Most people these days understand the dangers of excessive sun exposure. Spending too much time in direct sunlight can cause redness and increase the risk of cancer.
However, sometimes you can make a mistake. For instance, you might spend an entire day on a pleasure cruise, soaking up the sun, forgetting to put on your sunscreen in the morning.
Regular sunburn is bad enough. But if it is serious, it can be excruciatingly painful, too, to the point where you’re unable to sleep. Your skin turns bright pink and then starts to blister and peel. It’s a nightmare.
Fortunately, there are some home remedies that you can use to reduce pain and return your skin to a healthy state rapidly. Here’s what you need to know:
Don’t Touch Blisters
Blisters look nasty but they are part of your body’s healing process. They protect your skin from further damage while new tissue forms underneath.
If a blister pops, trim back the surrounding dead skin and keep the area clean. If you have antibiotic ointment, apply it to prevent an infection from developing.
Apply A Soothing Cream
Serious sunburn is itchy and extremely painful. Therefore, it’s a good idea to apply hydrocortisone cream. Medicated creams like these offer soothing action designed to reduce pain.
Place A Wet Towel Over Your Eyes
Sunburned eyes, believe it or not, are surprisingly common. The tissues that make up the eye are just as prone to damage as the skin.
If your eyes get sunburned, you’ll know about it. They’ll feel extremely itchy and they may turn slightly yellow.
To treat sunburned eyes, slightly wet a towel with cool water and then place it over your eyes. Don’t wear contact lenses until your symptoms subside.
Cool The Skin Down
Simply cooling the skin a little can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Reducing the temperature cuts redness and swelling. Again, wet a towel and then place it over the sunburned area.
If you have substantial sunburn over your entire body, then you might want to take a cool bath. Try adding a couple of ounces of baking soda to the water and mix it in. Then soak for around fifteen minutes, several times per day. Soaking in cold water will reduce inflammation.
Don’t Go Back Out In The Sun
Sunburn is actually your body’s attempt to heal itself after UV exposure. Therefore, it is critical to avoid further damage. If you go back out in the sun, you will make the damage worse and potentially increase the length of time it takes for your skin to recover.
If you need to go outside for any reason, make sure that you cover yourself up completely. Take a hat or umbrella with you to shield yourself from direct sunlight, and wear long-sleeved clothing.
Use A Natural Moisturiser
Lastly, as your skin heals, it will begin to dry out and peel. If this happens, use a natural moisturizer. Giving the skin extra moisture will make it feel more comfortable and reduce itching.