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What is physically altered in a person that has been changed into a Vampire that causes the sun light to burn their flesh?

That would depend on the auther of the particular story you were reading.

poeple can have a natural allergy to sun, like the ones with the XP syndrom, as to change to then suddenly have a sun reaction?

I a not quite sure, I personally have to be careful as it burns my skin fast and itshes hurting like hell when I get in contact with the sun on my skin, and my eyes hurt like hell..as I got photosensetivity

As stated in other posts, any vampire-like symptoms are psychomatic.

As was stated, depends on the author of the novel or screenwriters in a movie. Not every vampire was killed in direct sunlight. There are people that are actually very sensitive to light and will blister horribly.

Folklore, I believe it's the lack of soul...No soul, no light...Kinda gives a better mood for the evil darkness in fiction...
I don't think it'd have the same sort of kick of a vampire was lurking around in the broad daylight in a cape.

In the theory of vampires it is not really so much an alteration of them physically as it is the metaphysical factor of light vs dark. The sun represents light or good and death represents dark or evil. In that theory the sun would prevail over living death by causing the destruction of the evil that fills that living death.

today's vampire do not fear the daylight. Only the T.V. ones do.

yeah, but some of us feel a bit drained under the sun light...
that´s my case... and of course my skin is very sensitive, so i try not to expose myself to the sun...

i just think it is up to the author

Alright, how's about a break down via the way my life has been...

The sun is not nessessarily an enemy per say, the rays are just light to me until I actually step into them. I do feel less energetic in the daytime but this gives me no excuse to say I am elergic to the sun.

Although it does irritate my eyes, a good reason why I wear sunglasses on an almost constant basis, is the fact that if I do take them off for more then 5 or 10 minutes at a time, my eyes get an irritating ichy red. Almost to the point to where they dry out. Not a pretty site.

My skin has its flaws as well, not saying I am a freak mind you, but...I do hardcore blister when in the sun no matter what the temperature, when standing idle for more then half an hour to a full on hour or two. It is not a lack of vitamin D I assure you.

But, you see, I have learned how to conquer most of these nasties with remedies.

The sun does cause a tired, aching body, making me irritated emotionally for whatever reason, lashing out for no reason. I do control it to a point, but as I do enjoy the night for almost obvious reasons, which is why I do work graveyard and have been for the last 15 years of my life.

Hope this explaination of mine brings about new ideas, or rekindles oldies. Then again, please do not take these words as gospel, as to each their own.

if we are talking about the stories about vampires it is probably in the character of the vampire to stay in shadows. many people are afraid of the dark, specialy some kids.
so i guess the vampire was made to be scarry, mistique.
and the sun is like a steak through their heart - a flaw in their perfection.

amm..i hope you know what i mean ^^

Soulshroude

The symptoms you list are common to many people......who are not vampires.

More power to those of whom are none vampiric Sinora. Just my views on this topic. Agree or disagree that is your choice, as well as discrediting others perspectives. More power to you as well.

Soulshroude,

I also see nothing in your words to indicate anything specific to being a vampire.

Sunburn is a common problem, as it heatstroke. Some are always going to be more susceptible than others, but that in itself isn't unique to a vampire.

By your two posts, I take it then that this thread is related to that of the classic vampire of fictions fantasy...Therefore, I drop my remarks and move on.

Soulshroude

My intention was merely to state a fact, not to discredit anyone's view of themselves.

souldshroude,

I'd be more inclined to appreciate your points if you could explain- what in you is physically altered that causes your skin to burn?

I believe melatonin and beta carotene could come into play...

There are medical conditions that result in highly sensitivity to sunlight. However, even those people do not burst into flames when they come into contact with daylight.

I am not sure there are any case studies where humans or even so called modern day vampires turn into smoke at the exposure.

i believe that is only in movies or perhaps they have evolved to be able to be in sunlight

though some books and movies would have you believe they cant go out in sun light. it is my beleif that it is more of a preference, since it is easier to hunt or find victumes(persay) at night where it is dark and less people around..

Sensitivity to the sun, the speed at which you get a sunburn, is determined by your genetics also. People from northern climates tend to burn more redily than folks from the tropics. Tribal folks in Africa can walk around all day long in the sun and not get burned.

I'm not especially sensitive to the sun, but if I go out in the sun for an hour with no protection, I get burned. The sun is stronger in the summer also closer to the equator.

The fictional vampires burned to death immediatly upon exposure to sun. I am sure there are medical conditions that cause individuals to burn quickly, but certainly not die from it.

I don't believe that sunlight could actually make someone burst into flames, even a person that claims to be a vampire. I have heard of the people that are allergic to the sun, but even then, they blister and stuff, but they don't burst into flames. So yeah, I guess it would depend on the author, I mean you only hear about things like this happening in fiction novels or movies.

Hollywood. Sun is God's light. Good kills evil. easy way to end movie & good guys win. lol

I agree with others here is all depends on the author of the book or movie. PLus as was stated just before my post...the sun is gods light..so it seems to make sense.

The actuality of the sun burning a vampires skin is strictly folklore.
There is an actual medical disease though that is very very rare where the sun does harm a persons skin in large amounts.

A bit of a belated reply to Stabbs post concerning physical alteration.

As scientists have yet to prove the existance of vampire DNA, even though a few cases have been examined to determine what vampire DNA actually consists of. I may not be able to give a simple answer to the alteration.

Though I can tell you as I had described a couple of months back, which really does need to be put into my journal for future reference, is the fact that my genetic structure consists of a sort of mutated chromasome state.

Things have been added, things have been taken from...Basically things have changed either for the better or worst, depending on perspective.

This happened before birth, the parent class of DNA strands, my family was telling me, were changing unexpectedly during pregnancy. There were severe complications at the birthing, but were handled accordingly.

I am quite sure that if I were guinea pigged once again, since my childhood...The main reason why I hate hospitals...All the experimentation. I might have been able to give you valid written proof concerning estranged vampire DNA...If such existed more then the sampling of what there is to this day.

Unfortunatly, since rare cases come to light maybe every 5 to 10 years, there is no way to prove vampirism inside DNA strands, even if strange anomolies do occur.

My point is, no one can prove or disprove said DNA structures since very rare cases are actually applicable.

I look forward to seeing the evidence you claim to have Soul. You cannot blame the doubters. If there are mutations indicative of burning flesh at the sight of sun and other typical traits of vampirism-- the proof is not very well circulated.

That is all hollywood for you.

I think it has some thing to do with the religious aspect of vampires. In some stories are people that where cursed by god. And the sun is suppose to be the light of god. So when vampires are touched by the sunlight it burns them. Or some thing like that. lol

my take is a combining of myths, with strange occurance, and bad timing.....
you take the myths of vampires, cross it with stories on spontaneous human combustion, and you birth a new aspect to the myth systems....
especially once you also factor in people with rare UV allergies like Xeroderma pigmentosum also known as XP....the stories come together...meld...and enhance one another

As has already been stated in here...sunlight is God's light and if a Vampire is truely a demonic spirit than that would make them weak to it.

If a vampire is a fictional thing, then I imagine it would be to make them scarier if they only come out at night.
It irritates the crap out of me when people are like, "I must be a vampire because the sun burns my skin if I'm outside too long", well newsflash, it's called sunburn. I get burned after only 10-15 minutes in the sun, I'm fair, it doesn't mean I'm a vampire. Damnit sorry just had to say it. >___

Oh and another thing while I'm at it. Some people who call themselves vampire I notice, complain about the sun hurting their eyes. Well that's because it's bright. I have light sensitive eyes, even lightbulbs and glare hurts, that doesn't make me a vampire either. *huff*

There is a genetic condition called cutaneous porphyrias which causes sensitivity to sunlight,among other things,and is thought by many to be the cause of Vampirism..
If you would care to do a little reading on this,here you go.
http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/getommbid.php?isbn=0071459960&template=ommbid&c=124

As stated, it is a medical fact about how some people can never feel the sun on their skin because of what it will do to them. An unfortunate medical condition, nothing more. Others are more sun sensitive with their eyes or such fair skin that the sun does more damage than not.

I'm also curious as to the answer on SoulShrode's explanation.

"There is a genetic condition called cutaneous porphyrias which causes sensitivity to sunlight,among other things,and is thought by many to be the cause of Vampirism.." Oceanne

Is the sensitivity a cause or an affect to vampirism? At what degree of sensitivity would we classify the charecteristic as vampiric?

I would have to say that the lack of melanin in the skin from the which have to be staying alive and when a vampire goes to his 'death sleep' it kills it off hense killing what is neede to sustain the necessary skin cells to protect from the suns rays which cause the burning.

To clarify..Sensitivity to the sun is an effect caused by C.P.

Right Meeper,as I said,it really all depends on what would classify one as a vampire.And really,there are several diseases and conditions which can produce photosensitivity..IE; Spinal Menningitis,certain medications,certain herbs etc...

I agree with Sinora. This is one of those topics that is overly discussed in this forum time and time again. There are such skin conditions that cause people to break out into a rash when they are in the sun, but that doesn't make them a vampire.

Last I heard vampyre could walk in the day light, but prefere not to as they are nocturnal like a batt, but in oreder to burn in the sun its a genetic change that takes place, lighter skin means no pigme, pigme is what blocks the UV rays from toasting you to a crisp in a hurry.

Apparently, because Vampires are evil and have no soul, the sun would burn them. That's the theory behind it in fiction. In reality, Vampires shouldn't be affected by the sun horribly.

I think the key thing to most of this perception of vampires is strictly reinforced and perpetuated by books and movies.

They very rarely offer up a reason that sticks. The closest has been some strange hypersensetivity to ultraviolet light, which in itself is not sun light.

Sunlight also contains a whole array of wave energy that could be used to explain sensetivity. Waves such as radio, microwave, x-ray, gamma, ultraviolet, and infrarred.

Which one(s) are the culprit? Ask your author or screenwriter...

ah, the point of view as would be taken from the author of the book in question or the writer on the movie or television show.

I don't know what is physically altered, but I would have to say it is something that goes with the FULL transformation. considering that "day walkers" are only partially transformed, or altered.

Probably because stories of vampires in daylight are not scary so they made that myth up.

Good point.

Any with any "villian" in a story, they have to have a weakness of some method of deafeat, or you would not have that Hollywood "happy ending."

For once, I want the bad guys to win at the end of the story...

Here's one of those genetic disorders from www.news.bbc.co.uk:


A five-year-old Carmarthenshire boy has been diagnosed with a rare disease which means he cannot spend too much time in the sun.

Glen Henry, from Upper Brynamman, near Ammanford, suffers from ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) which weakens his immune system, especially if he has too much exposure to sunlight.


He will end up in a wheelchair but we can't predict when

David Henry, Glen's father

His parents must make sure he wears factor 60 sun-block and a cap at all times when he is outdoors to limit the effect of the sun's radiation.

David and Donna Henry had noticed the symptoms of unsteadiness and tiredness since he was 18-months-old.

The condition also puts him at a greater risk of contracting cancer in later life.

He is believed to be one of only about 60 children in the UK who have the condition.

"We must watch him getting worse everyday," Mr Henry told BBC News Online.

David and Glen Henry
His parents are planning a trip for him to Disney World

"He will end up in a wheelchair but we can't predict when.

"We have to watch him all the time because if he catches a cold it could develop into pneumonia."

Although Glen does play outside the house with his three brothers Luke, 11, Andrew, nine and John, six, he becomes tired and then goes inside to rest.

The genetic condition has no treatment or cure and is said to be difficult to diagnose.

According to the A-T Society - a charity which conducts research and offers support to families - the condition affects only three people in every one million of the population and there are fewer than 200 sufferers in the UK.

Ok here we go:
True vampires are NOT made or turned. They are born what they are and awaken to their nature in time. That’s the first thing that needed to be cleared up with this post. Secondly one of the reasons that many not all but many vampires are sensitive to sunlight in one form or another is that it is a form of pure energy vampires being energy deficient are more sensitive to highly concentrated energy it would be like eating rich food after being hungry for a long time. It just won’t agree with you.

As for fictional vampires well it’s been beaten to death but that’s all a light vs. dark or good vs. evil metaphor.

To me the sun is a energy drain, nothing more nothing less.

its to do with the pigment cells in the skin its like a rapid version of xeraderma pigmentosum

Could also be how people thought if you didn't like light that you were a spawn from the devil or something.

I don't think anything physically could alter anything to make it more susceptable to sunlight.

I'd like to think that this myth arose from the principles of basic Chiaroscuro, that light is good and pure, while the absence of it is to the contrary.

All I know is if this were true and I turned in to a vampire, I would die because of a light bulb.....

well according to the twilght series they do not die from sun light. the sunlight only makes a bright gliter effect on their skin, which most people would stare at so there for they do not want to be exposed so they stay in places it does not shine often or walk around at night to stay hidden

depending on the setting of the story and who wrote it is the cause of the burning flesh of the vampire when exsposed

If being born a vampire genetic characteristic may be passed making one allergic to the sun. If being turned causes a complete genetic makeover of a humans metabolism, regenerative properties, brain chemistry, and many others it would inconceivable to believe that a skin change would not happen. So if changes like that occur then just like many creatures that live in caves and deep ocean depths pressure, light, and sounds effect creatures that adapted to function in different environments. Making it perfectly viable that vampires could get burned by the sun. With adaptation vampires could overcome that. With modern technology they could survive setting right next to you on the beach and you would not know the difference.

but what if you have a humen parent and a vampire parent dont you get both jeans

It only takes one parent for you to show a genetic trait. It’s just more unlikely. On top of that a both parents could carry the gene recessively and not be vampires themselves. Then again there is NOTHING to show that vampirism is a genetic trait at all.

Again, it depends on the author or screenwriter. Not all vampires are harmed by the sun.

i;d like myth busters to check out that myth myself. honestly, i don't know the answer to this one, must be whatever the writer of the book or script feels is appropriate.

oh but blade now that was a far fetch day walker

What about the straightforward folklore answer. Daylight was a time watched over by good while night was the time of evil and predators. The most unholy evil of a vampire could not be about in the light of good. Religously, daylight was holy and just. It would burn the incarnate sin and evil of a vampire.

Just another characteristic of the Hollywood Vampire. Not necessarily true in any sense, but I believe only to be metaphoric. The vampire finds comfort in darkness versus the light of day.

That only happens in movies and stories.

In real life, vampyres' skin doesn't burn when exposed to UV rays. Granted, some vampyres might be sensitive to to light, but I doubt it would actually cause their skin to literally burn.

In my opinion, it's all psychological.
Hey! I'm perfectly human and I hate the sun.

To burn flesh? Yeah... if you live in New Mexico during the summer. I don't believe the burning of flesh is possible, unless you expose it to an open flame. Then anything is flammable! =)

There are some drugs that can cause one to become photosensitive.

Being out in the sun causes you to burn like a sunburn even after short periods of time. It also increases the sensitivity of your eyes to light exposure and can cause early cataracts.

St. John's Wort - sometimes used to counteract depression has that little known side effect, and their are many prescription and over the counter meds that do the same.

I don't think it burns their flesh I think it causes mass cell growth and division, creating an effect like burning of the skin.

its just that our skin holds no pigment and the uv rays very quickly gives us massive sunburn

From www.zerotime.com:

The Myth of Sunlight: Vampires are creatures of the night, living and feeding in the darkness. In traditional medieval times sunlight did not kill the vampire. In fact, vampires could walk around like anyone else. In the novel, Dracula, vampires could move around in the daytime without their strength and powers. It's only been in the recent history of fifty or sixty years that the new tradition of Sunlight killing vampires has emerged. Popular culture, movies and novels have made sunlight the ultimate vampire killer. However, if you ever run into a real vampire don't be surprised if they don't explode when sunlight hits them.

I get very tired during the day no matter how much sleep I get. I have fallen asleep at the wheel while driving in daylight hours, the bright sun makes me so tired it is hard to stay awake. I can see very well in the dark, I guess that is why I always hunt at night!

Bite you later,

Daywalker v--v

I actually was put on a medication once that made me photosensitive. It was bad within seconds of direct sunlight it felt like my skin was on fire and within minutes if I didn't get out of the light I would have visible blisters under my skin. I think it was an anti inflamatory medication. It was a very interestign experience none the less. It took about a week to get it back out of my system before I could walk into the light without pain.

It depends on who turns you and how well you can adapt. i really don't have too many problems with sunlight unless its bright as fuck

sun burns thats a fact it happens to everyone human or not. vampires are at high risk due to lack of pigment in the skin cells this means we lack our bodies natural UV filter. It wont burn you in an instant but it will be quicker than human skin to burn. so slap on that sun screan

I can walk under the sun for an hour max or I need sunglasses and hat because I start to feel sick,drained kind of feelings due to light of steam.I am weak to hot,I am strong to cold.

They are refered to as Medical Vampires... Their medical condition restricts them from the sun light.

sun light for me is hard not because it is medical with me and i dont burn unless i stay out to long but i like the darkness i have more energy at night i think honestly though it has to do with what you prefer

I don't think that real vampires have a real aversion to the sun that is just something from the stories but I would agree with Kat it would makes sense that no soul no light

I think it has something to do with the light being to pure for the tainted soul

Are we talking about movie vampires again? If you want a different twist on what sunlight does to a vampire read Twilight. In Twilight, the vampires sparkle in the sunlight.

I think the idea of daylight being fatal to vampires stems from the original concept of vampires as corpses who rise during the night to feed (given that you are talking about mythical vampires). Because of their nocturnal habits, they have learned to thrive in darkness and shun the day.

Vampires sparkle under the sun? Now, the Twilight series has caught my attention.

I truly think that they are all stories from books and films. I dont believe in vampires though i do believe everyone has the right to believe in what they want. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT and all suffer in different ways whether it is a medical condition or not. Sorry if i have offended anyone.

in my opinion... its all like a formula... like in science... if you mix certain chemicals they heat each other up and boil... i think that it has nothing to do with the skin... i think the sun makes your blood boil...

Great Answers Everyone!

Daywalker

I don't believe sunlight hurts vampires. They may not be as strong, but they can still walk around in it and not go poof.....

It depends on what movie, or book you are looking at. Different stories entitle different things but I think the implyment of vampirism being a disease may have something to do with the sensitivity to daylight.

No oxygen in the blood due to a non-beating heart would make the skin sensitive to many things including light.

Due to the daylight vampires are not suppost to life in but how can Dracula walk in the sun , if his children can't

hes more powerful?

it is just a super sensitivity to the sun light

Sunlight is more of an irritating annoyance than anything.

I don't believe that the sun really effects a vampire, but considering how pale they are I'm sure it's some what of a annoyance

Exactly! Also along with other characteristics that belong to Vampires.

I have glasses that darken in bright light, but still need to wear clip on sunglasses to keep from getting headaches from bright light!

Their chemical composition in their skin cells. These cells changed to where UV rays burnt them up immediately.

It's just a myth.

But I suppose talking about the fictional vampires its something in their genetic make-up/DNA that has been altered.

This thread has been automatically closed for length.