soothe an itchy sunburn

Topia · May 2010

I have a fairly bad sunburn from being outside too long a couple days ago. It's almost entirely on my back, a bit on my upper arms, but it's gotten extremely itchy, and nothing I have tried is making the itch go away and I'm going crazy.

I've been moisturizing like mad, and thats not helping. I tried pretty much every "remedy" I've found online.

Any secret tips you guys can tell me about?

Thanks!

radroadkill · May 2010

Aloe, lavender oil, rose, and oatmeal.

Oatmeal baths are pretty sweet for sunburns and any sort of moisturizer you can find with oatmilk will help immensely.

Tofystedeth · May 2010

When I was kid my mom would soak some paper towels in aloe, then stick them on my burns as kind of poultice.
edit: yeah, bowen's right. That was more for the burniness.

bowen · May 2010

Vinegar is good to stop the itching, most other remedies are to stop the burning.

Spacemilk · May 2010

There's also aloe with some numbing agent added in; it works remarkably well. It's great for the painful sunburns - I'm not so sure about itchy ones.

Just be careful not to scratch it! You will probably peel, but the last thing you want is tearing open the very tender and delicate skin, and creating routes for infection.

Usagi · May 2010

Find a lotion like Aveeno that has colloidal oatmeal in it (they also have a bath soak that works wonders)

Also, be really careful with your clothing - stuff like scented detergents and fabric softeners will definitely be more irritating and can make the itching worse

SilverCat · May 2010

Two years ago i got the worst sunburn i ever had on my chest. The itching was driving me insane and wouldn't go away with itch cream or moisturiser.

It was so bad i literally couldn't get out of the freezing shower for more than 20-30seconds before needing to go back in.

I didn't try some of the things mentioned above (vinegar, outs etc) but what did work was when i took some of my friends antihistamine tablets, it soothed the itching very well for a few hours and then i'd need to have another.

I can't remember the exact brand or anything but i would definitely recommend some antihistamine tablets.

bowen · May 2010

Antihistamines will also probably work. Be careful if you take other medicines, and be aware most antihistamines make you drowsy.

Djeet · May 2010

Spacemilk wrote: »

There's also aloe with some numbing agent added in; it works remarkably well. It's great for the painful sunburns - I'm not so sure about itchy ones.

I picked this up for my wife last time she had a bad sunburn, aloe gel with benzocaine (topical anaesthetic/numbing agent). I think the particular brand we got was called Solarcaine, which you can get at a Walgreens or CVS.

AlyceInWonderland · May 2010

I'm very very fair skinned, and burn very easily if I'm not careful. I've noticed that while Aloe does work pretty well, it doesn't really help much with itching, and it's sticky. What you gotta do is take an ice pack, or fill a bag with ice, wrap it in a cloth, and put it on your sun burn. That, or wet a washcloth, or rag in ice cold water and lay it on your burn. Cold generally soothes itchies for me.

DirtyDirtyVagrant · May 2010

I keep a bottle of aloe gel in my fridge just for this occasion.

I, too, am fair skinned, and I've had some bad, bad sunburns (so bad that I've woken up with blood-soaked bedsheets or have skipped sleeping altogether for the better part of a week because it was just too painful). If you're feeling itchy, I second the icy towel treatment.

Just be aware that having a sunburn causes problems with your body's heat regulation, which is why you sometimes have a terribly painful burn - like, your skin is on fucking fire - and yet you are shivering with chills. So use with caution.

Topia · May 2010

DirtyDirtyVagrant wrote: »

I keep a bottle of aloe gel in my fridge just for this occasion.

I, too, am fair skinned, and I've had some bad, bad sunburns (so bad that I've woken up with blood-soaked bedsheets or have skipped sleeping altogether for the better part of a week because it was just too painful). If you're feeling itchy, I second the icy towel treatment.

Just be aware that having a sunburn causes problems with your body's heat regulation, which is why you sometimes have a terribly painful burn - like, your skin is on fucking fire - and yet you are shivering with chills. So use with caution.

The thing about me today has been its an UNBEARABLE itch. Like, it comes and goes (weird?) but it's absolute fucking torture I shake with discomfort from this itch. BUT I feel ZERO pain or overheating of my skin. Just an incredible, unbearable, torturous itch. I've tried everything in here and nothing seems to work. The icing works a little bit, but not completely. When I have to go to sleep I know I wont be able to until I pass out from lack of energy. Not good for class tomorrow.

DirtyDirtyVagrant · May 2010

Well, you can't scratch for obvious reasons. Can you rub it?

Sunburn is going to really irritate your skin. You can try lotions, specifically moisturizing lotions. You could take benadryl. I think these things have been suggested though...

I don't really know what else there is. I've never had itchiness. Only pain, tremors, and chills.

Topia · May 2010

DirtyDirtyVagrant wrote: »

Well, you can't scratch for obvious reasons. Can you rub it?

Sunburn is going to really irritate your skin. You can try lotions, specifically moisturizing lotions. You could take benadryl. I think these things have been suggested though...

I don't really know what else there is. I've never had itchiness. Only pain, tremors, and chills.

Been moisturizing like mad. I might try an anti-histemene tomorrow if I still itch. If it persists should I see a doctor?

DirtyDirtyVagrant · May 2010

Yeah. If anything persists you should see a doctor.

radroadkill · May 2010

Oatmeal really helps with the itching.

The Cat · May 2010

Don't see your doctor for a dang sunburn. Doctors are for sick people. Don't waste their time.

Stick with the lotion/aloe; don't have hot showers, and avoid soaping all over. Unless you're sweating like a pig, you can get away with just soaping pits'n'bits for a few days.

paracetamol or similar may help. Or beer >.>

Gdiguy · May 2010

The Cat wrote: »

Don't see your doctor for a dang sunburn. Doctors are for sick people. Don't waste their time.

Stick with the lotion/aloe; don't have hot showers, and avoid soaping all over. Unless you're sweating like a pig, you can get away with just soaping pits'n'bits for a few days.

paracetamol or similar may help. Or beer >.>

A sunburn is the same as any other kind of burn - light ones you can deal with, but if it's bad enough doctors have access to better anti-pain/itch/etc medicines than you can buy over the counter

I'd highly recommend finding one of the Aloe lotions with an anti-itch/pain medication (I have one that I got on sale at CVS with Lidocane that's helped me through one or two bad sunburns, but depending on whether the pain or the itching is worse you may want a different one)

The Cat · May 2010

Unless there are blisters, a doctor is not really necessary. And even then, I'd probably not bother unless I was prone to scarring. Scoring some Silvazine is sometimes a good idea, but its only useful for drawing heat out of a burn if you put it on within a few hours of getting burnt. After that, its not very effective except as an antibiotic.

And it hasn't been mentioned yet, but seriously people, sunscreen. You can still tan with it on, and you won't get cancer!

bowen · May 2010

Yes, don't visit the doctor unless you start bleeding. Stay hydrated, this is the best thing you can do, your skin will heal faster if keep hydrated.

Try vinegar or oatmeal to stop the itching. The problem with numbing agents is you can only use it so often, and they don't really help resolve the issue, only cover it up for the hour or two it lasts.

DirtyDirtyVagrant · May 2010

Well, I mean, yeah. Don't see the doctor for a sunburn. But if unbearable itchiness persists for more than a few days or a week (after the sunburn is gone), you might wanna at least ask about it. That's all I'm saying.

Fortress · July 2015

SilverCat wrote: »

i took some of my friends antihistamine tablets, it soothed the itching very well for a few hours and then i'd need to have another.

I can't remember the exact brand or anything but i would definitely recommend some antihistamine tablets.

I took two 200mg Ibuprofen tabs for the pain and one 180mg Allegra. Pain and itch is almost 100% gone now. My unbearable itching came on when I took a shower this morning. Before that it was just painful. Food for thought for next time... I will not take a shower until the sunburn is gone....

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soothe an itchy sunburn

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