For those on Imuran: is anyone else heliophobic?

I think I develop a fear of sun. I'm on Imuran and I've been told to avoid sunburn because Imuran makes your skin more sensitive. But I noticed it may be getting out of hand.

After I noticed new moles on my hands after exposure to the sun, I got me thin summer gloves in addition to the hat I bought last summer. Today I walked into a store completely covered up!

I read a study (link here) which implies that using sunscreen only postpones skin cancer and doesn't protect you 100%.

I read the wiki article about heliophobia and it's totally me.

Do I still have a healthy view of this or am I overdoing it?

If you talk to dermatologists they would agree with covering up and avoiding sunburn but gloves in summer may be a little over the top for most people (except southern debutantes).

Here in Florida I see more outdoor boat/fishing pros covering up completely while in the sun, complete with face mask hoods and yes, gloves. Landscape crews are also wearing long sleeve shirts even in 90 degree temps.

I've had several skin cancer surgeries, don't wear gloves but do wear a hat for 7 pm beach walks (still sunny).

If you don't have to spend time in the midday sun that's good but don't kill your Vitamin D recharge by shunning it altogether. It's nice to stay in the shade and enjoy the outdoors too.

I used to be terrified but I'm calming down a bit now. We're not on the high azathioprine doses that patients with other diseases are on, and they're the ones most susceptible.

Jonny_Murray said...
Another contradiction - on the one had we are told we need vitamin d, on the other we are told to stay out of the sun.

Exactly