Medicines that can make you burn faster: photosensitivity explained
If you tan, use tanning beds, or are simply outside a lot, it's worth knowing that some everyday medicines can make your skin react much more strongly to UV light. This is called photosensitivity.
What photosensitivity is
According to FDA: The Sun and Your Medicine, some medicines contain ingredients that cause a chemically induced change in the skin that makes a person sensitive to sunlight. It can cause sunburn-like symptoms, a rash or other unwanted effects, and can be triggered by products applied to the skin or by medicines taken by mouth or injected.
The FDA describes two types:
- Phototoxicity, the more common type: an irritation of the skin that can appear within a few hours of sun exposure.
- Photoallergy: an allergic reaction that may not show up until several days after exposure.
Both happen after exposure to UV light, from natural sunlight or from artificial sources like a tanning bed.
Medicine types the FDA lists
The FDA page lists examples from many common drug groups, including:
- Some antibiotics (for example doxycycline, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin)
- Some antifungals
- Some antihistamines
- Some cholesterol-lowering statins
- Diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Oral contraceptives and estrogens
- Retinoids such as isotretinoin
- Some diabetes medicines (sulfonylureas)
- Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) in cosmetics
The FDA notes that not everyone who takes these will have a reaction, and having one reaction doesn't guarantee another. See the FDA page for the full list, and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own; ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How to lower your risk
The FDA's suggestions include:
- Seek shade, especially in the middle of the day, and remember that water, sand and snow reflect sunlight.
- Wear long sleeves, pants, sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat (see our guide to sun-protective clothing).
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen as directed. The FDA recommends SPF 30 or higher (see SPF and broad spectrum explained).
Tanning beds and tanning products
Because tanning beds also emit UV, the same reactions can happen indoors. And unregulated tanning injections sold online are not FDA-approved and carry their own risks (see risks and safety). If you take any medicine on a regular basis, ask your pharmacist whether it increases sun sensitivity before tanning in any form.
Published October 26, 2026. Sources are linked in the text. See our Medical Disclaimer.