How to Treat Sunburn

Did you spend a little too much time in the sun? Are you feeling the burn? Sunburn can be a really painful side effect of not wearing sunscreen and spending too much time in the sun. Taking proper care of your sunburn skin can mean the difference between healing and scarring. It can also help with pain relief and even speed up healing. Here are some ways on how to treat a sunburn:

• Take Asprin or Acetaminophen: These medicines can help lessen swelling and dull the pain you are feeling. Follow the instructions on the back of the bottle for dosage.
 
• Find Cooling Relief: Take a cool shower or cool bath. Make sure it’s not ice cold but is cooler than your normal shower. Hot showers will leave your skin feeling like it’s on fire and will dry it out. Avoid soaps or bath oils that may dry out or irritate your skin. Make sure to pat yourself dry instead of rubbing, which will add more pain. Place cold compresses on effected areas to help reduce swelling and pain as well.
 
• Apply Topical Applications: Apply Aloe Vera lotion, cortisone creams, or other soothing agents that are meant for the soothing of irritated and sunburnt skin. If you have an aloe plant, you can split the leaves and use the goo on the inside as a topical applicant. Just be sure not to rub anything all the way in. This can dry out the skin and the cooling agents in the creams won’t be as effective.
 
• Stay Hydrated: The sun sucks the moisture right out of your skin and body. So when you develop a sunburn, your body is constantly trying to replenish the moisture to your dry, burning skin. This in-turn dehydrates you even more. Make sure to drink more water than usual to stay hydrated.
 
• Protect Sunburnt Skin: Stay out of the sun and use 45+ SPF if you need to expose your skin to the sun. Wear loose clothing with long sleeves to cover burnt areas and to keep clothing from irritating your skin.
 
• Apply Unscented Moisturizer: Start introducing moisture to your skin as it begins to heal. Use unscented moisturizers as any scented ingredients may irritate your skin.

If there is Blistering:

• Don’t pop your blisters unless it is completely necessary. Popping them can cause more pain and lead to infection and scarring. If you must pop a blister, do so hygienically. Wash your hands and pop with a sterilized needle and then pat dry with clean gauze.
• Use topical applications on blisters such as aloe and antibacterial ointments to prevent infection and keep them clean.

Know when to see a doctor. If you experience dizziness, rapid pulse rate, extreme thirst with no urine output, nausea, fever, chills, rash, or severe blisters, it’s time to take a trip to the doctor.

The best way to treat a sunburn is to prevent it. Always wear sunscreen and remember to re-apply throughout the day. If you are going to be in the sun for a long time, hats or umbrellas are a good idea. Sunburn can lead to skin cancer, which kills thousands of Australian’s each year. So remember the next time you hit the beach, lathering sunscreen on your healthy skin now can save you time lathering aloe on your burnt, painful skin later.