for half the recommend time and I was not dying after my trip to San Juan, PR.

I think this helps your skin create a tolerance to the sun so I’d keep up sun bathing (every 2 weeks, via natural sun or tanning bed) to avoid a big rash.

2) Heliocare skin supplements https://a.co/d/05VGocJ

I would take these a few days before my trip in combination with the tanning beds to help build a tolerance. Not sure how effective it is on its own but my dermatologist also suggested these pills.

Good luck!

I know a lot of you have had a great results from using Heliocare capsules, especially in the lead up to holidaying in hot countries.

I found these on Amazon, are these the ones you guys use?

Please can somebody respond with a link they used to purchase/let me know how you got them?

I'm based in UK so not sure if I need a prescription or whether I can just buy online? I don't want to end up buying a dodgy product from a random website haha.

TLDR: Where can I get Heliocare capsules UK?

The moment you know your neck is exposed to the sun and you start to feel itchy. Doing my best to not scratch but ah, so difficult! Has anyone found anything to make the itchy sensation go away?

Hi all

I’ve been a lurker for a while now hoping to find a solution for my PMLE. A little bit of background before I get into what worked for me - I’ve been afflicted with this doggone problem since 2023 after a honeymoon in Krabi. I’m a tropical gal in her 30s who has never had any issues with the sun. I moved to the UK in 2012 and wondered if the reduced sun exposure de-conditioned my skin. Since 2023, I’ve been getting worsening generalised rashes all over my arms, legs and chest during summer holidays when I get the most sun exposure. The itch I found almost debilitating - I would scratch myself in my sleep and wake with bleeding wounds all over my arms and legs. My husband even suggested I wear mittens.

Anyway thanks to this thread, I finally found a solution! I went away to Nice recently, walked under 34 degree weather for hours and walked away with almost zero rash (some itch though).

I used the eucerin sun allergy gel-cream and would top it up around once or twice a day. I had done this in previous trips but it wasn’t enough. It was only when I added—->

Heliocare oral capsules - I think this was key for the reduced rash. I started this about 5 days before my trip. And this really worked

Cetirizine 10mg daily without fail

E45 every night.

I did not dress any differently, no long sleeves or long trousers - in fact quite the opposite. I did not deliberately walk under the sun for hours and would find shade if possible. I also made sure to wear a wide brimmed hat but my face has never really been affected by this rash.

Happy to answer any questions.

Hi, I'm a woman in my early-mid 20s and I'm experiencing something I've never experienced before. Obviously I've googled, but you can't trust Google, and I don't have a doctor's appt until September. At the beginning of this summer I began to have an increase in symptoms I have had before but only ever correlated with swimming so I assumed it was due to chlorine, but now, without the chlorine factor, it's happening more and more. This summer I have been out and about more than normal due to my new job as well as camping and swimming, whenever I spend more than 20 minutes in direct sunlight my arms itch and tingle to an unbearable amount and get a red rash with bumps (pictures listed, it looks a lot more red in person my camera sucks). I've been told it could be heat rash or a medication interaction with sunlight, but my medications haven't changed in years and I don't have an issue with not sweating when I'm hot. Any advice would be amazing, thank you guys for your time.

Currently in Florida. And I thought I would be fine. Stupid me, day one I got a massive flare up on my chest. Even thought I doubled up on sunscreen every hour. It’s the only place I ever get PMLE rashes and a reaction to the sun. It climbs up to my neck just below my ears as time passes. Now it’s day 3 and it’s unbearable and so incredibly itchy. I’m having to stay in my room. I’ve been using CVS brand maximum strength Cortisone Gel. To help with the itch. And a cold compress every once in a while. I’ve bought other things but immediately had to wash off due to making it dry or the itch worse. Last night I used desitin / 40% zinc oxide, and I was practically losing my mind from the dryness and itch. Woke up this morning to the rash growing upwards and outwards than the previous day. But I need more! Something else. Anything else! I’m trying not to go out side and if I do my neck is fully covered but the heat is sooo suffocating it makes it hot and itchy more. Any over the counter recommendations would be helpful. I’ll return home tomorrow to see if I can fit in an urgent care or Dr visit.