They do not necessarily come in the summer, despite the name of the condition. A skiing trip or a few hours at an outdoor café in the spring can trigger the appearance of small, red spots that are often slightly raised; these unattractive bumps can occur on the neckline, forearms and legs. If sun exposure persists, skin grows accustomed and these manifestations disappear.

Once the light eruption has occurred, it will systematically recur when sun exposure begins. I therefore recommend that my patients, especially those who have sensitive skin, use an effective sun protection product that filters both UVB and UVA rays.

these should be taken one month before initial sun exposure and throughout the duration of exposure. For major light eruptions, I prescribe a course of syntheticantimalarial drugs to begin 10 days before initial sun exposure. I am less likely to use phototherapy, which consists of a few sessions of ultraviolet radiation before initial sun exposure, because I do not want to compound UV exposure in my patients.