Sunburn remedy

Tanya

Hello everyone! It feels so weird posting after such a long time.

I ended up getting quite a sunburn today. I am pretty pale and burn really easily, and religiously wear sunscreen on my face. I wear it on my body too, if it is warm and I am wearing summer clothes etc. Well today I was walking in the afternoon in the 70 degree sun, and it really did not occur to me that I should be already wearing sunscreen, it is beginning of April. I was wearing a cap sleeved top fairly open in the front. I have just got home to discover that both my chest and upper arms are very red. It does not hurt but looks pretty bad. Is there anything I can do or is the damage already done?

15 years ago

General

12 replies

Latest reply was from yublocka

Queen Mum

Veteran

we have an aloe vera gel that does an amazing job taking the sting out of a sunburn and heals it up pretty quickly.

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

What Kim said. I am obviously at the olive end of the spectrum so I normally tan rather than burn, but I did manage to get sunburn just once and the only thing that soothed it was aloe vera gel.

15 years ago

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Ouch Tanya! I have found sometimes if the sting is really bad that taking ibuprofen ("nurofen" in Australia?), which is more of an anti-inflammatory tablet pain-killer can help reduce the pain you are feeling and reduce a bit of the swelling associated with the sunburn. Make sure you drink heaps of water, as it is possible that you are dehydrated!

If you don't have any aloe-vera, you can also apply cold black tea to your skin - it contains tannins which can help to reduce the pain and stinging. Cold, wet facewashers will also help take the "heat" out of your skin if it is burning really badly. Once the redness, swelling and pain has reduced, make sure you keep moisturising your skin, I often just use a very simple Vitamin E cream, to try and help reduce the peeling (and also, because it doesn't sting!).

(Although I second Queenie that aloe-vera gel (or you can even rip open the leaf of a plant if you have one handy and apply the gel neat to the burn) is also brilliant for helping to reduce the severity of the sting.) HTH and you feel better soon!

15 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Yeah- I second ibuprofin and aole vera gel, or calendula ointment (another herbal remedy that is great for burns). Also- taking a hot shower as hot as you can stand it right away always helps for some reason, and then lotion or cream so that you don't peel. At one time, I knew the theory behind this, but now I just remember that it works.
Hope you are feeling better soon! I get crazy burnt at this time of year, and I am trying to really remember the sunscreen every day.

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Thanks ladies! I am doing the black tea thing right now and will get myself to the pharmacy to get the aloe vera gel first thing in the morning.

I am pretty mad at myself. I know how easily I burn yet I did not think of that this morning. I guess the sun caught me unprepared.

15 years ago

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

ouch Tanya, hope you are feeling better soon.

Another trick that I was recommended once is to take a Cod Liver Oil capsule and burst it, and spread the oil onto your skin. I can't remember what is in the Cod Liver Oil Caps, but it really did help immensely last time I was badly burnt. Although, it is VERY stinky!

But I also love the aloe vera gel.

I get mad every time one of us gets burned or even a touch pink too - and it always happens at the very start of the hot season

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

Hi Tanya, I have missed you!!! I know that Aquaphor works pretty well also for healing skin:) I only wish it was 70 here today. We are having down pours this spring.
Hoping everything else is good with you!!

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

More good ideas! I will try those too. Right now it actually starting to hurt/burn too. Urghh...

Thank you so much Taylor! I am doing pretty well, and I will start a new post to explain my whereabouts a bit more.

15 years ago

Dusty

(website)

Active Member

I agree with the aloe vera gel...but I have some with lidocaine in it and that stuff is wonderful. The aloe cools and sooths and the lidocaine numbs.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yes on the aloe vera gel! Good stuff. Chunky sliced cucumbers help too. As they get hot on the skin, turn them over.

Sunburn is very sore, Tanya. I hope you feel soothed fast.

15 years ago

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Lavender is also marvellously soothing, in my experience. I have a moisturizer containing lavender and blue chamomile, and sometimes if I get a minor burn while cooking I'll dab some of that onto the painful area. It helps every time.
But I think aloe vera is pretty tough to beat for sun burn! Hope you're feeling better soon, and thanks for starting this thread (these are great remedies).

15 years ago

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

Ouch sunburn is not fun! Hope you managed to get your hands on some aloe vera Tanya!!!

15 years ago

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