Sunburn with horrible Pins and Needles Sensation

[cf_gal]

Hi...I am a 28 year old female.  I rarely sunburn and can count the number of times on one hand.  However, three days ago, I spent about three hours at the pool.  I covered myself in sunscreen prior to going and while there.  When I came back, it appeared I had a nice tan.  Then, as the hours passed, my back and the back of my legs became very red.  Since I was in the sun, I spent even time on both sides of my body so as to get an even tan, but for some reason only my back side burned.  

The real issue here is that now, after three days, I am experiencing extremely uncomfortable sensations that feel like pins and needles in addition to the fact that the burn hurts to touch, is hot, and red (although some redness has now gone away and some of the heat radiating from the burn has subsided).  Is this normal for a sunburn?  I haven't had enough of them to know really.  But, I have literally been awake all night and in tears because I cannot bear this sensation of pins and needles.  Is there anything that I can do to make this stop?  I am desperate.  I work and cannot function without sleep.  I cannot take off work as right now as I have deadlines that must be completed on time.  Please...is there anything that might help???  This is terrible.

Thank you for assistance.


This discussion is related to Sunburn .

[Physiotom17]

Had my first experience today of what I now know is referred to as the 'Hell's itch', following sunburn 48 hours earlier.  It started from out of nowhere with pins & needles that progressed over a couple of hours to an almost unbearable and unrelenting level of stabbing pain all over my sunburned back.  So much so that it got to the point where I was on my knees practically screaming in pain which resembled a level experienced when I had previously broken bones, no joke it was excruciating.  No amount of after-sun cream, stone cold showers, ice packs or painkillers would even take the edge of the pain and if anything irritated it further.  

Just at the point of losing my mind and considering a trip to A&E I frantically searched the internet for any kind of help and found the holy grail cure. HOT SHOWERS!!!!!!!.  

Turned the shower to >40 Degrees and stayed in for 15 mins, initially it was painful but then after about 5 mins all pain completely disappeared with such an overwhelming sense of relief.  Within 1 hour some pins and needles returned but were completely non painful and stayed that way for a further 3 hours.  Took a precautionary second shower before bed and that was the 'Hells Itch' finished for good.  

For reference, after the first shower I took one 180mg Fexofenadine Hydrochloride (strong antihistamine) tablet which I usually take for hives following hay fever.  However the true extent to which this had an effect over that of the shower is debatable but I would still advise.

[Julesprice1]

Hi Mandy
I can echo all of the comments above and confirm that this is a very painful form of sunburn. My son has it presently, we are on holiday in Barbados. He has what looks like medium sunburn, a red back but no blisters. The Doctor prescribed anti-inflams, burn cream and a mild steroid. I'm not sure if that has helped, certainly the cream seemed to set it off again. He is literally being driven crazy by this. All of the above is true : Creams make it worse, cold compress helps somewhat, he's just out of a hot shower and feels a bit better. Before reading the posts above we were quite sceptical, now we fully understand how he is feeling. Good luck every one. He's smiling again after the hot shower !

[Trevortito]

I can say how thankful i am for this thread with my story. I went to the beach 2 days ago. I got burned im talking fire burn from the sun. Anyway my mom suggested we go see a movie with my family and i said sure. While she was getting ready i applied routine aloe vera to my burns. If i could take that moment back i would. Hell's itch set in imediately. Instantly i ran to the shower running my mom out of the only functioning bathroom in the house. I have been in the bath for 3 hours and am afraid for life to leave. Baking Soda and hot water have become my only friends. And for anyone seeking refuge and confirmation in my words. Dont let anyone tell you otherwise. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!!!

[PaulT8]

It seems there is one thing in common here. We all have used some kind of moisterizer after getting burned. I am 52 and have been burned many times, but this time it was a mild burn and very managable. I applied aloe cream for 3 days and then suddenly after a cool shower tonight it happned, a hundred pins all over my back. Not fun. I jumped back in the shower and removed the cream thinking that it was some alergic reaction, but that did not work. Only after taking another HOT shower did I get some relief. Now as I write, it is still there but not so crazy. So hot showers do work, but my feeling is that there might be something in the creams we are using to treat our burns that only reacts negatively with the body after a few days, or as has been pointed out, when the new skin starts to form

I was using the Banana Boat Aloe After Sun.

[PaulT8]

It seems there is one thing in common here. We all have used some kind of moisterizer after getting burned. I am 52 and have been burned many times, but this time it was a mild burn and very managable. I applied aloe cream for 3 days and then suddenly after a cool shower tonight it happned, a hundred pins all over my back. Not fun. I jumped back in the shower and removed the cream thinking that it was some alergic reaction, but that did not work. Only after taking another HOT shower did I get some relief. Now as I write, it is still there but not so crazy. So hot showers do work, but my feeling is that there might be something in the creams we are using to treat our burns that only reacts negatively with the body after a few days, or as has been pointed out, when the new skin starts to form

[lannyungl]

Yea After reading the comments while in the pain right now I tried icing myself, aloe, cold shower, pain killers, and benadryl. None of them worked. Any kind of creme will make it worse so just dont try. When I first read hot shower or bath I was like it cant be true because a hot shower hurts after being sun burnt. However I tried a hot shower and I felt so much better the pins and needles pain was gone with minor pain of hot water touching the sun burnt area. I dont know how but how shower is the best solution or hot bath. Bring in something to watch while in the bath cause you will be there for a while.

[Maddyvioletl]

So thankful I've found some people who understand. I got this Hells itch for the first time when I was 10 and my parents thought I was overreacting. Overreacting is acting as if Satan himself was possessing me. Only when did I get it again when I was 16 did they start thinking that it's a problem. I remember both times vividly. It was the last day of school when I was 16 and went to the beach with my friends. Afterwards I noticed I was pink. No biggy, I've gotten sunburns before. Throw some aloe on it and watch some tv. When I woke up the next morning, it was the most painful 24 hours I've ever experienced. You run out of tears because the horrible pain is too much. My stepmother rubbed every gloop she could think of on my burns and as everyone else says, it only made it worse. The only solace was pressing my back against the cold walls and moving to a new spot when it started to flare up again. Eventually I found peppermint oil would be of some relief but by the time I put it on, it was towards the end of the 24 hour reign of terror so I can't give a good say if it worked or not. My only advice, get special medical sunscreen to ensure it'll never happen again. This pain I'd never put on my worst enemy. Sadly, I'm here right now as I forgot to put sunscreen on my legs after a 6 hour boat ride. Give me strength my comrades, for I fear the worst.