His description matched exactly what I’d read earlier in the evening. When Boy Child called for us around midnight, I quickly realised what had happened. It’s an intense itching, however scratching the itch results in a stabbing pain rather the relief. People describe it as feeling like you are being bitten by fire ants. Thankfully, it’s fairly rare which is why you’ve probably never heard of it before. Many people describe it as the worse pain they’ve ever experienced, with some women comparing it to labour. It’s fairly rare but seems to be to do with some confusion that happens in the body when the sun damaged nerve endings start to heal. Boy Child’s sunburn was fairly average but my Mum has also had it once after a very severe sunburn where her whole leg blistered. The severity of the sunburn doesn’t seem to be a big factor in whether or not it happens. What is Hell’s Itch and Why Does it Happen? We were at the 48 hour mark when Boy Child got the itchy sunburn that signalled the start of hell’s itch for us. This is because it’s a reaction to healing process of sunburn, rather than the sunburn itself. Unlike sun poisoning, which starts within hours, hell’s itch usually starts around 48 hours after a sunburn has happened although it can occur anywhere between 24 and 72 hours later. When I went downstairs, I Idly clicked on the article about itchy sunburn and read for the first time about the phenomenon known as Hell’s itch. We had both in the house so used them before bed. The suggestions included Piritin (an antihistamine) and cortisone cream. I did a quick google search and, without actually clicking on any link, found a list of suggestions for itchy sunburn. On Tuesday night before bed, he said his sunburn was itchy. Over the next few days we applied Aloe Vera regularly and that seemed to be working, it wasn’t peeling or blistering. Unfortunately, when we got home, we realised that I had somehow managed to miss the bottom two thirds of Boy Child’s back with the sunscreen. We applied sun cream when we arrived and then intermittently because the kids were in and out of the sea all day. One sunny Sunday we spent the day at the beach. This post contains affiliate links (identified with a *) I earn a commisson from qualifying purchases It Started with a Sunburn after a Day at the Beach There are more tips but this is the most instant relief for hell’s itch. If you are reading this while you or someone else is suffering, to save you reading the whole thing to find out what to do, I will say here that the fastest way to stop hell‘s itch is with a hot bath or shower. I feel like a terrible parent for letting it happen to my child but wanted to share our experience of dealing with Hell’s itch. It’s torture for adults and hell’s itch in children is even worse. Hell’s itch (also sometimes called Devil’s Itch) may sound like something you get “downstairs” but it’s actually a rare, itchy and painful reaction to the process of sunburn healing.
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