Sunburn can afflict anyone, but not every case of sunburn will involve itching. It is, however, not yet understood how the itch occurs, at least on a molecular level, Dr.
#HELLS ITCH SKIN#
The skin manifests this in an intense itching sensation, the hell’s itch. This exposes and activates the nerve endings in the dermis (the second layer of the skin. Sunburn itch occurs as a result of UV radiation damage to the outermost layer of the skin (the epidermis). It can lead to suicide, to sleep deprivation, to depression, it can lead to aggressiveness.” What Causes Hell’s Itch? – Why Does Sunburn Itch So Bad? Martin Steinhoff of University College Dublin in Ireland, says that, “It can be as severe as chronic pain. People on Reddit narrate tales of “writhing on the floor” and “getting on the knee crying.” Given the picture these experiences paint, it is hardly surprising that people throw around words such as devil, hell, and suicide to describe sunburn itch.ĭriving the whole point home, Dr. You can try to treat hell's itch with an oatmeal bath, gentle moisturizers, antihistamine medication, and topical steroid cream.10 Easy Tips to Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage Though there is very little research on hell's itch, many anecdotal accounts describe it as a painful, uncontrollable itch following a sunburn. They can prescribe stronger medications such as a prescription-strength steroid cream or pain meds, and make sure that nothing else is going on. If the pain is extremely severe and not responding to any of these remedies, contact your doctor to see if they can help relieve your pain and discomfort. This goes for any type of sunburn, but especially for hell's itch. You should also avoid hot showers and creams with unknown herbal components, Leffell says. Over the counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin (aspirin should only be taken in adults, Leffel says).You can relieve the discomfort while you wait it out with the following at-home methods, according to Leffell: "The condition is self-limited but does resolve on its own, so the key is getting through the couple of days of potentially severe discomfort," says Leffell.
#HELLS ITCH HOW TO#
How to treat hell's itchīecause hell's itch is so poorly understood, there is no cure or treatment for it. "Remember, our skin is our largest sensory organ so it is not surprising that if it is badly injured our bodies will express their disapproval by discouraging us from getting a sunburn again," says Leffell. Additionally, he cites some studies on sunburn that show that a release of chemicals can increase sensitivity to pain. He says some people might have extreme reactions to the chemicals that the body releases which are related to itch and pain. But Leffell believes it's related to the tissue injury that sunburn causes.
Since there is so little information about this rare condition, doctors do not know what exactly causes hell's itch. "Most of the information about hell's itch appears in the non-medical literature but there is little reason to doubt the complaints likened to 'fire ants under the skin'." He describes it as the worst pain he's ever felt in his life.ĭespite the lack of concrete medical evidence surrounding hell's itch, Leffell believes in the severity of the condition. One of the only mentions of it in medical journals is a firsthand account by a medical student that was published in 2018 in the Journal of Travel Medicine. The scientific literature has minimal information on the phenomenon of hell's itch. Some have described it as deep sandpaper rubbing on the skin or severe pins and needles," says Leffell. "It is described as a maddening, uncontrollable itch of the affected skin. It will typically crop up two days after a severe sunburn has occurred, and will last for two or more days. Leffell, MD, section chief of the Dermatologic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology Programs at Yale Medicine. Hell's itch is a rare, extremely uncomfortable response to a sunburn, says dermatologist David J. This phenomenon is referred to as "hell's itch." What is hell's itch? As if a painful sunburn isn't bad enough, in rare occasions, it can escalate. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause plenty of skin damage and pain if proper precautions aren't taken.
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