White spots and plantar fasciitis

Q Every time I try to get a tan, I end up with white spots on my legs (like white freckles) and patches of discolouration on my face. The longest I would sit in the sun is 20 to 30 minutes and I always use sun lotion (with organic aloe vera), starting off with factor 15, and, after a few days, I use factor 8. What causes this to happen and is there anything I can do to prevent it as I am going on a sun holiday in August?

A The white spots on your legs may be due to a number of reasons. In some people, these appear as a side-effect of medications, particularly birth-control pills and antibiotics. The side effect is actually an increased photosensitivity, which results in uneven colouration. If you are on any prescription meds, then this could be a factor. Some toiletries, deodorants and perfumes can also trigger a photo-toxic reaction; however, since you are using natural sun lotion, I very much doubt that you would be using chemical-based skin and body-care products.

In other people, fungal overgrowth is the issue. The tiny fungal infections basically prevent the skin from developing a tan when exposed to UV rays — this leads to irregular pigmentation, appearing as the little white spots or blotches you describe.