Is histamine present in sunburn

Answer 1

Not commonly no, but in certain cases yes (depends on the individual and how their body responds to the radiation in the sunburn).

Histamines are produced by mast cells (white blood cells), they are released and cause an inflammatory response where there is an invading foreign pathogen in the body. This is an immune response telling your body that an unknown pathogen is trying to enter, and it shouldn't be there. When you are affected by sunburn, your body is invaded by the harmful radiation of the sun, which isn't supposed to be there. In most cases treating it with Aloe Vera, or other moisturizers will help the skin heal over the course of 3-4 days.

However, in some cases, if the sun exposure is bad enough, around 24-48 hours after the burn, you may experience an uncontrollable burning/itching (most commonly in your back). This is the response of your body releasing histamines to tell you there's radiation damage in your skin. The body tries to close the pores of your skin to prevent any further penetration, this causes the heat already under the skin to be trapped. Which is why along with the itching and burning, your back feels like it's 105 degrees Fahrenheit. This is also why at this point lotions like Aloe Vera, and even sprays with Lidocaine don't help. Instead they act like a wall on top of the closed pores, guaranteeing no heat will be released.

(Solution)

Many people have scoured the internet to find the solution to this problem, and many have home remedies that help. However, to stop the uncontrollable itch you have to understand what caused it. So, since we know that Histamine release is the cause of our discomfort, any over the counter Antihistamine will work to reduce the symptoms to a bearable state. After 24-36 hours after the itching started, the itching should no longer require treatment, and your skin should feel better again.