The best and sometimes worst parts of summer come from the same place – the sun. While we all love our fun in the sun – days at the beach, out by the pool or in the evening, right before it sets – the sun has the ability to cause quite a bit of harm to our skin. From sun spots and wrinkles to more serious issues like skin Cancer, making sure you’re protected from the sun’s rays is essential to staying safe all season long. But, you know what? No matter how hard you try – the inevitable sunburn always seems to happen. The next time you find yourself struggling with a blistering or painful burn remember these tips for the best ways to heal sunburned skin.
The Best Ways to Heal Sunburned Skin
The moment you feel the burn, get out of the sun. Despite how much fun you may be having, messing with a severe sunburn is a terrible plan. As soon as that painful or itchy tingling starts, add some layers with clothing or a hat and head straight to the shade or even indoors.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. This is the solution to so many body-oriented issues – and while it may sound repetitive – it works. Water helps the body in so many ways, especially after it’s been burned by the sun. Sometimes sunburns also leave you feeling dehydrated, thirsty and even with a terrible headache – hydrating can help turn that around.
As soon as you find yourself suffering from a burn, take some steps to cool it down. A cool shower or a bath can go a long way in helping to soothe those burning sensations. Once you’ve had the chance to cool down, follow up with moisturizer, lotion or crème. This will help with an ongoing soothing sensation.
Try some over-the-counter ibuprofen to help reduce headache, swelling and some of the redness from the burn itself.
Aloe Vera is a great natural alternative for helping to soothe burned skin and painful areas. This can come directly from the plant or can be purchased in gel form from your local drug store – it’s cooling capabilities work wonders on painful sunburns.
Have you ever experienced bad sunburn? What remedies have you used to help heal your skin?