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Best tips on how to rescue your sunburned skin this summer
TREND / 2020-07-22
With summer comes the sunburns, and with sunburns comes the long lasting skin nastiness, in the form of itching, peeling and what not. While it is likely that this summer you may not be out and about enough to get sun-burnt, we’d still recommend you to give this article a read till the end and save it for a bright sunny day. If you have a really sensitive skin and well-lit house, chances are you can still get a burn inside your home, or if you’re fond of soaking in the sun in your backyard. So, there’s really no excuse to slack on the preventive measures or understand how to deal with your existing sunburns.
In medical terms, a sunburn is known as ‘erythema’, which means the redness of skin caused by dilatation and congestion of the capillaries. Most common after-effects of sunburns include red, warm, painful-to-the-touch skin, and blisters in case of a severe hit. If you get a sunburn, it is your skin’s way of signaling to you that severe damage has been done from overexposure to UV rays emitted by the sun. The redness is a result of dilating blood vessels, the tightness and dryness comes from your skin losing moisture post burning.
Sun burns happen to the best of us, so no need to be hard on yourself if you passed on some skincare, but now that you’re here, it’s important to start looking out for your skin.
More so, because a sunburn takes time to heal, like anything else, so the best way to encourage that process is by doing all the right things. Go ahead and understand the 5 fail-safe ways to tackle sunburns.
1. SPF, SPF and SPF
You might be tired of hearing this but we’re gonna say it again- you might not be applying enough SPF. For a generous sunscreen coverage for your skin, apply at least one ounce of sunscreen (about 2 tbsp) to your face, ears, front and back of your neck. Take similar quantities and gently rub a body sunscreen into your skin until it's almost fully absorbed. Wait, it doesn’t end here. It is important to re-apply sunblock when you are out in the sun for long periods of time. If you live in a very humid area, it is recommended to use a water-proof sunblock. To suit your skin type, find the right sunscreen for dry skin or oily skin for you. The best sunscreens for face usually have oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, sulisobenzone, or zinc oxide in their ingredient list. Gel based, mattifying sunscreens are the best sunscreens for acne prone skin. Needless to say, you must carry a sunscreen for face with you when you know you’re going to be out for a while. Afterall, prevention is better than the cure, right?
2. Home Remedies
Plenty of basic kitchen and garden ingredients can serve as home remedies that promote healing and reduce discomfort in the short term. Home remedies are also known to reduce redness drastically.
a) Cold Milk
One way to take the heat out of a sunburn is with a cool compress. While water is also an option, soak a clean linen/cotton cloth in cold milk to not only help with inflammation but also protect the skin against dryness. Thanks to the natural fat and protein content in whole milk, it can soothe a sunburn by creating a protective film over the skin.
b) Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not only an excellent grain to eat but also great for soothing itchy skin and keeping your skin protected. Use this ultimate skin care hack to relieve the itching and inflammation caused by a sunburn. You can either go for a readymade oatmeal face mask or simply DIY it by grinding a cup of oatmeal in the blender with some water. You can also swap water with cold milk here. Apply a thick layer over the sunburnt area and let it rest for 30 minutes before gently washing it off with cold water.
c) Aloevera
The list of problems this wonder plant Aloevera can cure, keeps increasing. Aloe is one of the best go-to after-sun skin ingredients. Pure aloe vera gel, whether out of a readymade jar or straight from the plant leaf – contains cooling and soothing properties. It can also potentially promote wound healing. Especially if your face is on fire, slap on a peeled aloe leaf or apply some aloe vera gel to calm your delicate burnt skin, to soften it and deliver intense hydration.
3. Soothe & Moisturize
After a sunburn, you’ll want to moisturize as much and as often as possible. It is obvious that a burnt from heat effectively means it has taken away the natural hydration of your skin. Coconut oil or a moisturizer infused with the goodness of coconut can actually penetrate the deeper skin layers and provide proper moisturization. Some coconut oils have a natural SPF rating of 5-10, which of course is not enough on its own but a good option for some extra sun protection under your sunscreen.
Steer clear of alcohol-based moisturizers as they can further increase the burning sensation. You may also want to avoid petroleum-based creams as these may trap heat and make your sunburn and peeling even worse. Try to moisturize right after you bathe, when your skin is still damp, to help seal in moisture.
4. Hydrate
Get ready to read one of the most read/heard phrases of your life again: Drink more water. It goes without saying that drinking plenty of water is a must in any case, but it’s never truer than when you’ve overdosed on sun exposure. A cool shower or ice bath may help cool you down and alleviate some of the pain caused by the combined effects of summer heat and warmth from your sunburn.
5. Over-the-counter medications
Lastly, if your burn is severe or the discomfort is unbearable, you can trust some of the right pills.
- Aspirin or Ibuprofen: A pain reliever like Advil can help reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Hydrocortisone cream: Rubbing on a mild topical steroid like Cortizone-10 aids healing of the wound.
- Don't apply products with "-caine" suffix: Local anesthetics like benzocaine may further irritate the skin and trap heat in.
No sunburn is great. It is painful, discomforting and looks pretty shabby. Worry not, we’ve got you covered with these 5 most important tips that you need to heal your skin. But if you are currently dealing with skin that is swollen, deep red and blistered from a sunburn, you might wanna visit a medical practitioner. Stay in, stay safe!