Should I stop taking Zyrtec for seasonal allergies if I am going out on the water during a vacation? I wanted to know if this med causes sensitivity to sun making burning more likely..
Does Zyrtec cause sensitivity to sun? If going on a trip with lot of sun exposure, should I stop?
Question posted by troutt on 9 April 2025
Last updated on 8 April 2025
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Answers
masso
9 April 2025
Yes, Cetirizine brand name Zyrtec may cause phtosensitivity.
The Sun and Your Medicine
There are two types of photosensitivity – photoallergy and phototoxicity.
Photoallergy is an allergic reaction of the skin and may not occur until several days after sun exposure. Phototoxicity, which is more common, is an irritation of the skin and can occur within a few hours of sun exposure. Both types of photosensitivity occur after exposure to ultraviolet light – either natural sunlight or artificial light, such as a tanning booth.
Medicines
There are certain types of medicines that can cause sensitivity to the sun. Some of these include:
Antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, tetracycline, trimethoprim)
Antifungals (flucytosine, griseofulvin, voricanozole)
Antihistamines (cetirizine, diphenhydramine, loratadine, promethazine, cyproheptadine)
Cholesterol-lowering drugs (simvastatin, atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin)
Diuretics (thiazide diuretics: hydrochlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, chlorothiazide.; other diuretics: furosemide and triamterene)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, piroxicam, ketoprofen)
Oral contraceptives and estrogens
Phenothiazines (tranquilizers, anti-emetics: examples, chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, promethazine, thioridazine, prochloroperazine)
Psoralens (methoxsalen, trioxsalen)
Retinoids (acitretin, isotretinoin)
Sulfonamides (acetazolamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfapyridine, sulfasalazine, sulfasoxazole)
Sulfonylureas for type 2 diabetes (glipizide, glyburide)
Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) in cosmetics
Not all people who take or use the medicines mentioned will have a reaction. Also, if you experience a reaction on one occasion, it does not mean that you are guaranteed to have a reaction if you use the product again.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Regards, masso
masso
9 April 2025
Sun Safety Tips
How you use sunscreens, and what other protective measures you take, make a difference in how well you are able to protect yourself and your family from sunburn, skin cancer, early skin aging and other risks of overexposure to the sun. Some key sun safety tips include:
Limit time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.
Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun, such as long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.
Use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.
Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you're sweating or swimming.
General directions:
Apply 15 minutes before sun exposure. This allows the sunscreen to have enough time to provide the maximum benefit.
Use enough to cover your entire face and body (avoiding the eyes and mouth). An average-sized adult or child needs at least one ounce of sunscreen (about the amount it takes to fill a shot glass) to evenly cover the body from head to toe.
Know your skin. Fair-skinned people are likely to absorb more solar energy than dark-skinned people under the same conditions and may be more likely to burn.
Reapply at least every two hours, and more often if you’re swimming or sweating.
Frequently forgotten spots:
Ears
Nose
Lips (use SPF lip balm)
Back of neck
Hands
Tops of feet
Along the hairline
Exposed scalp (from balding or thinning hair)
There’s no such thing as "waterproof" sunscreen.
People should also be aware that no sunscreens are "waterproof.” All sunscreens eventually wash off. Sunscreens labeled "water resistant" must be tested and found to be water resistant according to the required test procedures. Products labeled as water resistant are also required to state on their labels whether the sunscreen remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes when swimming or sweating. All sunscreens, whether labeled as water resistant or not, must provide directions on when to reapply to ensure protection under usual conditions of use.
Spray sunscreens can be flammable
There have been past incidents in which people applying and wearing sunscreen spray near open flames caught fire and, as a result, suffered significant burns that required medical treatment. Although the specific products reported to have been used in these incidents were voluntarily recalled from the market and are no longer on store shelves, there are many other sunscreen spray products which still do contain flammable ingredients, like alcohol.
Flammable products are required to have a label warning indicating that they are flammable and should not be used near an open flame.
To stay safe while using sunscreen sprays, do the following:
When you choose a sunscreen, think about where you'll be using it. If you'll be anywhere near a flame source, avoid any product with a flammability warning, and choose another non-flammable sunscreen product instead. This recommendation is particularly important when it comes to choosing a product for children, since they are frequently active and may be near flame sources.
While applying and wearing sunscreen products labeled as flammable, do not smoke, and avoid open flames from lighting cigarettes, lit cigarettes, grilling, candles, or sparking materials.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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