![]() Just be sure not to have the water so hot as to cause additional burns. Yet that's exactly what many people with hell's itch report as providing some relief. ![]() As some on the subReddit state, "Everything you do for sunburn, you should do the opposite."įor example, if you've literally burned the skin on your back from exposure to the sun, the last thing you would want to do is expose the skin to extreme heat, such as that of a hot bath or shower. However, one of the most surprising things about some of the solutions is how counterintuitive they may seem. The good news is that, because hell's itch is not a serious condition, there are a number of things you can do to soothe the itch and get some relief. If you're unfortunate enough to have a case of hell's itch, it's a fair assumption that there's little else you care about at the moment other than making it stop. I remember thinking that it would literally be better for doctors to pull the skin off my back than to leave me with that terrible itch." How To Treat Hell's Itch For most people, this process is not pleasant, yet certainly short of unbearable.īut for some people, the damage to nerve endings is so severe that it causes an intense and unbearably painful itch described in a dedicated subReddit as an itch so bad "(that) I thought I was dying the pain was so bad. This damage causes your body to release histamines and other chemicals to try and repair the damage, resulting in pain and itching. The exact cause of hell's itch is unknown, but the condition is thought to be caused by damage to nerve endings, which can become irritated and inflamed.Īccording to a doctor writing in the Journal of Travel Medicine, “the true nature of hell’s is still a conundrum, though it appears to be a brief self-limiting epiphenomenon producing considerable discomfort”.īasically, when you get a sunburn, you suffer skin damage. Some estimates suggest 5 to 10 percent of the population has experienced it. While regular sunburns are a very common complaint, it's hard to say exactly how common hell's itch is. Even though hell's itch is excruciating, it doesn't pose a serious threat to your health and can be soothed with home remedies. Luckily, the implications aren't worse than a couple of really uncomfortable days. Most people experience it on their shoulders and backs, perhaps because these areas are often exposed to the sun. The condition usually occurs within 24 to 72 hours of being exposed to the ultraviolet light of the sun's rays, and lasts around 48 hours. Some have described it as deep sandpaper rubbing on the skin or severe pins and needles."Īnother common description is that the pain is like "fire ants under the skin". Leffell, MD of Yale Medicine, "It is described as a maddening, uncontrollable itch of the affected skin. From those who have had the misfortune over experiencing hell's itch, it's almost impossible to put into words how intensely itchy and painful it is.Īccording to Dr. Simply put, hell's itch is an extremely intense itching sensation that can occur after a sunburn. ![]() The name alone hints at how terrifying this condition is, but what exactly is hell's itch? And how do you know if you have it? It gets its name from the fact that it can cause such intense itching and discomfort that it feels like you're in, well, you know. Hell's itch is a rare, but extremely painful, complication of too much sun exposure. The answers might surprise you! What is Hell's Itch? In this article, we're going to look this dermatological demon straight in the eyes to see what causes it, how to identify it, and - most importantly - how to get rid of it! No, this doesn't have anything to do with Hannibal Lector though we're talking about something so horrifying that it's earned a name that certainly sounds like it came straight out of a horror movie: Hell's itch. Just in time for Halloween, we're taking a look at one of the most frightening things that can happen to your skin. But for some unlucky people, a sunburn can trigger something worse. For most of us, this means a few days of discomfort followed by peeling skin. And while we may be slathering on the SPF 30, sometimes a sunburn sneaks up on us. ![]() As we settle into Fall, many of us are still enjoying the remaining warm weather by spending time outdoors.
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