Got a Sunburn? 6 Ways to Heal It Lickety-Split

Who doesn’t want to spend a day under the sun? It is not surprising for people to frolic on the beach or to hang out by the pool and get burned. Being exposed to harmful UV rays for a period of time can lead to sunburn and skin damage. Almost every adult and child would admit to getting sunburned once in their lives. Constant exposure to sunlight leads to skin irritation that turns red and peels away. It can also be a contributing factor for the premature aging of your skin. Severe sunburns can also cause swelling and develop blisters. Some even develop flu-like symptoms including feverish feelings, headache, chills, and nausea. Sunburn after a few days becomes itchy and starts to peel, which can be beyond aggravating. Yikes!

We’ve all been there. And sometimes avoiding a sunburn is impossible. But, once you know you’ve been burned there are things at home you can do to treat it. Read on to learn what you need to do to heal your sunburn lickety-split!

Immediate Remedy After a Sunburn

When you get sunburned, treating it immediately will alleviate any of the burning symptoms that occur after some time. Here are some tips to immediately remedy your sunburn after exposure:

1. Chill out! Have a cold bath or put a cool compress on the sunburned skin to soothe the pain. Natural bath therapies such as adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath water balances the alkalinity of the water and speeds up the healing process. Baking soda and some essential oils can calm irritation and redness.
2. Use aloe vera—stat! Lotions containing aloe vera is also a good, immediate remedy for sunburns. It immediately leaches the heat from the burn, moisturizes dried-up skin, and promotes healing. Lotions containing lidocaine are also acceptable anesthetics for pain relief.

Treatment Days After the Sunburn

It takes a couple of days for your burnt skin to peel off and return to normal. During this stage, sunburnt skin becomes itchy and irritating. Follow these tips to make you feel better and remove unnecessary scratching and peeling.

1. Drink lots of water. Drinking lots of water is essential when your skin is peeling off. Replenishing your body with lost fluid will quicken cell reconstruction making it easier for dry skin to exfoliate.
2. Use a topical cream to alleviate swelling & itching. When you still experience severe swelling and itching even days after the sunburn, topical creams such as hydrocortisone can help alleviate and relieve symptoms. Over-the-counter medications can treat inflammations and pains including ibuprofen or naproxen.

Treatment for Sun Damage

Pigmentation caused by the sun, melasma, wrinkles, and age spots all make you look older beyond your years. Constant exposure to the sun’s harmful rays contributes to make you look older than you really are. So, if you want look younger, here are some treatment options for your sun-damaged skin:

Try a skin rejuvenation treatment. Non-invasive procedures like facials and peels, laser light therapy, or the micropen are effective ways to reduce pigmentation and sun spots and completely transform the look (and feel) of your skin. Check out our guide for the 4 best ways to treat brown spots and hyperpigmentation for more information.

Always wear sunscreen. Constantly using sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher can revitalize your dry skin. They act as protective barrier against the harmful rays of the sun making your skin look younger and radiant. SPF is a sunburn protective agent that helps make you look younger and helps keep your skin healthy.

Eat right. Eating more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals beat those chemically induced supplements and creams. It is a natural way of replenishing lost water to your body while providing the needed nutrients to sustain a good looking skin.

Sunburns can be agonizing. And while a nice, golden brown tan is enviable, it shouldn’t come at the expense of your skin. Whenever you head outdoors this summer, take precaution! And if you do get burned, take action as soon as possible.