Woman Scared To Leave The House After Developing Sun Allergy That Causes Blisters

While many of us have been out enjoying the heatwave over the last week, one woman has been subjected to excruciating pain.

Susan Heaword, 29, from Shropshire has a sun allergy - also known as Polymorphic Light Eruption - which causes increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Mercury Press)

Susan says she was gutted when she found out the UK was in for a sunny spell, explaining simple jobs such as putting out the bins or hanging out the washing can leave her with excruciatingly painful blisters all over her skin.

"It really, genuinely hurts," says Susan. "If someone brushes against me, it can make me cry. I have seven cold showers a day because of the pain.

"It feels like a spider crawling across my skin, then it tickles, then it’s like a million hot needles are hitting my skin.

"They get so bad that the blisters pop and turn into one big red patch. I was devastated when I saw this month’s weather forecast.

"I feel bad for my children because I can’t enjoy the weather with them. I can’t even sit next to the window because the sun will get me."

Mercury Press)

Susan hasn't been abroad on holiday since she was diagnosed 12 years ago, after the birth of her first child. Susan takes antihistamines every day and wears factor 50 at all times - even when it isn't sunny.

"I have to wear full length tops and trousers in hot weather and I wear my summer clothes in the winter just because I want to wear something summery," she explains.

"I don’t leave the house when it’s hot apart from to do the school run and I have to wear a jacket so this week I’ve been getting some funny looks."

Mercury Press)

Susan was diagnosed after first discovering painful hives.

"I went to the doctors because I kept coming out in painful hives," she continues.

"They just said to avoid sunlight, but that means my children suffer because if I can’t have a summer, they can’t have a summer.

"They want to be in the garden in the swimming pool and I can’t play with them. It’s devastating."

The NHS explain Polymorphic Light Eruption is skin rash triggered by exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet. An itchy or burning rash usually appears within hours, or up to two to three days after exposure to sunlight.

It can last for up to two weeks and usually appears on the parts of the skin exposed to sunlight, typically the head, neck, chest and arms.

You can read more about it here.

Topics: Health, Life

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot.

@lucedevine