Hydroxyurea and Sun Exposure

@jodyjazz I wasn't aware of this, about Hydroxyurea. As a photographer, I'm out in the sun, but in summer, especially, my face gets very red. It takes hours after I'm back indoors again for it to fade away.

I hadn't been aware of this particular effect of Hydroxyurea, but I do experience it, especially in summer. Along with it, I become overheated and lethargic. I have permanent reddish rashes on my cheeks, which I had attributed to "mask rash" during and after the pandemic, but it has never gone away, so it may be an effect of the Hydroxyurea. I am about to try an experiment with using cranberry juice instead of Hydroxyrea to lower and control platelet count. It has a number of beneficial effects. Perhaps my rash will go away? Hope so. The main Hydroxyurea effect I hope to rid myself of by not using the drug is the destruction of my red blood cells, so, perhaps the return of my red cells to normal levels will solve the rash.

@garyr443
Well this is another thing you can thank HU for, besides keeping your platelets lower.
I was born and raised in FL and got taken to the beach as cure for colds as a child. Now at this age, I prob shouldn't be out in the sun anyway. So take care of yourself its serious business.

Yep, it's always something, eh? I forgot to add that, when I'm doing my photography in summer, I go out in the mornings, while it's still relatively cooler. I try to get my grocery shopping done in the mornings, also. I guess one good thing about having spent my life in Oklahoma City until 2009 (when I moved to Seattle) is that I was acclimated to hot summers. I saw 115 degrees there. One thing I discovered a year or two ago, when I found some old medical records in my briefcase, was that my ET began in 2004 when I was 52. Someone, a doctor or a lab tech, had circled my 400,495 platelet count, but no one ever told me about it. So, I had untreated ET from then until 2014, when I was hit by a bicyclist while out doing photography. My bloodwork that day showed my platelet count was in the millions! That brought me to the attention of the hematology department at a Seattle hospital run by the University of Washington.

@garyr443
My dermatologist diagnosed rosacea as the redness and blemishes on my cheeks. I have PV and take HU. I've been using a cream prescription on my cheeks twice a day for 2 months. But it never goes away just not as intense. I have another appt in June to follow-up. In 2023, I had a basal cell carcinoma skin cancer surgery. In Dec 2025, I had a melanoma skin surgery. Now I see dermatologist every 3 months for total body check. If you work outdoors, have a MPN and take HU, you definitely need to see a dermatologist on a regular basis.

@mw2023 I have Essential Thrombocythemia and take Hydroxyurea. I'll talk to my hematologist and see what he thinks. He has asked me about the rashes, though. I'm thinking it might be another side effect of the Hydroxyurea.

My rosacea ramped up about 4 years ago after years 4 yrs on HU, though rosacea gets worse with age. (Now 72 with ET-CALR x 18 years). Metrogel topical lost its punch. My skin gets red, blotchy, and itchy when it flares up, and I take minocycline twice a day for a couple months. I cannot tolerate sun or heat on my face. I live in Michigan, so not a huge problem most of the year.

Did the ET or HU make it worse? Dermatologist says nobody knows, but that rosacea does get worse as you age.

yes, I would get maybe spf 40 or 50 and be generous in applying. Wear hat and long sleeve blouses and pants, and don't forget sunblock on feet when wearing sandals....

Walmart has UPF 50 sun protection long sleeve shirts and hoodies for $18. They are in the men’s section. Great deal compared to the $50 -$60 ones I saw online. I bought 2 and they seem to work well.

@1995victoria
Great advice. I’ve been on hydroxyurea since 2018
and have developed multiple skin cancers, several requiring MOHS
surgery. I avoid the sun, always wear spf 50 and
add a hat if I’m outdoors.
My dr doesn’t want to switch me to another @ since this one works so well to control my PV
I wish there was a bed to prevent skin cancers!