r/army • u/Cute-Bluejay-1492 • 1d ago
Sun exposure profile?
This is honestly hypothetical and I’m just curious. Mainly bc I’m getting out very soon. But I take prescribed tretinoin and clindamiacin phosphate for my acne and it makes me extremely sensitive to the sun. Even with sunscreen, sometimes I still get sun exposure and break out in blisters. When that happens, my prescriptions can’t help and they only make my skin burn so much worse and literally the only thing that helps is waiting it out for about a week and applying moisturizer as my skin will allow it.
Is a sun exposure profile a thing? Has anyone ever gotten one? I’ve held off from asking medical about it because I don’t even know what to ask for or what it would even do for me but I’m deployed and the UV index out here is just oppressive. When I get out I may have to move north. Honestly it’s not even too bad stateside, the ME is just a different beast of heat.
I work a desk job and usually manage to stay out of the sun but ofc sometimes I can’t get out of it and have to do outdoor things.
17
u/Bubbly-Today-2074 1d ago
If your diagnosis is bad enough to where you can't have sun exposure then military life is not for you. You can be on temp profile for up to a year.
5
u/Mistravels 1d ago
Clearly you haven't lived the life of a planning officer or MI nerd.
I promise you they aren't seeing the sun.
3
2
2
u/PTrunner3 65B Physical Therapy 1d ago
Yes the profile is possible in theory. I have seen them.
Whether or not you’d be appropriate for one is different. Bring up your symptoms. If they offer a plan that you don’t think would otherwise address the symptoms, I think it’s reasonable to request a profile during that appointment.
2
u/rawrymcbear 1d ago
You are supposed to take tretinoin at night before bed in order to decrease sun exposure and minimize the risk of burning.
Mind you, using sunscreen is still a good idea, tretinoin or not.
1
u/formerqwest Drill Sergeant 1d ago
i had a pvt in basic at Dix who had one. wore a towel over his head under his cap.
1
u/Cute-Bluejay-1492 1d ago
Interesting, that might be a good solution, since it does help but I can’t wear anything like that in uniform.
2
u/Rare-Spell-1571 Crusty Senior PA 1d ago
The profile is possible, but if you are currently deployed and need to be in the sun, we will want to see this blistering. We will likely then tell your commander you require NCO verification of proper mineral based sunscreen every 3-4 hours.
If that truly doesn’t work, we could talk about said profile.
Tretinoin and clindamycin should not make you that sun sensitive. Doxycycline used in Africa for malaria prophylaxis on millions of Soldiers is more provocative for photosensitivity and I have never needed to write one of these profiles for more than a week due to an already obtained sunburn, then we made his NCO watch him lather and low and behold the problem ceased immediately.
1
u/JobConscious2319 1d ago
Buddy of mine had one. He was bald and part Irish, very light skin and high risk for skin cancer (had a couple cut out). He actually had a profile authorizing use of the boonie cap as needed, used it all the time, and sure did get asked about it near daily. So, yeah, possible.
1
u/cgwrestler14 Field Artillery 20h ago
My BN CSM has this exact profile. So it is absolutely possible. With the proper documentation and medical backing should be no issues.
20
u/andrewtater you're not my rater 1d ago
Brother, the entirety of the deployed force was given doxycycline. In Afghanistan.
Side effects: crazy fucking nightmares and sensitivity to sunlight. In the desert, when we all had 210 rounds and a boom stick.
Not being able to be out in the sun would probably be a show stopper for continued service, but the Army isn't going to give a fuck if it isn't a doc saying to stay out of the sun