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A dermatologist explains this agonizing type of sunburn
Sunburns are common and so is the mild itching and pain that can accompany them. But for certain people, a healing sunburn can turn into a temporarily unrelenting nightmare that’s appropriately nicknamed “hell’s itch.” Though it may seem like a comical name, the symptoms it causes are anything but funny.
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So, what the heck is it? “Hell’s itch is this deep, painful, almost throbbing, itch that happens one to three days after a sunburn, often on the upper back and shoulders,” says dermatologist Melissa Piliang, MD.
People have described their experiences as feeling “like fire ants are biting you under your skin,” “wanting to rip your skin off” or “an uncontrollable itch that, when scratched, causes stabbing pain.” The symptoms seem to come in waves and typically relent within 48 hours.
Hell’s itch appears to only affect a small percentage of people. “Anyone who has a sunburn could get it, but it seems to be more common in fair-skinned people and people who have been at higher altitudes where the sun is more intense, like in the mountains,” Dr. Piliang says.
It’s unclear exactly why hell’s itch happens, but it may be due to damage in the nerve endings at the site of your burn, triggering an overreaction. It seems to happen more often with severe sunburns.
Most cases of hell’s itch can be treated at home, but “if you have blisters over a large area of your body, fever, chills, dizziness or confusion, you should see a doctor,” Dr. Piliang advises.
She suggests these at-home remedies to relieve your symptoms:
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If you develop hell’s itch once, you can get it again simply because it’s a risk for anyone with a sunburn. The only way to prevent it is to avoid getting a sunburn. Here are Dr. Piliang’s sunscreen tips:
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