Common medications can put you at higher risk for sunburn

BOSTON -- As people are hitting the beaches this summer, there are some common medications could put them at higher risk of sunburn.

These include birth control pills, medications used to treat acne like Accutane, Retin-A, and tetracycline antibiotics like doxycycline and minocycline, other antibiotics like Bactrim and Cipro which are often used to treat UTIs and other infections, anti-inflammatory medications like naproxen, heart medications like nifedipine, simvastatin, as well as diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide and lasix. 

The list goes on and on, so check warning labels or ask your pharmacist if your medication could make you more sensitive to the sun. 

And to reduce your risk of sunburn, use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, wear protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat, and stay in the shade during peak sun hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In:
• Health

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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