Doctors warn of rare sunburn reaction ‘Hell’s Itch’ – that feels like ‘ants under the skin’

WITH temperatures soaring to record highs this week, Brits have been escaping the confines of coronavirus quarantine to enjoy the sun.

However, as people head out on their sunbeds, medics are now warning of a rare sunburn reaction known as hell’s itch.

Doctors say that if individuals forget to slather on their suncream and get sunburnt, it can trigger a pretty uncomfortable reaction which causes uncontrollable itching.

And as no one wants to be spending lockdown itching away or in extreme discomfort, here medics take us through exactly what is hell’s itch and how to avoid it…

What is hell’s itch?

Hell’s itch is a rare, extremely uncomfortable response to a sunburn.

Dr Rekha Tailor, a skin care expert who runs told The Sun: “We all know that the sun’s ultra violet rays can cause serious damage to skin.

“Sometimes sunburn can escalate to a condition called ‘hell’s itch’.

“This is an extremely rare reaction which occurs approximately 48 hours after the sunburn has taken place and it will last for a similar amount of time.

“It’s basically a severe and uncontrollable itch which can also feel like pins and needles.

“It can feel incredibly painful and whilst there’s little research about it sufferers have reported that it feels like there’s a fire underneath their skin.”

It’s a severe and uncontrollable itch which can also feel like pins and needles

Dr Rekha Tailor

Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical director of added that the condition is also sometimes known as “suicide itch”.

She added: “As a UK GP, I’ve never used the term ‘Hell’s Itch’ or the other name it’s sometimes known by, ‘suicide itch’.

“As far as I am aware, there is no UK-equivalent name for this condition and very little research into it.

“However, most GPs occasionally see people with intense, uncontrollable itching and severe stabbing skin pain after sunburn.

“It seems to affect fair-skinned people at least two days after a bad sunburn.”

Many people report experiencing it on their shoulders and back, perhaps because these are areas that get a lot of sun exposure.

On top of this, these areas may not always receive enough SPF protection, which can lead to sunburn.

What causes hell’s itch?

Since there is so little information about this rare condition, doctors do not know what exactly causes hell’s itch.

However, Dr Tailor believes it’s related to the tissue injury that sunburn causes.

Dr Tailor said: “It’s likely caused by the damage to the tissue that occurs when extreme sunburn happens and the fact that the body releases chemicals when dealing with pain.

“So these chemicals may be partly to blame for the unusual reaction.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jarvis believes it can be set off by the products you use to treat sunburn.

She told us: “It can be triggered by showering and using soothing skin lotions, often recommended for sunburn – they don’t seem to help.”

How to treat hell’s itch?

As hell’s itch is so poorly understood, there is no cure or treatment for it.

“There is no clear ‘cure’ apart from time – fortunately the symptoms do settle down,” Dr Jarvis says.

“The advice from doctors is clear – don’t get sunburnt.”

Dr Tailor points out that the condition “usually goes by itself within a couple of days”.

However, she says in the meantime you can control the pain and discomfort.

Dr Tailor says: “This can be done with over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen.

“Antihistamines, moisturiser and cool baths with oats in can also help.”

You should also avoid hot showers and creams with unknown herbal components.

This goes for any type of sunburn, but especially for hell’s itch.

If the pain is extremely severe and not responding to any of these remedies, contact your doctor to see if they can help relieve your pain and discomfort.

They can prescribe stronger medications such as a prescription-strength steroid cream or pain meds, and make sure that nothing else is going on.