Sun and wheals

Solar urticaria is among the more common physical urticarias. Solar urticaria involves the appearance of wheals and itchiness typical of urticaria after exposure to light, particularly sunlight. Solar urticaria is also frequently (and incorrectly) called by under the name "sun allergy."

Solar urticaria primarily affects young people around 30 years of age. There are also cases however in which significantly older patients become ill with solar urticaria. Studies show that women are more likely to be affected by solar urticaria than men. The disease lasts between 4 to 6 years on average, although individual cases may persist for several decades. Over 20% of patients with solar urticaria also suffer from another form of urticaria at the same time, e.g. urticaria factitia or heat urticaria.