Spending time in the sun can be one of life's great pleasures, unless you suffer from lupus, an autoimmune disease. As many as 75 percent of lupus suffers react badly to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, particularly UVA rays, but also UVB rays, the American College of Rheumatology states. Fluorescent lights may also trigger symptoms, although to a lesser degree. UV rays alter DNA and trigger autoimmune responses in people with lupus.
Transient Illness
Being out in the sun even for a short time, such as half an hour, without wearing protective clothing, wide-brim hats and sunblock can leave lupus sufferers feeling ill for a day or two, with headaches, fatigue, fever and nausea. People with lupus are also prone to more severe sunburn, in many cases, in addition to the rashes they may develop.
Rashes
Sun-related rashes are a common feature in lupus; although the classic butterfly rash across the cheeks and nose is what most people picture, lupus rashes related to UV exposure can take many other forms as well. Up to 60 percent of people with lupus get rashes from sun exposure, according to The Lupus Site. People who have discoid lupus, which affects only the skin, develop coin-shaped lesions that may leave scars on sun-exposed skin. Patients with sub acute lupus, also called cutaneous lupus, develop non scarring lesions that may be scaly and itchy, and may resemble psoriasis. Sun sensitivity can also cause petechiae, tiny red dots that are minute bleeding under the skin from damage to blood vessels.
Flares
Lupus flares are more than just a feeling of sickness for a day or two. In a flare, your symptoms intensify and your whole body can be affected; you may have severe arthritis that moves from joint to joint, experience difficulty breathing related to a number of lung problems, or develop kidney or heart problems. Vasculitis, inflammation in blood vessels, can occur in any part of the circulatory system, including the brain, heart, lungs or intestinal tract, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. Lupus can be a life-threatening disease, and anyone with the disease should prevent flares by staying out of the sun and using sunscreen religiously.
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