About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in skin conditions (dermatologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared. Here's some information to help you get ready, and what to expect from your doctor:
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance. For example, if you're going to have tests that check for a reaction to ultraviolet light (phototesting), your doctor may ask you to stop taking antibiotics, immunosuppresants or other medications one to two weeks before your appointment.
- Write down any symptoms you've had, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Note where on your body symptoms occurred, how long they lasted and how long they took to appear on sun-exposed or protected skin.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements that you're taking. Also note any skin products you use.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For sun allergy, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Other than the most likely cause, what are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Should I see a dermatologist or other specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may allow you to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- How long after sun exposure do your symptoms appear?
- What parts of your body are affected?
- Exactly what does the affected skin look like?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- How long does your skin reaction last?
- Do you have itching, pain or other symptoms?
- Does the reaction occur to light shining though window glass or only to direct sunlight?
- Do your symptoms appear only at certain times of the year?
- Does anyone else in your family have skin reactions to sunlight or other allergic skin conditions?
- What products do you use on your skin?
- What medications do you take, including any herbal supplements?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- Gambichler T, et al. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. Immunologically mediated photodermatoses diagnosis and treatment. 2009;10:169.
- Millard T, et al. Photosensitivity disorders cause, effect and management. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2002;3:239.
- Ofori AO, et al. Overview of cutaneous photosensitivity: Photobiology, patient evaluation, and photoprotection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 23, 2010.
- Ferguson J. Diagnosis and treatment of the common idiopathic photodermatoses. Australasian Journal of Dermatology. 2003;44:90.
- Ofori AO, et al. Photosensitive disorders (photodermatoses): Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 23, 2010.
- Lenane P, et al. Sunscreens and the photodermatoses. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 2001;12:53.
Find Mayo Clinic on