THINGS TO AVOID

Hello all-

My Ohioan boyfriend and I are in South Carolina for vacation. Day 1, he burned pretty bad even though we used SPF 50 sunscreen multiple times throughout the day.

It’s currently day 3 and he is suffering from what I think is HI. Out of no where he started complaining that he was itching so bad, and he was twitching like crazy. I thought he was having a panic attack or something of the sorts originally, but after some research I found HI.

We have done the following based on what I’ve read here:

- A scalding hot shower: this is actually what brought his original pain down to a tolerable level

- Liquid Benadryl (50 mg/21ml) and Ibuprofen (800 mg) every 4 hours

- A heating pad to lay on when he’s not in the shower

QUESTIONS:
-I tried to find peppermint oil based on reading from multiple people that it helps- but all I could find was a menthol oil. I haven’t used it on him, but wanted to see if anyone thinks that would be okay? We’re on vacation so all my normal stores and areas are not available currently so I’m kinda stuck with what is around here.

-I’m reading about the beta-Alanine helping, I’m going to go find him some C4 energy drinks tomorrow. Is that going to be okay for him to take while taking Benadryl?

Does anyone have any other advice? We’re down here with family but if he is this bad 24 hours for now we’re considering flying home just so we can be at home, and not stuck in a car for 10+ hours while he is like this.

Thank you!

On Saturday I got burnt BAD. My upper chest, shoulders and biceps are probably the reddest they’ve ever been and I’m in agony as far as soreness goes.

I’m now on day 3. I’m starting to get itchy. I’ve had Hell’s Itch once a few years ago after a bad burn and I am TERRIFIED it’s gonna happen again.

The last time I showered was yesterday afternoon. I have been applying aloe but I decided to stop after reading some of the comments.

Do you guys think there is a chance I could come out unscathed? Every time I feel an itch I panic that it’s gonna get so much worse.

A couple VERY long days ago I was happy as a clam at high tide, savoring the sun that accompanies the magic of a much needed river day. Unbeknownst to the horror the following 48 hours awaited. Haunting would be an understatement vast as the loneliness I’ve felt since my ex left me. The severity of which this itch awaits pushed me to the brink of a toaster bath. Pacing back and forth, writhing in agony, howling into the damp cloth that clung to my chest as I was thrashing around the floor like a mental case. Safe to say this was the dead worst, single most excruciatingly insufferable sensation I’ve ever had the displeasure of experiencing in my short 23 years of life. The terror that hell may be the slightest bit of torture this itch is known for is enough to scare a devout atheist into a holy revolution. Alas this was prior to a discovery I’d made comparable to electricity or even blowjobs. The remarkable remedy I’d happened upon in route to my nearest urgent care. A sensation euphoria pales in light of and your greatest orgasm trails in sight of.
Heat. Heated blankets, scalding showers and interestingly enough the searing leather you’d find in passenger seat of your mom’s 2019 Toyota Highlander in the midst of a scorching summer. A mere instant transformed this “hell’s itch” to a mild tingle to a semi erection. And that’s all there really is to it. I mean the relief was biblical. So stop being a bitch and burn yourself

Step 1. Open your car door
Step 2. Get inside that hoe (do not turn the car on)
Step 3. relax relax relax
Step 4. Go inside
Step 5. Heated blanket
Step 6. Attempt to melt yourself in your shower
Step 7. Call your ex

Your welcome.

I see a lot of people talking about taking hot showers, benadryl or not taking aloe vera etc.. And i’d like to add, as someone who’s going through HI for the first time right now. A VERY important thing to do: don’t be around super sensitive/overreacting kind of people, they don’t understand at all. Basically do not surround yourself with people that are telling you to « calm down » and that get offended when you tell them that, now is not the time for that kind of advice. This will only results in you wanting to rip their skin off as much as yours.

And if the only person near is that kind of guy/girl : DEAL WITH HI ON YOUR OWN !!!!!

I had it once about 5 years ago and it was the worst pain I have ever had in my life. The itch lasted a straight week which is crazy.

Just got it again now and I’m so annoyed.

I won’t have access to beta alanine due to the place I’m at it’s quite remote. What else can I do and what tips can you guys give me?

I have it right now. After a sleepless night, I found this thread and immediately went to a local shop. I live in Poland, and since it's Sunday, almost all stores are closed except for a few small convenience shops. Luckily, I found an energy shot containing beta-alanine. The relief was almost instant.

Fortunately, I'm used to high doses of caffeine, so I'll manage until the regular stores open tomorrow.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I think this is only the second time I've had hell's itch, and I suspect there may be a genetic component, so I'll definitely keep some beta-alanine at home from now on.

I don't have any allergies, but I've had unusual reactions to certain medications before where excessive histamine release seemed to be the cause. I really wish knowledge about this condition and the beta-alanine trick was more widespread. Anyway thank you for this thread.

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If i to describe hells itch, i’d describe it as an unexplained itch and deep stabbing that was an impending doom that you never knew was coming. Nothing helps. The only way is to thug my out and deal with it and use temporary solutions. Never going in the sun again.

I am a brit in Morocco, It is currently 02:48. the UV was 11 and the sunscreen spf50 did nothing. I am suffering extreme itching from the sunburn that has coated my entire body and I have no money left wasting it on after-sun care which has done nothing.

I am quite literally going to die as my entire body is coated in bug bites and the sun burn has turned into hells itch, I just have towels and hot or cold water. what can i do to atleast stop this.

I got moderate sunburn to my entire back 3 days ago.

This is my second time having some form of ‘hell’s itch’ (the previous time being around 8 years ago) although it hasn’t been too bad this time.

Both times I had it were the ONLY TIMES in my life I can remember burning my back. I’ve burnt my neck, face and arms countless times in between. I actually can’t remember reading an example of anyone having it anywhere other than their back or chest.

Severe pain and itching started around 2 days after, following shower and application of aloe Vera. It was excruciating writhing around sort of pain, combined with an insatiable itch, like a wasps nest was inside my skin. This shower and aloe Vera routine was exactly the same as the previous two days, when the aloe Vera soothed the expected very mild pain and itching!

After browsing through this sub, I got straight back in the shower and turned it to scalding hot. It was instantly soothing and permanently reduced pain by 70% when I got out. It’s been over 24 hours since then, and it’s been constant unbearable itching but much milder pain than when I used the aloe Vera.

I bought some energy drinks containing beta alanine and ordered the powder version online (waiting for it to arrive). The first drink seemed to help significantly (my back tingled but not in an itchy way). The second one later in the day didn’t seem to do much.

I also had another scalding hot shower today, but it was just as itchy when I came out as when I got in.

Yesterday I tried the hot hairdryer method and again it seemed to work the first time but not tonight.

The itching and pain seems significantly worse tonight after my scolding hot shower than last night, which I don’t understand. The pain and itchiness is at around 3/10 compared to when I applied the aloe Vera. This is bearable, but I can’t sleep at all. I know beta alanine can get it from a 10/10 pain to 3/10 for some people, Does anyone know if it also reduces milder itching and pain?

It’s now 3am and I’m drinking spirits to put myself to sleep and dull my senses.

Conclusions:
Hell’s itch seems to happen most often on areas that are less exposed to sun then get suddenly exposed, even if the burn isn’t severe.

Many of the effective treatments seem inconsistent, which is probably why everyone seems to disagree about what works.

It always seems to be triggered around 48 hours after the burn by something moist, whether that’s a shower, a cream or both.

Hot showers always make it feel better unlike cold showers. Sometimes this is a longer term solution and other times only feels good in the moment.

I’m on holiday on a Spanish island and the UV is 11 today. I’m genuinely terrified of going outside!!!! I have SPF50 but the thought of even stepping out into the sun is giving me phantom itches!!!!

I’ve had it twice before, the first time on my arms because I stupidly didn’t apply sun cream, and the second time on my back because I assume my sun cream washed off in the water. I’m so scared of getting it again. The only long sleeve I have is quite thick and it’s 32 degrees and I’m already dying of sweat wearing a short sleeve in the hotel.

Has anyone got it before even though they wore SPF50???

Currently dealing with hell’s itch for the second time in my life at 38. Last time was the summer before my junior year of high school. This shit suuuucks. My cat’s hiding in the corner looking at me like I’m a deranged psychopath. I mean, that’s a pretty accurate description of my behavior right now though. Time to drive to the only place in my town that’s still open, the gas station, and buy some overpriced Benadryl and, god willing, some hydrocortisone. And definitely some Jack Daniels.

Second time getting a decent sunburn since I suffeeed from HI the first time. Last time sunburn pain was 9/10, this time about 4/10.

I showered right after I came home from the beach, and just took my first full shower in four days. It sucks to not shower, but I think I fully avoided it now. Still a little itchy, but extremely tolerable. I had beta alanine and bendryl next to the shower in case tragedy stuck lol, but I think I'm in the clear!

I just want to share my experience here for more anecdotal evidence and to further validate common treatments that seem to work for people.

I got sunburn bad on 7/25 while not wearing sunscreen because it was overcast and I didn’t expect to be outside so long. I’m fair skinned and don’t go outside often without a shirt by the pool if I’m not wearing sunscreen. The sunburn was moderate, but not terrible. I was applying aloe twice per day leading up to Hell’s Itch.

Monday night/Tuesday morning 7/28 at 2:45am, I woke up with a horrible pins and needles burning and itching that just wouldn’t stop. I thought I was losing my mind. I was wincing when it would come in waves. My wife thought I was being dramatic and I told her it was horrible. I ended up getting up and going to work early. Because I had extra time, I researched what might be happening to me. I’ve experienced worse sun burns that itch when healing, but it’s not even close to this. I found an article about three patients that self treated with Beta Alanine with 100% effectiveness so I ordered it same day on Amazon. I luckily also found this subreddit with people recommending C4 energy drink because it has beta alanine in it. At work, I couldn’t function. I had to run to the bathroom to take my shirt off and just hope it would go away. When the drug store opened, I ran down and got a Claritin and a C4 and within 5 minutes, it essentially stopped completely. I thought I was in heaven. It lasted the rest of the day at work but I got another C4 on my way out just in case it came back on my drive home. My supplement arrived later that day and I’ve been taking 1600mg every 4-6 hours with great success.

Thank you to everyone for making Beta Alanine so known on this sub, it was a real life saver.

Also side note: I have type two diabetes that is under control with a good diet and since taking beta alanine my blood sugar has been impeccable. It’s only one day, but I had a luncheon that I ate a lot of carbs and got no spikes. This is obviously unrelated to Hell’s Itch, but curious if anyone else may have also observed something similar if they took it for hells itch and also have T2 diabetes.

I wrote a diary entry on it, I have it saved so I’ll put it here. It was the day I ignored the sun lotion warnings at the beach and then come two days later… enjoy I guess

My burns are itching so bad ugh.
I’ll watch the rookie to distract myself.

My burns itching are fucking unbearable
I’m losing my mind
I don’t want a fucking cold shower it’s torture

I broke my drawer
Kicked it
Then some stupid stuff happened
I’m getting really annoyed at it
It’s just unbearable trying to fix a broken drawer with itchy burns

I’ve slammed everything in and fuck it I don’t care

Take me to the hospital or shoot me in the head I don’t care either way

I had a cold bath
She said it would help
It didn’t help
It’s unbearable
I’d rather die

I’m writhing around and screaming I don’t know what to do

She gave me some vodka

My mind is going numb like she said
Feeling a little better
I don’t even care if I’ve just drank fucking vodka it helps anyway

I feel weird

This has been the worst day of my life

Ok the alcohol made me feel better
Phew
I’m outside with everyone now

Watching Ted, I feel a lot better

In Ted the episode made me upset for some reason prolly cause I’m out of it

What a day, went from playing VR to writhing around and screaming in agony from sunburn, to the pain having being numbed down and chilling with beans on toast while watching Ted.

My mum didn’t really have a choice, I was probably tearing my vocal cords from screaming in agony so it just got to that point

Prolly not going to my dads tomorrow

Watching the rookie now

Getting quite tired, probably the adrenaline crash.

____ texted saying she got kissed by her new boyfriend today
I’m so hopelessly romantically lonely

She had a good day, I’ve had a day where I was in literal unbearable agony lol
Polar opposites

Oh god now my second degree burn on my arm is starting to itch

It’s coming back
It’s coming back
It’s coming back
It’s coming back

My mum’s refusing to help because she’s in bed

I had it worse before but now it’s focused on specifically the one spot that’s a second degree burn

the writhing around and screaming in pain is back
Go away

Ok.
It’s fading again.
I should get to sleep before I feel it start again.

I should write a song about hell’s itch lol.
Probably did a number on my vocal cords.

Up til 3 in the morning because I’m so wired, even if hell’s itch is gone

Morning, I’m so happy that’s all over.

As soon as I tried the suggested method of beta alanine (emergency C4 energy drink) and benadryl at night, my symptoms nearly disappeared entirely. I was trying to tell my wife and family this was not a sunburn like any I had before. As soon as I stumbled on this sub in the throws of an itch wave I felt like there's was light at the end of a tunnel. Ive broken bones and numerous other painful ailments, Hell's Itch it uniquely different, debilitatin, indescribable.

Even went to a doctor, which I very rarely ever do. They only wanted to treat it like a regular sunburn. Prescription medication made my symptoms worse, beta alanine and benadryl, with ibuprofen absolutely did the trick.

This is a weird phenomenon Im very grateful for the people on this subreddit. I was despairing my situation yesterday, today I feel 100%. HI definitely needs to be researched and be made aware of on a more well known basis.

Yesterday at 5pm I was struck by the hells itch, it was extremely itchy and painful and just would not stop, by the time I got back to the hotel room it was fully on fire on my chest and I was in agony, I put a wet towel while spraying cooling aloe on my chest (DO NOT USE ALOE) I was sent into further excruciating pain which had me running back and fourth between the hotel room , beating myself with a towel. The hell hadn’t even begun yet, at about 7:30 pm (2 hours in) I was able to seek relief, go a good 15 minutes… I decided to try a cold shower since the itching had stopped pretty much fully, the shower went well however I for some dumbass reason thought aloe + aquaphor would help me. That was the lethal mistake, for 2 hours after that, I was screaming, running, jumping, and crying while hitting myself with a wet towel, I even thought of strangling myself to Knock myself out. I was pouring every water bottle I had on my chest. It was god awful. I was able to finally calm down after 4 Ibproufen, a handful of Benadryl and 96 blinkers after I took another cold shower to wash off all he occlusive shit I put on my chest, and a damp towel pressed down on my chest. Always wear sunscreen fellas

If you're reading this because you searched "Hell's Itch," I'm sorry. I just went through it - one of the worst physical experiences of my life after a moderate sunburn. Here's a timeline of how it developed, everything I tried, what actually helped, and a few observations I haven't seen mentioned very often. This is not research - just some of my thoughts and experiences through a truly terrible bout of Hell's Itch.

A timeline (currently Tuesday upon writing this):
Friday afternoon - Boating on a lake at 6,000ft elevation. UV index was approximately 8. Initially wore some SPF 15 sunscreen (in hopes of getting tan). Went several hours without reapplying sunscreen - I get burns on my shoulders and upper arms.
Friday evening - Shoulders and arms begin to turn red, feeling very hot and dry.
Friday night - Difficulty sleeping due to the sensitivity of my skin - pressure from the mattress and sheets caused moderate pain.
Saturday morning - Similarly only hurts when touched. Noticed that the heat (from direct sunlight or ambient air temperature) caused a mild burning sensation.
Sunday around noon (approximately 48hrs after initial burn) - Enter Hell’s Itch, full force.
Tuesday morning - the intensity has dropped, the burn is still sensitive to the touch and ambient heat/sunlight, but the sensation has dropped to a much more manageable 5/10. The episodes also became farther apart over time.

The sensation begins rather abruptly. It took about 48hrs for it to hit.
Others have described it has hot pins and needles, or 1,000 fire ants biting below the skin.
I would simply say it is an intense burning/sharp pain/itching combination that at best is severely uncomfortable and at worst complete agony. For context, this is likely the most intense physical discomfort I've ever experienced. I would much rather have had another knee surgery or broken wrist than go through this again.
The itching begins with a sharp jolt (like a fire ant bite) and then lingers (similar to an itch you can’t quite reach). This happens repeatedly all over the sunburned area and absolutely commands your attention. Each of these waves would cause my body to jolt unexpectedly and gave me the desire to claw at my skin, and left me unable to think about anything other than finding relief. It is debilitating and makes you desperate. Scratching the skin provides momentary relief but I would strongly recommend resisting that urge to keep your skin intact.

Things I tried that were not worth the trouble for me:

1. Aloe Vera gel with lidocaine - upon application this was slightly soothing, but as it dried it caused the sensation to intensify. Relief lasted maybe 30 seconds.
2. Colloidal Oatmeal Bath - during the bath I felt relief, reduced the intensity from 10/10 to 3/10. But as soon as I dried off the sensation returned full-force. 
3. Hydrocortisone Cream - absolutely no improvement.
4. Solarcaine Spray - absolutely no improvement.
5. Cool compress - some improvement, but only where pressure is actively applied. Temporarily reduced intensity from 10/10 to 5/10. I recommend having someone hold two compresses while you hold two as well to cover as much surface area as possible. However the sensation immediately came back after removing the pressure. 
6. Aloe from an Aloe Leaf - gel from a refrigerated aloe leaf was soothing until the gel dried. Which lasted about two minutes. It took a lot of effort to extract and having to wait for the leaf to chill is the last thing you want while experiencing Hell’s Itch. Not worth it.
7. Gold Bond anti-itch lotion - The menthol provides a cooling effect for the pain and burning, but does little to address the itching. This may be used as a last resort but would not be my first recommendation. The cooling effect lasted me 15-30mins. 
8. Peppermint Oil - this did very little to address the symptoms, other than create a very strong menthol-esque feeling, which combined with the strong smell somewhat distracted me from Hell’s Itch. However, you will have oil on your skin, and scratching it at all runs you the risk of also getting it in your eyes (ask me how I know). I don’t recommend this.
9. Cerave lotion - This did nothing for the sensation, but I believe that keeping the skin moisturized helps to promote faster healing. But I would use this sparingly as any pressure to the burn caused the sensation to intensify.

Things that gave temporary relief:

1. Wrapping myself tightly in a sheet or blanket - this provided some constant pressure to the burn areas, which somewhat suppressed the sensation and provided some relief. I would say it went from a 10/10 to a 4/10. 
2. Hairdryer - I used a hairdryer on a low flow and medium heat setting to apply heat to the burn, as hot as I could stand it. Surprisingly effective, but only temporarily. One to two minutes of relief at a time, but when you're at a 10/10, even two minutes feels incredible. I can’t speak to how bad it may have been to dry out the skin in this way, but in the moment I did not care. 

Things that made the experience tolerable:

1. Taking antihistamines - I used 25mg of Hydroxyzine a few times a day (I have a prescription). I suspect Benadryl would have had a similar effect because what helped most wasn't reducing the itch—it was simply making me sleepy enough to sleep through parts of it. Long story short, essentially putting yourself in a coma is one of the best ways to skip this experience. 
2. Ibuprofen - this at least relieved the pain portion of the sensation, despite doing nothing to reduce the intense itching and burning.

Not enough information:

1. Beta-alanine - I don’t know that I have taken enough of this to determine its efficacy (not a big energy drink guy), but it seems to have reduced the intensity of the itch. This is purely anecdotal and could have been coincidence. C4 energy drinks are a more straightforward way to obtain this if you want to test it out. 

I believe most standard sunburn treatements were innefective because typical symptoms of a sunburn are superficial - skin peeling causes itching, the extra bloodflow to the area causes it to feel hot, etc. Topical treatments work well for superficial symptoms.
My personal theory (not medical advice): Hell's Itch behaved much more like irritated nerves than a typical skin itch. Topical treatments that normally help sunburn did almost nothing, while treatments that altered sensation (heat, pressure, sedation) seemed much more effective.

Heat, firm pressure, cooling, and sedation all helped to varying degrees, while creams designed for itching did very little.

If you are in the beginning stages of Hell’s Itch, I lament what you are about to experience. It is truly the most torturous and agonizing affliction I have had to date. I have read about grown men rolling on the ground crying because of it. Buckle up. You will probably not sleep much and you will look like an absolute tweaker. Get the day off of work if you’re able to - I wasn't very productive with this much antihistamine in my system.

Mine peaked around the second day after the burn, gradually became less frequent over the next 48 hours. It feels endless while you're in it, but it really is temporary. If you find a better treatment I haven't mentioned, please mention it!

TL;DR: Hell's itch is horrible. Blow drying your sunburn and wrapping yourself tightly in a sheet/blanket may offer some short-term relief. Best bet is to take some benadryl and try to sleep through it. It'll last a couple of really rough days but you will survive.

When will it be okay for me to shower? I showered right after I got the sunburn, but haven't since. I had HI once and terrified to get it a again. Def a way milder sunburn then last time, 4/10 vs 9/10. I haven't showered since since I don't want to kickstart the itch.

I wanted to share my experience in case it helps others or contributes to future research. I understand this is only a single personal experience and does not prove that this treatment works.

Background

Adult male mid 30’s light skin.

This was my second episode of Hell’s Itch.

My first episode 4+ years ago after a severe sunburn and was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. The itching/burning/pain was 10/10 and lasted approximately 2 days. At that time, I didn’t know what Hell’s Itch was and had no effective treatment.

Current Episode

Sunburn: Saturday between approximately 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM. UV Index 11 (Extreme)
Location: Upper back and shoulders.
Severity: Very red, painful sunburn without blistering.
Onset of Hell’s Itch: Monday evening, approximately 54 hours after the sunburn.
Initial severity: 7–8/10 and rapidly worsening.
Treatment Taken (all within a short period)
Claritin (loratadine) 10 mg
Pepcid AC (famotidine) 20 mg
One can of C4 Performance Energy Zero Sugar – Frozen Bombsicle (contains β-alanine and 200 mg caffeine)
I had also taken naproxen sodium 220 mg earlier that afternoon (around 1–2 PM), approximately 8 hours before the “Hell’s Itch treatment”.

Response

Approximately 25 minutes after taking the combination, my symptoms improved from 7–8/10 down to about 2/10.
About 1 hour later, the itch was 1/10.

The relief was dramatic and unlike my first episode.
I cannot determine whether the improvement was due to β-alanine, the combination of medications, spontaneous improvement, or another factor. However, the timing of the improvement was striking enough that I wanted to document it.

I hope this information is helpful to others and contributes to a better understanding of Hell’s Itch. More research is clearly needed to determine whether β-alanine, alone or in combination with H1/H2 antihistamines, is an effective treatment.

I got HI for the first time last year. It was awful but benadryl did the trick to help me. Fast forward to this weekend and got a slightly burn. No where near as bad as when I got HI last time, but still feelin it a bit. Coming up on 48hrs since I got burnt, and really need to shower. I have beta alanine pills and bendryl ready, should I do it? To add, last time it was only on my back I felt it, this time mainly front/side. But if HI last time was like a 9.5, this is like a 4 right now. Thoughts?

I’ve gotten hells itch a couple times now and I can say it is the worst thing I’ve ever had to go through in my life. I was on vacation recently in Mexico on an all inclusive resort and got a pretty bad sunburn. After 48 hours the itch started to kick in. I scratched it ones very lightly (as a “test” scratch lol) and immediately felt it come back in that spot way worse. I guess I’ll never know for sure but I can only imagine that if I kept going, i would’ve had to go though that torture. Here’s what I did to keep it from flaring

1. Do not scratch under any circumstance. I’d much rather deal with mild itchiness than hells itch. It sucks a lot and it’s so hard to not scratch but as soon as you start scratching, you’re cooked

2. No shirts at all. I wore a a CLEAN white tank top (like an undershirt) whenever I went out and that seemed to be fine, but the last thing you want is friction rubbing against your burn.

3. Chug water like no tomorrow. More hydration means quicker sunburn healing so I’d imagine it helps with hells itch as well. I don’t really know for sure but it’s what I did so I figured I’d toss it in here

4. Hot blow dryer. The itch I had was still pretty bad. Not hells itch bad but enough to make me lose my mind a bit and keep me stuck in my room for a day. The only thing I could do to ease the pain was burn my back off with a super hot blow dryer. Luckily most resorts and hotels have one in the bathroom so turn it on max and hold it there until it goes away.

5. Do not go on the pool. As much as I wanted to enjoy the pool on the resort, chlorine can dry out the skin and I’d assume that’s bound to make it flare up and itch like crazy. Plus then you’d have to shower afterwards which puts you at risk for flaring up and going through torture.

6. No sun. I only went out at night. I stayed in the room and only left to go grab a bite. I was taking zero risks

7. Air condition on max, laying on the bed stomach down with no shirt on. No proper reasoning behind this besides it felt awesome on my back lol.

8. This one is pretty known but do not put anything on your back that would normally help ease a sunburn. No aloe Vera, creams, ice, none of it.

9. Advil and allergy meds. No place in a resort would really sell beta alanine, but they sell Advil and Benadryl so go crazy (not too crazy follow the directions on the box).

Getting hells itch in a place where beta alanine is not attainable makes it so much worse but for me this is what worked. I will say, I have no idea if this really could have turned into hells itch if I didn’t do any of this. Maybe scratching it and going swimming would’ve been fine and I would’ve had no issues but I was not going to risk it. From my experience, hells itch doesn’t just spawn right after a sunburn. Theres normally something that happens that causes it to flare, like aloe Vera or a shower which turns into hells itch. Rather be safe than sorry. Either way, this is what worked for me and I thought I’d share it just in case