So, I got a pretty good sunburn on Sunday. Forgot to take sunscreen to the beach. No biggie, I've been burnt before, honestly, I kinda like the feeling a little. Have a fan blowing on my oversensitive skin feels kinda good. For two days I was putting on aloe lotion to try and keep from peeling, everything is progressing nicely.
Last night, I put on the exact same lotion and Armageddon started on my skin. I started itching... and not the my skin is peeling itching. An insane, bugs crawling under my skin while lying on a nail bed kind of itching. I have never experienced anything like it. I have had kidney stones, I have broken three ribs, I have had finger nails ripped off. I would choose all three at the same time over this. My wife thought I had literally snapped and lost my mind. I couldn't lie down, I couldn't stand up, scratching didn't help. It just wouldn't stop, all over my chest and back. I would probably cry, but I couldn't think clearly enough to even consider it.
Luckily my wife got online and started reading about this Hell's Itch that occurs on some cases of sunburn. Basically, histamines react to remove an allergy, except that there isn't an allergen to scratch or wash away, so they continue the assault on your skin. Lotions/balms/lidocaine/etc trap the histamines, so it is like throwing gas on a fire.
The solution? Take ibuprofen, Benedryl and get in a hot shower. I had my shower turned on all the way on hot... you would think that would hurt, but it was instant relief. Apparently, you pain receptors can interfere with your itch receptors. Now that 800mg of ibuprofen and 50 mg of Benedryl have kicked in, it is a dull annoyance. But, I fear when it starts wearing off.
I think I will be able to handle it better, knowing that it has a solution and there is relief.
PSA end.
Last night, I put on the exact same lotion and Armageddon started on my skin. I started itching... and not the my skin is peeling itching. An insane, bugs crawling under my skin while lying on a nail bed kind of itching. I have never experienced anything like it. I have had kidney stones, I have broken three ribs, I have had finger nails ripped off. I would choose all three at the same time over this. My wife thought I had literally snapped and lost my mind. I couldn't lie down, I couldn't stand up, scratching didn't help. It just wouldn't stop, all over my chest and back. I would probably cry, but I couldn't think clearly enough to even consider it.
Luckily my wife got online and started reading about this Hell's Itch that occurs on some cases of sunburn. Basically, histamines react to remove an allergy, except that there isn't an allergen to scratch or wash away, so they continue the assault on your skin. Lotions/balms/lidocaine/etc trap the histamines, so it is like throwing gas on a fire.
The solution? Take ibuprofen, Benedryl and get in a hot shower. I had my shower turned on all the way on hot... you would think that would hurt, but it was instant relief. Apparently, you pain receptors can interfere with your itch receptors. Now that 800mg of ibuprofen and 50 mg of Benedryl have kicked in, it is a dull annoyance. But, I fear when it starts wearing off.
I think I will be able to handle it better, knowing that it has a solution and there is relief.
PSA end.
Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.