Rash on vacation: Mallorca acne

An unpleasant souvenir that suddenly pops up when you're back from vacation is a rash that consists of all the same red pimples: Mallorca acne or Acne aestivalis. The acne owes its name to the Danish dermatologist Hjorth. In 1972, he saw this acne for the first time with a group of Danish tourists who came back from a vacation on the island of Mallorca.

The red bumps mainly occur on the upper arms, shoulders, back and décolleté, but they can also spread to the face. The acne can be itchy. The difference with regular acne is that Mallorca acne is not accompanied by blackheads. These black spots are just typical of regular acne. We also see no pus cups, only small red round bumps.

The cause is 
still unprecedented

There would be several causes of Mallorca acne. “Should”, because those theories have not been confirmed. So we're actually not sure how this acne occurs.

Possible causes include:

• It could be a form of sun allergy because the same rash occurs in people taking UVA light therapy.
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• Using too much oily sunscreen would close the pores, causing Mallorca acne. In this case, it is not a form of sun allergy but of cosmetic acne.
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• Too much sun exposure and UV rays. The corneal layer of the skin thickens and clogs the secretions of sebaceous glands. There is a buildup of sebum, causing red bumps to appear.

Mallorca acne prevention and treatment

The advantage of Mallorca acne is that it goes away on its own without leaving scars.

The disadvantage is that it is not a one-off acne. Those who have had it have a good chance of having it again the summer after. Prevent Mallorca acne by not being too oily sun creams to use. Tanning oils are completely out of the question. Protect yourself well from the sun by applying sunscreen and not going out into the sun without protective clothing or sunscreen for too long. The tanning bed can also cause Mallorca acne. So don't go under it.

You don't treat Mallorca acne with home remedies, but you should do your best to treat acne dermatologist. The dermatologist may prescribe tretinoin cream or benzoyl peroxide gel that can target acne deeper in the skin. To quickly find out which one is most effective for you, you can use the Skindr app seek advice within 48 hours from a experienced dermatologist.

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