(WENY) -- The hot weather and strong sun rays can have an even more dangerous impact on people taking certain medications. There are certain medications that can cause sensitivity to the weather conditions, especially when temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit and there is not a cloud in the sky.  

Dr. Alexander Kaminsky, MD, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Guthrie, said people take medication, the body breaks it down into smaller bits, called metabolites. When the metabolites are in the skin, they are sensitized and make people sensitive to sunlight, causing sunburn and rashes from UV radiation.  

Dr. Kaminsky said how photosensitive someone is depends on someone’s medication dosage and how much sunlight they are exposed to. The medications that can cause photosensitivity are across the board from antibiotics to cardiovascular drugs to cancer treatment. 

“There’s a couple of things that I recommend,” Dr. Kaminsky said. “The first is go find share to prevent further UV light exposure. Another thing you can do is contact your prescribing doctor to see if the reaction is severe enough for them to alter the timing or dosage of your medication, and possibly prescribe a topical steroid for you.”  

Dr. Kaminsky said be sure to check the label on your medication bottles and packaging to see if it brings on symptoms of photosensitivity.