How to Treat Sunburn

Treating sunburns is always more difficult than preventing them. However, half of people between the ages of 18 and 29 admit to getting sunburned at least once a year. ^{[1] X Source of Research} All types of sunburn damage your skin. The following methods will help you handle and cure them quickly.

Table of Contents

On-site first aid

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As soon as you notice a burning sensation on your skin, get out of the sun immediately. It is best to stand in a sheltered place, or take shelter in the nearest shade.

Leather can still be burned by the sun even if you stand under a wide umbrella and sewn with thick fabric.
Likewise, the sun still affects your skin even when you’re in the shade because UV radiation can penetrate everything like clouds and leaves. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Take a cool shower. The water will cool your skin and soothe the burn. Avoid using soaps because they will make the damaged skin swollen and dry. After that, let your skin dry on its own because using a dry towel can cause the skin to scratch and cause discomfort.

If you are reluctant to use a towel, pat it gently instead of rubbing it on your skin. ^{[3] X Trusted Source American Academy of Dermatpogy Go to Source}

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Apply aloe vera to the tan to moisturize and cool the skin. Regular repetition will reduce dryness and flaking of the skin.

Choose aloe vera gel or liquid containing vitamin C and vitamin E as they can reduce skin damage. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Avoid using products that contain a lot of oil or alcohol.
If you have an aloe plant on hand, you can get the gel directly from the leaves. Simply cut the leaves, cut them into long thin slices with a knife, squeeze out the gel and apply it to the burn on your skin.
The gel taken directly from the aloe vera plant is thick, natural and effective. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Common home remedies

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Cooling. Wrap a few ice cubes or a frozen pack in a wet towel. Then gently dab the towel on the sunburned area for about 15-20 minutes, repeating several times a day. ^{[7] X Trusted Source American Academy of Dermatpogy Go to Source}

Do not let ice or cold objects come into direct contact with the skin as this can cause frostbite and make the wound worse.

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Consider taking an anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen (Advil). Ibuprofen works to reduce swelling and redness, it also helps you avoid long-term skin damage. If you choose this medicine, use it for the next 48 hours. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Acetaminophen (Tylep) also has the ability to reduce the pain caused by burns, but it is not as effective as Ibuprofen.

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Wear loose clothing. Avoid wearing clothes made of harsh or itchy fabrics. For most people, cotton clothing is the best choice.

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Close the curtains and keep your place cool. Use air conditioning if possible. If you don’t have air conditioning, you can use an electric fan to reduce body temperature, which is also very good, let the wind blow directly on the burn.

Your basement will be the ideal place for your burns to heal, because the air is cool and mostly hidden from the sun.

Natural home remedies

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Soak a few bags of black tea in hot water, then wait for the water to cool (you can add a few ice cubes to the tea…). Take out the tea bags and apply them directly to the burn. The essence in tea leaves has anti-inflammatory effects. You can also soak the entire burned area in cold tea.

The essences in tea are also an astringent, and studies show that they have the ability to speed up wound healing and fight infection. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Place a jar of white yogurt in a mixing bowl with 4 cups of water. Dip a towel in the mixture and apply it to the sunburn for 15-20 minutes. Repeat after the next 2-4 hours. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Yogurt often contains many beneficial bacteria and enzymes that help burn skin heal faster. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Make sure the yogurt you use is regular because vanilla and high-sugar yogurts are unnecessary and have less probiotics.

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Dissolve a cup of baking soda in a bath with cool water and then soak, without rinsing, just let the soda solution dry right on your skin. Because soda powder has the effect of soothing the wound and helping the wound to heal. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Baking soda is both an antiseptic and an anti-inflammatory. So it can reduce swelling for your wound and avoid wound infection.

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Pour the water through a sieve in which the oatmeal is, to filter the oat juice. Remove the residue then dip a towel in the oat water solution and wipe your sunburn with the towel every 2-4 hours. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Oats contain the chemical saponins used to cleanse the skin and have moisturizing properties. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Advice

Do not wear makeup, use oily cosmetics for the next few days.
Stock up on aloe vera gel in the fridge, they’ll help you stay comfortable until the sunburn heals.
Avoid over-the-counter acne medications as they will make the burn even redder.
Make sure the gels or liquids you are using are alcohol-free, as alcohol will dry out your skin.
Do not use ointments, lubricants (Vaselin) and all other oil-based preparations for moisturizing. They will block your pores, prevent heat from escaping your body, or can cause an infection.
Especially when you’re getting a sunburn, wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor higher than 30 SPF or wear a hat and long-sleeved shirts whenever you go outside.
If the burn blisters, do not burst the blister, and do not wash the burn and surrounding area with any disinfectant.

Warning

See a dermatologist if the blister is too large or the blister becomes infected.
In many cases, you may need more medical attention. If you develop symptoms of a fever or flu – you probably have heatstroke – the situation is more serious.

Steps

On-site first aid

Common home remedies

Natural home remedies

Advice

Warning

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