Are you looking like a lobster on fire and in need of some quick relief? Here are 5 easy sunburn relief hacks to help soothe your skin and get you back on track!
It’s summertime and for many of us that means long days in the sun and on the beach! Sounds like heaven, except when we indulge a little TOO much and end up with a nasty burn.
Sunburns are painful and really inconvenient when you need to ‘get back to regular’ life and have to put a bra on, lol. And sleeping with a bad burn … forget it!
By the end of this article, you’ll have 5 practical sunburn relief hacks that will soothe your skin and have you back on track in no time.
HACK #1:
Don’t apply oil based lotion, use aloe vera jelly instead.
Coconut oil should not be the initial step in sunburn treatment. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, oil-based lotions may cause sunburned skin to retain heat, which could aggravate the burn. Because of this, it may help to wait at least 1 day after the burn before putting coconut oil on sunburned skin.
Because aloe oil contains the health properties of the original aloe vera plant, it possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antifungal, antioxidant, and astringent activity. Like aloe vera gel, aloe oil is also known for its ability to promote skin health.
HACK #2:
Apply vinegar to the burned area
A popular folk remedy is to use white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to relieve sunburn pain. While there is no actual science proving this works, it’s helped countless people soothe their hot, angry skin (including me) after they’ve indulged in too much sun. Just soak a cloth or towel in a solution of half vinegar, half water and apply it to the affected area. It will remove the ‘heat’ in the burn from your skin and transfer it to the cloth.
Vinegar has antiseptic properties that can kill germs and relieve pain, according to Bonnie K. McMillen, R.N., B.S.N., college health nurse at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. If you are experiencing pain from a sunburn, you may want to reach for a bottle of vinegar to soothe your discomfort. Vinegar helps to balance the pH (acid or alkalinity) of sunburned skin, promoting healing. Vinegar will also reduce the likelihood that your skin will form blisters after burning.
HACK #3:
Apply Yogurt
Pick up a cold plain yogurt, which contains a lot of probiotics that will help restore your skin’s natural barrier, and spread a thin layer over your sunburn. Let the yogurt sit for about 10 minutes, and then gently dab it off with a cold rag.
This also doesn’t have any hard-backed scientific evidence, but it’s also a popular folk remedy that is a favorite among many.
HACK #4:
Put cornstarch on your sheets
While it won’t do anything to soothe the actual burn, it will make you more comfortable when you sleep, and your body does recover in sleep mode. So it still counts.
When you have a terrible sunburn, even lying down on your sheets at night hurts. Dust a bit of cornstarch on your body or sprinkle it on your sheets before heading to bed to create a barrier between the fabric and your skin and to help minimize the painful friction.
HACK #5:
Take some aspirin with lots of water to decrease inflammation
At the first sign of sunburn, taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, can help with discomfort and inflammation, says Dr. Brackeen, who practices at the Skin Cancer Institute in Lubbock, Texas. You can continue with the NSAIDs as directed till the burn feels better.
You can also use a 1 percent over-the-counter cortisone cream as directed for a few days to help calm redness and swelling. Aloe vera may also soothe mild burns and is generally considered safe. Wear loose, soft, breathable clothing to avoid further skin irritation, and stay out of the sun.
Burns draw fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of the body, so you may become dehydrated, explains Dr. Brackeen. It’s important to rehydrate by drinking extra liquids, including water and sports drinks that help to replenish electrolytes, immediately and while
your skin heals.
Check out our video on this topic here:
