Avoiding Sunlight

Having had Melanoma or some other type of skin cancer in the past.

Albinism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeroderma_pigmentosum

this is an extremely rare genetic disease, but it requires almost total avoidance of UV light.

Definitely any kind of skin cancer. Something in my memory is telling me that there are certain medications that require you to stay out of the sun.

My 19-year-old son has almost no pigment. We don't know where his skin color came from, but he is so pale that it is impossible for him to gain any color at all. He goes pink then back to white. His skin is also incredibly sensitive. He avoids the sun like crazy - I make him get the odd mole checked every year. He's very handsome, with blonde hair and very blue eyes, but he's extremely pale!

Don't know if any of that helps

There's also a few conditions that cause photophobia, where it's the eyes or brain that's sensitive to light, not the skin, bit they tend to be pretty serious health issues. For example, meningitis often makes looking at bright lights or being in brightly-lit surroundings cause quite painful headaches, and I think rabies has been known to do something similar - in fact, a lot of things that cause it are serious, potentially fatal brain problems.

Porphyria can do this too. Porphyria cutanea tarda is probably the most common. Sufferers can develop huge blisters on skin that's exposed to sunlight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria_cutanea_tarda

Some people have suggested that porphyria might have contributed to early vampire myths.

Craig

I have light sensitivity that's related to my migraines. Even on cloudy days that can make the grey skies seem brighter is sometimes enough to start another attack. My doctor told me to get sunglasses like what they give those who had cataract surgery performed on them. They're sometimes not dark enough, but they do keep out enough of the light so that a migraine doesn't start.

In the movie "The Others" the children are allergic to sunlight. I forget what it is called though.

Here's one dermatologic article about photosensitivity and its causes:
http://dermnetnz.org/reactions/photosensitivity.html

There are more types of sun allergy, like chronic actinic dermatitis, actinic prurigo

People with fair skin and blond hair are prone to skin cancer.

Certain medications may cause photosensitivity: ketoprofen, statins...

Some medications can cause photosentativity. List here: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049648-overview

Any of the mixed connective tissue diseases that produce a distinct syndrome with features of arthritis, lupus, poymyositis and scleroderma. I've had one of these for many years. Sunlight is a trigger I avoid.
C

Over the years, I've had three sunburns that have blistered, so that's a simple enough reason, for me.

citymouse said:

Any of the mixed connective tissue diseases that produce a distinct syndrome with features of arthritis, lupus, poymyositis and scleroderma. I've had one of these for many years. Sunlight is a trigger I avoid.
C

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Yep. Me too. And some of the meds to treat the disease (e.g. Plaquenil) can also cause photosensitivity.

My sister had Porphyria. It's also called the Werewolf's disease, because you grow facial hair. She grew a beard of baby-fine hair while she was afflicted. Apparently, you never get over it, but it goes into remission with treatment. She still has to stay out of the sun, though.

Several drugs and a few herbs can induce photosensitivity until they clear the system:
Saint John's Wort
Buckwheat greens (usually from consuming juices sprouts)

Drug list: http://blog.pharmacymix.com/drugs-that-may-cause-photosensitivity

boron said:

People with fair skin and blond hair are prone to skin cancer.

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I don't have the hair but I do have skin that burns with very little exposure. I've had a few blistered sunburns and avoid direct sunlight, even with sunscreen.

IIRC, George Carlin called it "phosphorescent Irish skin"

BenPanced said:

Over the years, I've had three sunburns that have blistered, so that's a simple enough reason, for me.

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Same here, but only on the shoulders. I personally do my best to not get sunlight on my shoulders because the sunburn can be so painful that I cannot move my arms.

People with Celtic heritage tend to get sunburn really quickly - usually those with the classic ginger hair, fair skin and freckles. I know a guy who has to use suncream on cloudy days in the summer because he burns so easily.

Photosensitivity
Albino
Skin cancers
certain Eye conditions