Sunburn is an unavoidable fact for most of us during the summer. Try as you might to avoid it, sometimes you miss a spot with your sunscreen or forget to apply it for a short stint outdoors.
The lines tell it all. (Photo: Flickr/Kelly Sue)
The dangers of exposure to sunlight go far beyond the pain of sunburn, of course. But on those occasions you forget sunscreen and have to endure the redness and discomfort, here are some helpful tips provided by experts on JustAnswer.
Limit damage to the skin
“Unfortunately, there is no fast-fix sunburn treatment,” said Deborah J., a nurse on JustAnswer. “Once sunburn occurs, you can’t do much to limit damage to your skin.” Her suggestions:
- Apply cold compresses. Use a towel dampened with cool tap water and apply it to the affected skin. Or take a cool bath.
- Moisturize. Apply a moisturizing cream, aloe gel, or 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected skin.
“As the skin heals, apply lotion generously several times a day,” said Dr. Anthony Bray. “This should help with the peeling and drying.”
He also recommends Water-Jel burn gel or Solarcaine. Both have a topical ingredient to give some anesthesia to the area applied.
What to do about blisters
Blisters may form four to six hours after exposure to sun. If this happens, do not break the blisters.
“They contain your natural body fluid (serum) and are a protective layer,” said Deborah J. “Also, breaking blisters slows the healing process and increases the risk of infection. If needed, you can lightly cover blisters with gauze.”
If the blisters begin to break, apply an antibacterial ointment, said Mel D., also a nurse and expert on JustAnswer. “This will help keep infection from developing.”
Watch out for severe sunburn
Severe sunburn may require professional medical care. See a doctor if:
- Severe sunburn covers a large portion of your body with blisters.
- Sunburn is accompanied by a high fever or extreme pain.
- Severe sunburn doesn’t respond to at-home care within a few days.
Of course, the best ways to enjoy the outdoors with minimal sunburn pain are to limit exposure to the sun and apply sunscreen liberally.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
A quick and often handy aid until you can get proper help is yoghurt – preferably ice cold and plain, applied
frequently. As the heat from your body dries the yoghurt, just keep putting on fresh applications..
As an ER nurse, I would agree. First of all, an oral anti inflammatory – Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc. Cold compresses – best choice is cold saline-soaked gauze…but if no gauze in sight, then cold towels, sheets, etc. Or a soak in a lukewarm bath. Drink cool fluids, if you can safely swallow.
I had a bad case of sunstroke in the Bahamas several years ago, and I was semi-conscious for several days in a hotel room. The best advice: take down your body temperature as gradually as you can – don't go from 104 to 88. Don't want any brain damage here, folks….. Medical help ASAP….keep all breaking blisters away from bacteria…do the best you can. No one can ask anything more.
Hold affected area under cold running water until the heat of the burn is gone. If it is your back or shoulders or chest, standng in a shower for 1/2 hr or 45 min might be necessary. Until the heat of the burn is gone yur skin is still being damaged and the pain receptors are firing. I have found Eucerin Intensive Care Body Cream appplied liberally twice or more times per day, keeping the affected area moist to be most effective in turning reddened skin to normal after 1 or 2 days. (I have no financial interest in Eucerin.)
There is a cure. If you can get an Aloe Vera plant (grown natively in Florida) just cut it open, scoop out the clear material inside and put in blender and mix. It will turn frothy and be much easier to apply. Apply liberally.
It will dry and seem to pull skin some. It will also reduce pain. Re apply every 4-6 hours. lightly wash every 4 applications and re-apply.
I have seen very severe sunburn have reduced pain and after 3-4 days almost no peeling or blistering.
If you cannot get native Aloe Vera use the gel from the store but look for 100% aloe vera. It should be clear.
I use it and most of the out of state relatives that get burned get to use it too. It really works.
The most effective thing I've found is Aloe After sun. It is an Equate product sold at Walmart. It is in a gel form and I found it to be instant relief followed by a tan the next day where the burn occurred. Aloe Vera has long been a first aid for burns and the formula they have come up with in this product seems to work for me. As with any other product the sooner you get it on that burn the better because as you probably know, the burn continues to deepen the longer the treatment is delayed. The depth of the burn will determine how effective any treatment is so it's important to treat it with the solution as soon as possible.
cold tea applied to the burnt area is the best remedy ever
Any form of aloe Vera will help if plant is handy break off leave use juice it is good as anything
I am completely sold on Watkins Great Outdoors Burn Cream. I have seen very serious and painful burns heal quickly and the pain is eliminated or very effectively reduced.
Sunburns are not only painful, they can lead to basal cell skin cancer, and melanomas. Basal cell is rarely fatal but it sometimes results in disfiguring surgeries to remove the cancer. Melanomas are far more serious and if not treated early enough can metastasize throughout the body. There is no long term cure for melanoma at that point.
The point is sunburns are preventable and should be avoided completely. Keep your children protected with broad-spectrum sunscreen applied every two hours and more often when swimming, and with sun protective clothing. They depend on you not to let them sunburn.
FULL FAT MILK is also good for sun burn, the fats are put back into the skin. It always works for me it takes the burn away ..
First of all, I agree with Mimi (above) who advises that sunburn is preventable by staying out of the sun. So, be a shade seeker instead.
Secondly, if you do get a burn, apply calamine lotion if you have it. Baking soda as a paste with water is also effective albeit a bit messy.
Get medical help if pain persists past 2 days and if blisters become infected.
The best I've seen used for THESE TYPES of burns is ALOE VERA GEL right out of the FLESHY LEAVE of the tree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe
I protect myself with sunscreen and clothing as best as possible. If, by accident, I find myself having been exposed to the sun too long (this should only happen very, very rarely), I apply corttison cream as quickly as possible and before any redness occurs. Once the skin turns red, this will be too late and you need to resort to any of the above remidies. Because of the potential side effects of cortison, its application should only be reserved for emergencies.
Sunburn is not ''an unavoidable fact'' ! Just use a good, long lasting sunscreen! The absolute best sunscreen I've found is by Rodan and Fields Dermatologists. It's called ESSENTIALS SPF 30 Body Sunscreen and you can use it anywhere on the body. It is a lightweight, non-sticky and non-greasy broad spectrum sunscreen. It contains dimethicone to protect skin’s moisture barrier, antioxidant vitamins C and E to absorb damaging free radicals and anti-inflammatory ingredients to protect skin from environmental stress. My friends with tattoos swear by it. I buy mine from www https://beautifulus.myrandf.com/” rel=”nofollow”>.https://beautifulus.myrandf.com/
I had a serious burn after my shirt caught fire. I could have used a commercial dry fire extinguisher, but didn't know how it would affect my skin. Is it safe to use? A registered nurse told me that even water should not be applied to burnt skin as it contains too much oxygen which 'feeds' the burn. A burn should immediately be covered with air tight material to keep off oxygen. What do you know?
I have heard that a sliced tomatoe rubbed gently over the skin – helps to sooth the burnt area – as it apparently has something to do with the acids in the tomatoe .. seemed to work on a small area on my foot that i burnt just back in may .. but what ever you use – always try it on a small area first .. cheers and don't underestimate how hot it is …
The best relief I have ever gotten for a bad sunburn was from Equate – After Sun. (aWalmart product) It stopped the burning, no blistering or peeling but like any other treatment, the quicker you apply it after the burn the better. It is a green aloe Vera gel and feels cool when applied.
Hi.. Apart from Aloe Vera gel, it is good to use sandal wood paste for the sunburn treatment. It is the proven herbal solution for sunburns.