Sun poisoning rash - help!!!

[samuelsmama]

After much time spent on researching places to stay for my first visit here, I am finally here and loving it! Aside from this horrible rash I have developed! I have not been in the ocean at all, so it is not from that. It is on my right arm and on my chest. The first couple of days, I had it on my legs (front and below knee), but that is gone now. It itches so horribly and i am afraid to go in the sun as that seems to make it worse and makes it spread! Any advice anyone has would be appreciated. Since the rash started I switched to an all natural zinc oxide sunscreen to try and avoid the chemicals but that is not helping. Help, please! Anyone! Even if it is just a quick tip or idea. Thanks so much in advance.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Poison ivy? Oleander? (the ivy doesn't bother me but I can't even brush up against oleander, go figure) Reaction between a prescription medication and the sun?
Have you tried calamine lotion?

 

[aggieb]

oh bless your heart. I get it everytime and I have yet to find anything that helps other than 'time'. It's awful, I know.

 

[BrentS]

After much time spent on researching places to stay for my first visit here, I am finally here and loving it! Aside from this horrible rash I have developed! I have not been in the ocean at all, so it is not from that. It is on my right arm and on my chest. The first couple of days, I had it on my legs (front and below knee), but that is gone now. It itches so horribly and i am afraid to go in the sun as that seems to make it worse and makes it spread! Any advice anyone has would be appreciated. Since the rash started I switched to an all natural zinc oxide sunscreen to try and avoid the chemicals but that is not helping. Help, please! Anyone! Even if it is just a quick tip or idea. Thanks so much in advance.

If it itches and stings it could be a form of shingles or herpes. No alarm though just go to the doc and get an RX of Valtrex. Trust me it works!

 

[familyof3]

I think a call back home to the local doctor might be in order. He/she could probably call you in something.

 

[ricklys]

I think a call back home to the local doctor might be in order. He/she could probably call you in something.

The doc will probably tell you to visit the ER or a walk in clinic locally. Better do it before it gets worse. Sacred Heart has a walk in clinic on 98 a few miles west of the hospital - open M-F 8-5.

 

[scooterbug44]

Definitely go see the doctor - sounds like you got in something nasty!

Due to the number of weird things about I always wash down w/ Dial soap after gardening/being in the woods etc. and it helps.

 

[flowerfriendly]

after much time spent on researching places to stay for my first visit here, i am finally here and loving it! Aside from this horrible rash i have developed! i have not been in the ocean at all, so it is not from that. It is on my right arm and on my chest. The first couple of days, i had it on my legs (front and below knee), but that is gone now. It itches so horribly and i am afraid to go in the sun as that seems to make it worse and makes it spread! Any advice anyone has would be appreciated. Since the rash started i switched to an all natural zinc oxide sunscreen to try and avoid the chemicals but that is not helping. Help, please! Anyone! Even if it is just a quick tip or idea. Thanks so much in advance.

sorry to hear about your rash! I have a great doc who is into alot of natural medicine. I don't know the rules for posting his name etc. But if you would like his name pm me and i'll get u the info. Good luck.

 

[samuelsmama]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It get so much better after I wash the sunscreen off so I am pretty sure it is that and if not, the sunscreen is definitely making it worse. I plan to lay off all sunscreen today and stay out of the sun - if it gets better, then I am guessing it is a reaction to the sun or sunscreen. By doing a little research, I found out that the sunscreen I bought has an added chemical in it that sunscreens have just started adding (as if we needed another chemical!) and it is known to cause rashes in people - Octocrylene.
If it is not sun or sunscreen...maybe oleander. (Thanks for letting me know about this.) The rash started after we went to a mini golf course which had all kinds of plants which could have included Oleander. Thanks for the idea about calamine lotion too! I might have to go get some. Right now I am using the aloe from a plant and cool mist sprays of water which seems to be helping.
Thanks for the idea about shingles... I have that before and that has more of a prickly feeling so I am pretty sure it is not that.
If I figure this out...I'll post again, in case other people run into the same thing.
Oh and thanks for the post about where I could see a doc. I will definitely keep that in my back pocket, but for now I'll try to manage myself. From past experience with my sensitive skin and rashes, docs don't seem to know much about rashes (aside from shingles) and most of the time they tend to prescribe nasty steroids which I am not interested in until all else fails.

 

[soappedaler]

Best home remedy for itchy rash, is colloidal oatmeal. I you don't want to spend the money and have a powerful blender, like a vita mix. Get some quick cook oats and grind the heck out of them. Put a couple of cups in your bathwater and soak for as long as you can, don't rinse off. Patchouli's also sells a really good oatmeal milk bath called Soothe