Acne vulgaris aggravated by sunlight

The symptoms of approximately 3 percent of our patients with acne vulgaris worsen during the summer months even though they maintain previously effective therapy. We show herein that the addition of 5 percent para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) in alcohol (used as a sunscreen) resulted in marked improvement in their ability to tolerate sunlight. This condition, acne vulgaris aggravated by sunlight, has been compared to acne aestivalis which is another sunlight-induced disorder.