Although some antibiotics can provoke photosensitivity, the condition abates once the medication is discontinued.

Certain medications, foods, skin care products and other agents can cause photosensitivity, a chemically-induced change in the skin that makes it unusually sensitive to sunlight.

In eukaryotes on the other hand they are used sparingly; for ethylene responses and photosensitivity in plants and osmoregulation in fungi and slime moulds.