Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Besides pain, redness, peeling, and sunburn, it can also cause itchiness. Sunburn damages the top layer of skin, which contains many nerve fibers responsible for the itch. Sun damage can cause nerve fibers to heat up, causing you to feel itchy until the sunburn heals. During that time, you can use home remedies or prescription and over-the-counter medications to relieve the itch and help your skin heal.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Treat itching with home remedies

1. 

   Seek medical advice for severe sunburn. Home remedies can be helpful but are often used for mild sunburns. If you have signs of blisters, dizziness, fever or infection (discharge, red streaks, severe pain), you should see your doctor before treating the sunburn yourself.
   • Call 911 right away if you or someone who is sunburned feels weak, unsteady, confused, or unconscious.
   • A shiny white, dark brown, or raised skin is a sign of a third degree burn. This (although rare) can be caused by severe sunburn and requires immediate medical attention.

2. 

   
   
   Spray apple cider vinegar on the sunburn. Vinegar is weakly acidic and is sometimes used as an antiseptic. Vinegar helps balance the skin's pH, which in turn promotes healing and reduces itching. The vinegar has a strong smell but should go away after a few minutes.
   • Pour vinegar into a clean spray bottle. Check a small area of ​​sunburned skin and wait for any signs of pain or skin reaction.
   • Spray apple cider vinegar on the sunburn and wait for it to dry. Do not apply to skin.
   • Spray every day when skin itches.
   • If you don't have a spray bottle, you can pour a few drops of apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball or clean towel and apply it to the sunburn.
   • Some people claim that white vinegar is just as effective as apple cider vinegar. So, you can use white vinegar if you don't have apple cider vinegar.

3. 

   
   
   Take an oatmeal bath. Oats help moisturize dry skin and normalize the skin's pH - it is usually high when skin is dry and itchy. You can use oatmeal, which is the floating powder in the bath, to increase your skin contact. Or you can put 3/4 cup of uncooked oats in your socks (socks) and tie the socks.
   • Open the bath tub with warm water (hot water dries out your skin and makes it more itchy).
   • Place the oatmeal under running water to dissolve it completely. If you are using socks, you can put them in the tub.
   • Soak in the bath for 10 minutes. If you feel sticky after soaking, you can take a shower with warm water. Take an oat bath up to 3 times per day.
   • Pat dry with a clean towel, do not wipe it off. Scrubbing can cause skin irritation.

4. 

   
   
   Treat a sunburn with diluted menthol. Peppermint essential oil is available in most health food stores and has soothing, cooling properties. Do not use peppermint extract because it is not the same as essential oil.
   • Dilute peppermint oil in a carrier oil (vegetable oil like jojoba oil or coconut oil). Add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 30 ml of carrier oil if used for an adult. Use only 5-6 drops of essential oil for small children, pregnant women or people with sensitive skin.
   • Test the essential oil on a small area of ​​sunburned skin to make sure there is no allergic reaction.
   • Apply oil to the sunburn. If the skin feels cold / hot, the itching should be temporarily relieved.

5. 

   Apply witch hazel juice to the sunburn. Witch hazel contains tannins that help reduce swelling, pain and itching.This is a great alternative for people who don't want to use hydrocortisone cream.
   • Apply a small amount of witch hazel juice to the sunburn (test a small area of ​​skin for an allergic reaction).
   • Use a cotton ball to apply witch hazel juice to your skin.
   • Use witch hazel up to 6 times a day to relieve pain and itching.
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Method 2 of 3: Treat itching with medicine

1. 

   Use 0.5-1% hydrocortisone for pain relief and itching. Hydrocortisone is an over-the-counter steroid cream that effectively relieves inflammation, redness, and itching. The cream helps prevent cells from secreting inflammatory substances, thereby soothing the skin.
   • Apply hydrocortisone to the sunburn 4 times a day.
   • Limit the use of hydrocortisone to your face and do not exceed 4-5 days.

2. 

   Take an over-the-counter antihistamine to relieve itching. Sometimes sunburn itch is caused by immune system cells secreting histamine to signal a problem to the brain. Antihistamines can inhibit this response and temporarily relieve itching and swelling.
   • Take an antihistamine that does not cause drowsiness (eg, Loratadine) during the day. Follow the dosage and usage instructions on the medicine box.
   • In the evening, you can take Diphenhydramine - a drug that causes intense drowsiness. Do not drive, operate machinery or do anything that will endanger yourself and others while taking antihistamines. Ideally you should go to bed.
   • If the itching is severe, ask your doctor about hydroxyzine. This is a prescription drug that calms the central nervous system and acts as an antihistamine.

3. 

   Use a local anesthetic to numb the skin. Available in the form of sprays, creams, ointments, and local anesthetics block nerve signals in your body so you don't feel itchy.
   • When using Aerosol spray, shake the bottle well and keep it 10-15 cm away from your skin. Spray it on the sunburn and gently rub it in. Be careful not to spray in the eyes.
   • For creams, gels or ointments, you can gently apply evenly to dry skin. Look for products containing aloe to soothe the skin.
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Method 3 of 3: Treat severe itching

1. 

   Take a hot bath for severe itching and failure to respond to treatment. If you experience "severe itching" within 48 hours of a sunburn, a hot shower may be the best method. Severe itch that does not respond to other treatments and is persistent can lead to insomnia, depression, frustration, and suicidal thoughts.
   • If other treatments don't work, including those recommended by your doctor, you can choose from the following. If you are under 18 years old, you need to talk to your parents first.
   • Bathe in hot water at a temperature you can tolerate. Do not use soap or rub it on your skin, as hot water dries out your skin and soap will make it worse.
   • Take a hot shower until the itching subsides (usually about 2 days).
   • Hot showers are often effective because the brain can only process one sensation at a time. The heat of the water activates the nerves of the brain, thereby inhibiting or hindering the sensation of itching.

2. 

   Talk to your doctor about using a strong steroid cream. If the itching is so severe that it distracts you, can't work, can't sleep, and wants to go crazy, your doctor can help you deal with these symptoms. Strong steroid creams can help reduce inflammation and soothe itchiness.
   • These medications are available only with a prescription from a doctor and can weaken the immune system and cause serious side effects. The drug should only be used in severe cases.
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Advice

• Apply sunscreen before going out.
• Dress comfortably, not too tight, or cover the sunburn (if possible). Sunburned areas should be kept well ventilated and exposed to air.

Warning

• Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.
• Severe sunburn and too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. So, you need to avoid strong rays of sunlight by staying in the shade around midday, ie around 3-4 pm. Prevention is better than cure.
• Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher to prevent further damage to the skin.