Four years ago, Peter Hoad-Owen closed the curtains in his house because of his solar urticaria, or sun allergy. Any exposure to UV rays would cause his skin to burn. It was the easy way to make him comfortable in his own home, even if it meant no natural light. That is, until Dave and Brian from WF Glazing Protection Ltd stepped in to help him let the light back into his life.
What is Solar Urticaria?
Solar urticaria is a skin condition that is relatively rare. People affected by solar urticaria break out in red itchy hives within minutes of sun exposure. The reaction may subside within a few minutes or it may persist for up to an hour or more where it can become very disabling. Only exposed areas of the skin are affected but welts can occur through some thin clothing. Some feel sick for hours afterwards. There is no cure for this condition, but it can be mitigated and treated.
Mr. Hoad-Owen had kept his curtains closed for years, avoiding the UV rays that would cause him to break out in painful hives. He felt like a vampire and could only open his curtains while wearing a coat, hat, face mask and gloves. People with this condition may have to live their lives in relative darkness to avoid a reaction. Treating solar urticaria can be difficult, especially since it is UV light causing the problem. Sometimes the condition will spontaneously disappear but, when it does not, those affected can treat with antihistamines or other medications that can help prevent flare ups. Aloe vera and calamine lotion can also help with the symptoms.
The Perfect Solution
One of Mr. Hoad-Owen’s greatest sadness’s was that he couldn’t even watch his son play in the garden. Taking measures to avoid sunlight exposure is important to prevent its occurrence and can require major adjustments to a person’s lifestyle. There is special clothing designed as a solar urticaria solution, along with UV umbrellas that help block the sun when you are out and about.
One solar urticaria solution for the home is to glaze your windows with a product that will block both UVA and UVB rays. DermaGard UV Window Film is a clear polyester coating applied to your windows that rejects 99.8% of UV light, while still allowing daylight through and a clear view for you. It has a scratch resistant coating that requires little to no maintenance and can make your life a little brighter. DermaGard provides one of the highest protections from UVA and UVB light in window film today.
Working With Nottingham City Homes
Luckily, Mr. Hoad-Owen’s housing association, Nottingham City Homes, heard his story and knew where to turn. They reached out to WF Glazing Protection Ltd about options for window glazing solar urticaria solutions. After DermaGard UV film was recommended, Peter got a sample approved by his consultant and then Dave, Brian, and the team got to work, at no cost to Mr. Hoad-Owen. Within one day, Peter had UV protected windows and was able to open his curtains for the first time in four years.
A Company You Trust
WF Glazing Protection Ltd is a company that is approved by Trading Standards and have been awarded membership to their ‘Buy With Confidence’ programme for the legal, honest, and fair way they do business. They are also winners of the ‘Investors in the Environment’ Green Award. This is a nationwide scheme giving accreditation to businesses who have been able to reduce their carbon footprint alongside other continual improvements such as fuel reduction, travel planning, recycling and a procurement policy to utilise suppliers with sustainable active commitments to the environment of their own such as the 3M Company, Saint Gobain SolarGard and Hanita Coatings.
Window films can look very similar, yet have very different properties. At WF Glazing Protection Ltd only the most trusted and tested films on the market are used as part of their sustainable procurement policy and environmental commitment. Most of these films have warranties of at least 10 years against bubbling and peeling. With a combined 40 years of industry experience, directors Dave Faulconbridge and Brian Wong are 3M Trained Applicators and a 3M Master Dealer as well as an approved Saint Gobain SolarGard Dealer. Their track record, solid expertise and manufacturer backing mean that they guarantee both films and workmanship on every job.
As for Mr Hoad-Owen, he now gets up at 7am every day and opens the curtains. He is so happy walking around the house in a t-shirt and he can look out of his window and watch his son without worrying. Thanks to Dave, Brian, and the team at WF Glazing Protection Ltd, he no longer feels like a vampire and is looking forward to having a home filled with light once again.
WF Glazing are a virtual tenant of NBV. Find out more about the benefits of being an NBV virtual tenant.