Condition
Polymorphous Light Eruption
Polymorphous light eruption, often called sun allergy, is a common condition in which the skin develops an itchy rash of red bumps, blisters, or patches hours to days after sun exposure, usually because skin hasn't adjusted to UV light after winter. Among supplements, beta-carotene, vitamin D, nicotinamide, and Polypodium leucotomos have drawn the most interest, but little research on them has been reviewed here so far. Because no trial findings are available to report, it's too early to say how well any of them work for this rash.
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 0
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 30
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polymorphic Light Eruptions | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 30 people | |||
Studies that measured polymorphic light eruptions
| ||||||
The Polymorphous Light Eruption (Sun Allergy) Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Beta-Carotene25–50 mg (40,000–80,000 IU) daily, starting 4–6 weeks before sun exposure
- Vitamin D2,000–4,000 IU daily
Shop the evidence-backed picks
The collection holds the supplements we grade A or B for its theme, in third-party tested products where the catalog has them. It opens in our Fullscript store. You can look through it without signing in; Fullscript asks for a free account to order.
We earn from purchases made in our Fullscript store, and links to Fullscript, iHerb or Thorne carry our referral, so we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come from the research and never change based on what we earn. Full disclosure
Studies cited
7 studies from PubMed
- Oral polypodium leucotomos extract photoprotective activity in 57 patients with idiopathic photodermatoses
- Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study with anapsos in senile dementia: effects on cognition, brain bioelectrical activity and cerebral hemodynamics
- Treatment of vitiligo vulgaris with narrow-band UVB and oral Polypodium leucotomos extract: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study
- Photoprotective activity of oral polypodium leucotomos extract in 25 patients with idiopathic photodermatoses
- Oral Polypodium leucotomos extract decreases ultraviolet-induced damage of human skin
- A new agent (hydrophilic fraction of polypodium leucotomos) for management of psoriasis
- Oral administration of a hydrophilic extract of Polypodium leucotomos for the prevention of polymorphic light eruption