What Is Xeroderma Pigmentosum?

By james

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The sun is essential to us. Not only does it make for great weather during the summer, but it is essential for our very existence. It helps to prevent our planet from becoming too cold for life, and it constantly bathes our planet in the energy that is needed for life to exist.

As beneficial as it is for us, however, we do need to treat it with respect. The Sun’s rays have the potential to burn our skin despite having travelled more than 150 million km. It can cause nasty burns and it can also increase the chances we will get cancer. Xeroderma pigmentosum is a condition where people are even more sensitive to the sun than usual, to the point where they must avoid it altogether.

1. Xeroderma Pigmentosum

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a condition that causes the patient to become abnormally sensitive to UV light. This means that they need to avoid exposure to the sun in order to prevent some serious complication arising. People with the condition will often need to avoid going out in the daytime altogether. The condition typically also means that damage to DNA cannot be repaired.

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a very rare condition that affects approximately 1 in every 250,000 people on average globally. It is less common in Europe and in the United States, where it will affect just 1 person in every 1 million. The condition is usually diagnosed when the patient is young, and it will even be diagnosed before the patient is born in some cases.