Great Tips To Relieve A Sunburn
June 3, 2021
Summer sunshine and outdoor activities are on the rise once again. While we’re all craving a good healthy dose of natural vitamin D, there’s always the possibility of, that not so fun, sunburn.
Once you realize you’ve been burned, it’s important to get yourself out of the sun and treat the burn as soon as you can. Here are a few beneficial tips for basic burn relief:
Take a cool bath or shower.
Brrr…right? But a cool stream of water can help calm the inflammation and help relieve the pain. (Hot water can irritate your sunburned skin even more.) As soon as you get out of the bathtub or shower, gently pat yourself dry.
Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or soy to help soothe sunburned skin.
Once you’re done with a shower or bath it’s important to apply a moisturizer to help trap the water in your skin. This can help ease the dryness.
If you’re experiencing more discomfort in a specific area you may want to apply a hydrocortisone cream, which can be purchased over the counter without a prescription. However, stay away from using products containing ingredients ending with “-caine” (such as benzocaine), as these may cause more irritation and an allergic reaction to the skin. Also avoid products with petroleum as they can actually trap heat in your skin.
We also recommend using Avene Thermal Water spray for soothing relief (especially when refrigerated) as well as applying Cicalfate Restorative & Protective Cream.
Taking an over the counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever, like aspirin or ibuprofen, can also help calm down the burning sensation.
Drink extra water.
A sunburn draws fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of the body. Drinking extra water when you are sunburned helps keep you hydrated.
If your skin blisters, allow the blisters to heal.
Blistering skin means you have a second-degree sunburn. As much as you may want to, don’t pop the blisters. Blisters form to help your skin heal and protect you from infection.
Wear clothing that covers your skin when outdoors.
Despite the urge to wear thin fabrics, tightly-woven fabrics work best. When you hold the fabric up to a bright light, you shouldn’t see any light coming through.
Of course as a dermatologist office we’re going to advise not getting a sunburn. However, we realize during the summer months the likelihood of sun exposure increases as we want to be outdoors more and more. Please avoid sunburns to the best of your ability by protecting yourself with sunscreen.
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