Sunburn Treatment: How To Reduce Redness, Relieve Pain And Treat Peeling Skin
How To Deal With Red, Itchy Sunburn
Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK
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If you caught a little too much sun this summer then fear not, even the most sunscreen-savvy among us can get sunburnt every now and then.
Sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. Symptoms include red and sore patches on your skin, which remain tender and sometimes itchy for a week.
What many people don't realise is that it can take between three and six months for burnt skin to return to normal. So if you do get caught out - you need to keep your skin protected in the long run to stop it from happening again.
"When you get a sunburn and the top layer of skin peels off, the newly exposed skin is more sensitive than ever. That means you'll burn even faster than you did before if you're not careful," says Dr Schreiber (MD) on Prevention.com.
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How to prevent sunburn
People who live in the UK are most at risk of getting sunburnt between March and October from 11am-3pm.
Surprisingly, it doesn't have to be blue sky conditions for you to get sunburnt. It can happen even when it's cloudy and even if you're swimming in the sea.
To avoid sunburn it's best to do the following:
Keep out of the sun when it's at its strongest.
Stay in the shade as much as possible or cover up with loose clothing and a hat.
Protect your skin with suncream. Apply it 15-30 minutes before you're due to go out in the sun and reapply at least every two hours, says the NHS Choices website.
Opt for high sun protection factors when buying sun cream - anything that is SPF 50 will offer the best level of protection.
If you think you've burnt your skin, then it's important to get out of the sun straight away and sit in the shade.
According to NHS Choices, you can cool the skin by sponging it with cold water or having a cold bath or shower.
If you do shower, make sure you avoid using soap as this can dry out and irritate burnt skin.
Once you've showered, apply a water-based emollient (non-cosmetic moisturiser) or Vaseline to your skin to keep it cool and moist. For an extra soothing sensation, keep your moisturiser in the fridge.
It is imperative that you also drink plenty of fluids to help you cool off and prevent dehydration.
And if you're experiencing pain or discomfort, take some ibuprofen or paracetamol.
Story continues below the slideshow:
Natural Sunburn Remedies
Aloe Vera (01 of10)
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If you look in any pharmacy or drug store aisle, you're sure to find shelves of aloe vera gel to soothe sunburn pain. That's because the plant has a long history of providing sunburn relief because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Gel fresh from the plant is better than over-the-counter products -- which could list aloe on the label but may not actually provide any relief, said Huffington Post wellness editor Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald.Though it feels soothing, most scientific evidence doesn't show that aloe vera actually speeds up healing of sunburns, said Dr. Jonette Keri, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "But it feels good, and it makes [the skin] feel cold," Keri told The Huffington Post. So if relief is your goal, it's still worth it to slather up.
Shaving Cream (02 of10)
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Weird as it sounds, shaving cream often shows up in searches for home sunburn remedies (even though yes, it's technically not a "natural" substance). While there's no scientific evidence that shaving cream works to relieve sunburn, that doesn't mean it doesn't work, Keri said. "Shaving cream in a lot of cases has menthol and other chemicals, and those things are naturally cooling and feel good to the skin," Keri said. That's because menthol is a highly volatile compound that evaporates fast and takes the heat from the sunburn with it, said Dr. Jessica Krant, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City and founder of private practice Art of Dermatology.
Vitamin E And Vitamin C(03 of10)
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Several natural health websites recommend applying vitamin E oil to sunburns to relieve pain, as the vitamin helps to moisturize the skin. Science agrees that the vitamin helps, but preventatively: Both vitamins E and C have been shown in studies to work as a preventive measure against sunburn, Krant said. That's because the vitamins act as antioxidants to heal sunburn that is a result of oxidative damage to skin cells. The vitamins are "more effective when used regularly, rather than with a single application," Krant told The Huffington Post, but there's "no evidence of soothing a burn after it's already happened." (credit:Getty)
Vinegar(04 of10)
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The vinegar bath is (specifically apple cider vinegar) a famous home remedy for sunburn. But does it actually work? There haven't been any studies on the effects of vinegar on sunburn, but it's likely effective, said Keri, because vinegar is an antiseptic and helps to cool the skin as it evaporates. Theoretically, vinegar could help to balance the body's pH levels to take away the stinging feeling of the burn, though it likely works by just providing a cooling sensation to the skin, said Krant.
Ice And Cold Showers (05 of10)
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Common sense would tell you that if you have a burn, you should put something cold on it. And it's true -- experts agree that a cold shower can help cool the skin and make it feel better. But what about a hot shower? "Some people say that heat makes more heat come out [of the skin], but that's not true," Keri said. Naturally, ice is a cooling tactic too, but be careful when applying ice to a burn as it can make the burn sensation worse by creating an "ice burn" -- additional damage to the burn wound.
Baking Soda (06 of10)
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While there are no studies to back it up, many turn to baking soda for sunburn relief. It makes sense, said Keri. Baking soda creates an alkalized environment that is soothing to the skin. It has antiseptic properties, can help with the itch and work as an exfoliant. Fitzgerald recommends mixing together baking soda and water, and then using cotton balls to apply the solution to the affected area. Or, add a half cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak. (credit:Flickr: (3))
Milk (07 of10)
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A cold glass of milk is refreshing, and even more so -- a cool swipe of milk on a sunburn can help relieve pain, several health websites point out. Milk is known, anecdotally, to help soothe pain, itching and burning when used in cold compresses, Krant said. Yogurt also seems to have a similar effect. However, there aren't yet any scientific studies backing this up. (credit:Getty)
Honey(08 of10)
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Honey is hailed as a helpful healer for a variety of ills -- including sunburn pain.Honey is antibacterial and multiple studies have shown that honey can help to heal wounds, Keri said. Because of this, applying honey to a sunburn could help the skin re-epithelize (grow new epithelial skin cells), she said. Fitzgerald recommends using manuka honey in particular because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. (credit:Getty)
Tomato(09 of10)
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Yes, may sound crazy, but some people claim rubbing tomato on a sunburn can help soothe the burn. While science doesn't quite show that tomatoes actually heal sunburns, they could be useful in preventing them, Keri said. A German study shows that smearing tomato paste on the skin helps to prevent sunburn, likely because tomatoes are rich in the chemical lycopene that helps to reduce the sunburn response from ultraviolet radiation, she said. (credit:Getty)
Oatmeal(10 of10)
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Putting oatmeal on sunburn is one of the oldest home remedies in the book, and science seems to back that up. Oat extract has been shown in studies to have anti-inflammatory properties that could help relieve sunburn pain, Krant said. "It's likely that making up a batch of oatmeal and chilling it down will soothe sunburn when applied to the skin."
How to look after peeling skin
According to Sk:n clinic, once you've burnt your skin there isn't a way of stopping it from peeling.
There is, however, something you can do to stop it from looking like a complete eyesore. Firstly, apply Aloe Vera gel religiously to the area affected.
Once your sunburn has calmed and your skin has returned to normal, you should begin to exfoliate regularly to avoid looking like a lizard.
It's really important not to exfoliate while your skin is burnt as this will irritate it more. After you've exfoliated, make sure you moisturise - a lot.