Sunburn treatment tips

Sunburn treatment tips

When the summer finally arrives it is difficult to avoid soaking in that radiant sunshine. Overexposure, however, to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun will lead to the dreaded sunburn! Sunburned skin will be a red coloration, and the skin gets hot and tender to the touch on the sunburned areas. Severely sunburned skin will usually result in the formation of blisters. Lastly, skin will usually peel from the affected areas.

Repeatedly getting sunburned can have extremely negative effects over time. It can cause things like your skin aging more rapidly to increasing your risk of skin cancers.

Due to how dangerous the Sun's rays can be, it is highly recommended to take the necessary steps to prevent getting sunburned in the first place. If you have sunburned skin, there are things you can do to help soothe and heal your stinging skin.

Here are a few tips and tricks you can try:

  • Because a sunburn causes the outer layers of your skin to become inflamed, taking an anti-inflammatory medication can help. These medications include Advil, Motrin, Aleve, or aspirin. It is important to not give aspirin to children. Anti-inflammatory medication will help reduce the amount of redness and pain from the sunburn. The inflammation is usually worst within the first two days after overexposure.
  • Immerse sunburned areas in cold water or apply cold compresses (like a cold wash cloth) to the burned skin. This is a great technique for immediate relief, and it helps reduce swelling and draws away heat from your skin.
  • If there is no blistering of the skin, you can take a cool bath in which you have added oatmeal! Use a colloidal oatmeal product, like Aveeno, or grind up approximately one cup of oatmeal and add it to the bath water. This will moisturize your skin and also provide more anti-inflammatory relief.
  • Applying vinegar to affected areas can also be a great method for easing sunburn pain, itching, and inflammation. You can soak a cloth or paper towel with white vinegar, then cover the sunburned areas. If your sunburn is quite itchy, add two cups of vinegar to a cool bath and soak yourself for a while! You can also mix vinegar and baking soda to create a paste that you can spread over sunburned areas.
  • Coating the sunburned areas of your skin with aloe can also be comforting. For aloe gels, you want to make sure it is 100% pure aloe vera.
  • If the sunburn is not too severe (no blisters), applying a moisturizing cream will help relieve discomfort. Try storing the moisturizing cream in your refrigerator between applications. This will provide even more comfort to the burned skin due to it being colder.
  • Do not further expose sunburned skin to the Sun during the healing process. Make sure to cover those burns with the appropriate clothing needed: long sleeves, hats, etc.

If you have very severe sunburned skin with extensive blistering, you should see your family physician. This is particularly important if you are experiencing sun poisoning symptoms like fevers, chills, nausea, or rashes.

Remember to take in those Sun rays in moderation!