Tips for when you get sunburnt

Everyone knows that sunburn is bad for your skin. You increase your risk of skin cancer when you get burned, not to mention it hurts like hell. What you should do if you accidentally get burned? Here are some relieving tips!

1. Get out of the sun

Do you notice that your skin is turning pink or someone else points it out to you? Immediately seek shade and preferably a room with air conditioning. It’s also smart to stay out of the sun while your skin is red or peeling.

2. Cool your skin

Cooling (as quickly as possible) helps soothe inflammation, pain and the stinging sensation of sunburn. It ensures that the excess heat can be released through the skin. But be careful not to apply ice or an ice pack directly to the skin. For example, wrap it in a soft cotton towel and limit application to 20 minutes at a time to prevent frostbite. Then wait 15 minutes and apply the cold compress again for 20 minutes. A cool to lukewarm shower is recommended, also because it’ll wash away any chlorine or salt residue that can irritate your skin. But don’t stay in the shower for too long because that dries out your skin even further. Also, don’t use soap or scrub for a few days and very gently pat your skin almost dry with a soft towel. Then apply a moisturising lotion (or milk) that you keep in the fridge.

3. Take a milk or oatmeal bath

Are you on vacation and have a bath in your house, apartment or hotel? Then take a cooling milk or oatmeal bath. Colloidal oatmeal (very finely ground oatmeal) has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that immediately soothe burned skin. The cooling oatmeal – a cup in the bath water is sufficient – also helps to promote the recovery of dehydrated skin. Milk has a similar effect: the milk proteins and naturally occurring lactic acid are very calming and soothing. You don’t have to soak for hours, fifteen minutes should be enough. For example, try two liters of milk and add water till the top. Don’t have a shower or bath nearby? Then wet a towel with cold water, place it on your skin until the towel feels warm and refresh again with cold water until the skin has cooled down.

4. Painkillers

A severe sunburn can give you a feverish feeling and headache. Your body sees the sunburn as an injury, so it reacts with inflammation. It’s not a bad idea at all to take a painkiller or fever reducer, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. It can also help reduce inflammation and redness.

5. Apply Aloe Vera

After showering or bathing, apply a moisturising lotion (or milk) to the still damp skin, preferably based on aloe vera. The cooling effect of aloe vera can help heal sunburns and also speed up healing. It contains the substance aloin that reduces the impact of inflammation. Choose pure aloe vera and avoid products that contain alcohol. Aloe vera also helps your skin recover faster when you shed.

6. Don’t use products based on oil

Avoid products with alcohol (which dries out your skin even further) but also after-sun creams, (mineral) oils and body butters. They’re indeed nourishing but also retain the heat in the skin and you don’t want that. Especially products with mineral oil (parrafinum liquidum, petroleum jelly, vaseline) close off the skin.

7. Drink water and rest

To heal from a sunburn, you need to give your body time to replace the damaged skin. You can aid the healing process by getting plenty of rest, drinking water, and moisturising your skin. If you don’t rest well or get little sleep, fewer cytokines are produced that help your body control skin inflammation.

Love, Deem/Skye Lewis ❤

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Images source: Pexels

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