Why does the sun feel extra hot to me this summer?

July 25, 2019 9:24 AM

This summer, I notice that when I'm in the sun, it feels oddly hotter than I've noticed in the past. It feels very uncomfortable on my skin & a couple weeks ago I got mildly sunburned after only being in the sun for a few minutes. Nothing like medications has changed. I'm just very curious about this! Thanks!
posted by fairlynearlyready to Grab Bag (23 answers total)

Um, my mother in law has had increased sensitivity to sunlight after she got lupus. I am not not not a doctor.
posted by kerf at 9:37 AM on July 25, 2019

Have you noticed a day-to-day variation at all? I'd look into the UV Index for your area (a lot of weather forecasts will include it), so it might be that you're going out mainly on particularly bad days.

That being said, getting sunburned from being out for "a few minutes" (less than 15?) does sound pretty extreme.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:39 AM on July 25, 2019 [6 favorites]

I do not know any science about this, but I agree daily UV index makes a tremendous difference. Some days the sunlight makes me feel like a contented house-cat in a sunbeam; some days I swear I can literally feel my skin cooking under the sun's rays during a 20 minute bike ride.
posted by the liquid oxygen at 9:45 AM on July 25, 2019 [5 favorites]

Have you changed any lotions or anything else you wear on your face? Is it possible you were using something with a light SPF before but not since?

I think your sunburn from a few weeks ago could make your face feel more sensitive now -- drier, a bit irritated.

Do you live in the PNW? Although it hasn't been a super hot summer overall, we did have a very strong heat wave pretty early in June. Maybe the early heat wave (is that when you got sunburnt?) has made you more aware of the sun this summer? I'll also note that we haven't (knock on wood) had any huge fires yet that filter the sun. This is a good thing! But it might mean the skies are clearer than you recall from our last few summers.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:46 AM on July 25, 2019

Check the UV index as others have said. It makes a big difference. Also, you said your medications haven't changed, but are you using any OTC skincare that includes retinol or AHAs/BHAs? Those can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
posted by yasaman at 10:03 AM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

Were you perhaps eating more tomatoes last year than this year?
posted by nobeagle at 10:10 AM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

Are you sure it's sunburn and not a sun rash? My partner developed an allergy to the sun (yes, that's a thing) after a particularly long winter, and their skin gets inflamed within 15 minutes and it can take days to go down.
posted by brook horse at 10:10 AM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

I felt this when I was on hormonal birth control. Now I don't, so much. High quantities of estrogen apparently was the culprit.
posted by Young Kullervo at 10:16 AM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

because this is hell, we're in hell now, and the only way out is to KILL THE SUN

but also maybe something in a product you're using has changed, whether it's a moisturizer, a soap or body wash or shampoo, or laundry detergent? also even if the dosage and type of a medication you're taking remains the same, the filler contents can vary across generics vs name brand and sometimes Weird Shit Happens.
posted by poffin boffin at 10:44 AM on July 25, 2019 [2 favorites]

I don't think it would have such an immediate effect, but CFCs are back.
posted by clawsoon at 10:54 AM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

I've started checking the UV index along with the weather when I check what the day's going to be like. I even have a "sunscreen alert" on my phone when the UV index will be particularly heinous. Assuming nothing else is going on, being conscious of the UV index in combination of how much direct sunlight you're getting can help prevent burning.
posted by sleeping bear at 11:44 AM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

Could you just have a sunburn from earlier in the summer that hasn't fully healed? When I have a sunburn, additional exposure to sun irritates my skin immediately (and probably prolongs healing).

You might be able to test this hypothesis by exposing areas that aren't normally exposed to the sun and seeing if you feel the same sensitivity there.
posted by aws17576 at 11:50 AM on July 25, 2019

Lots of skincare ingredients like retinol, AHAs, BHAs, etc. can increase your sensitivity to the sun, too.
posted by Andrhia at 12:13 PM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

I’ve noticed a sharp uptick in how much heat and sun bothers me as I crossed from my late 20s to my early 30s. I just can’t tolerate it as well anymore.
posted by sallybrown at 12:35 PM on July 25, 2019 [7 favorites]

I think any answer that comes from a non-specialist (i.e. a doctor) is just based on personal experience and should not be taken at face value. That being said, I personally developed an allergy to the sunlight all of a sudden, which is not that rare according to my dermatologist. It seems that the skin at some point starts reacting to the sun, the sun has a cumulative effect on our body, plus as we grow older our tolerance diminishes. If I were you, I would consult a doctor next time I saw one.
posted by raft at 1:16 PM on July 25, 2019

Bergamot which grounds a lot of fragrances, might be an ingredient in a lotion you are using.
posted by Oyéah at 1:35 PM on July 25, 2019

Like others have mentioned, skin care ingredients can cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Essential oils, chemical exfoliants, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and hydrquinone are all culprits.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:41 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

I am not a doctor, but certain medications can make you super sensitive to sun exposure.
posted by twin_A at 2:16 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

I’ve noticed a sharp uptick in how much heat and sun bothers me as I crossed from my late 20s to my early 30s
Me too. I also notice that the sun bothers me more when I don't get enough sleep.
posted by pinochiette at 3:21 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

Me too....I honestly just figured that it's hotter because it's the endtimes.
posted by stray at 6:01 PM on July 25, 2019 [2 favorites]

I know it may seem silly, but there’s a huge and recent trend in women’s skincare of products that promote cell turnover, leaving the face much more sensitive to sun. It’s more rational that a sudden change in sun sensitivity could be due to a new product instead of climate change, which has been happening gradually for a long time.
posted by sallybrown at 7:26 PM on July 25, 2019 [2 favorites]

I also have been more sensitive to the sun as I've gotten well into my 30s. I will also add that anecdotally, I've noticed that since I've had a baby, somehow my heat and sun tolerance has become drastically worse. I'm now getting sunburn and overheating at much lower temperatures that I used to go outside in happily. Some other women in my life have told me they have noticed a similar trend so maybe that's playing a role too if you are a woman/have had a baby.
posted by FireFountain at 7:32 PM on July 25, 2019

+1 to hormones. I'm pregnant and I can handle about 5 minutes in direct sunlight this summer before I start to wilt like the most precious flower.
posted by potrzebie at 11:00 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]