How long itch sunburn

Another way to calm your symptoms is to take antihistamines, which reduce itching by blocking the release of chemicals that increase your immune system's inflammatory response. Lastly, while you are healing from painful, itchy sunburn, one of the most important steps you can take is to stay out of the sun and avoid further damage, Goldberg says.

Particularly during peak sun hours of 10 a. If you do go outside, wear clothes that cover your skin and are tightly woven , so that nothing shines through when you hold them up to a light. Unbleached cotton is a good option, as well as shiny fabrics that reflect light like polyester or satin. Itchy sunburns can often be treated at home, but if severe itching disrupts your sleep or daily activities for more than two days , call your doctor since you may have a more serious condition of sun poisoning.

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World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Women's Health. Primary Care. Mental Health. More Button Icon Circle with three vertical dots. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Although limited research on the condition makes it hard to know exactly how common this is, some guesses suggest 5 to 10 percent of people have dealt with this.

We do know that sunburns themselves are extremely common. It typically shows up anywhere from 24 to 72 hours after being in the sun. Many people report experiencing it on their shoulders and back, perhaps because these are areas that get a lot of sun exposure. These areas may not always receive enough SPF protection , which can lead to sunburn. This itch, though, is reported to go beyond that and is known to be extremely painful.

Other people describe it as if fire ants are crawling and biting at the affected skin. That said, the noted, and obvious, precursor to this itch is time spent in the sun. People with lighter skin , and those not typically exposed to the sun for long periods of time, are generally more likely to wind up with red skin after a day beside the pool.

Everyone can be affected by sun exposure, though damage is more likely to show up on lighter skin. People with darker skin have more melanin.

Most people with this condition do self-diagnose. If your symptoms otherwise worsen or persist over an extended period of time, you should consult your doctor. Just a heads up: In some cases, your skin might itch because of a sun-related rash called polymorphous light eruption PMLE. Or, you know, in total agony. The last thing you want to do is make things worse.

So, keep these tips in mind:. They can give you personalized next steps to make the itchy sunburn stop for good. They can prescribe stronger medications such as a prescription-strength steroid cream or pain meds, and make sure that nothing else is going on. Though there is very little research on hell's itch, many anecdotal accounts describe it as a painful, uncontrollable itch following a sunburn. You can try to treat hell's itch with an oatmeal bath, gentle moisturizers, antihistamine medication, and topical steroid cream.

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