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 .

[Trentburn]

So glad I found this thread, I thought I was crazy.  I just experienced the pins and needles sensation or "hell's itch" (I think that one sums it up) yesterday after getting a rather mild sunburn on my back 24 hours before.  I have had many sun burns, once even to the point of blistering, but never had this sensation after.  I am 49 years old, so, really a fair number of burns over my lifetime.  I had some one scratch my back for me, and that is when I first noticed this sensation.  So, I had them put Aloe lotion on my back--bad idea!  That is when it really took off and I had to immediately jump in the shower.  At first I thought I was having an allergic reaction, and expected to see hives start to form.  But, no hives.  The only relief came from being shirtless and standing in front of a window unit air conditioner.  Once calmed, it isn't too bad, as long as nothing is touching the area. It did get a lot better the next day--at least I could wear a shirt.  If it happens again I may try the hot bath idea--but I am a little afraid to even to that.  Sounds like I just may have to wait it out.

[JSS03]

My daughter  had the same thing happen tonight and so glad I found this forum.  We did put cortisone cream at first and than saw that cream was the worst thing so I had made some tea thinking it would draw out the sunburn and that took the cream off.  I than saw the post about some powder and went and grabbed some Gold Bond medicated powder and it worked wonders.  At first she said it felt hot but than I spent the next hour sprinkling it on her back and light
patting it lightly with a don't laugh but a fuzzy sock. We put a fan on for about 15 min but it made her too cold.  The Gold bond powder took the edge off.  She said she could faintly feel it coming back so I would sprinkle more powder on. She went from crying and having the worst pain ever to just mild discomfort.  Luckily we had pain meds  and she took one.  She is down sleeping. Whatever this is it is terrible.   She did get sunburn Monday and this was the 4th day like everyone was saying 3 or 4 days.  She didn't have sunscreen on and normally takes a bath in the stuff.  Her sunburn really wasn't that bad but I guess that doesn't matter.

[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.