As much as we’d really like you to get in the habit of wearing sunscreen outdoors every day, we do realize that there may possibly be days when you don’t, or even can’t. If on one such day you develop a painful sunburn, you’ll want to seek relief as quickly as possible. The good news is that there are several home remedies you can try to relieve that sunburn; some of them based on items you probably already have in your house or apartment most of the time.
The following tips and suggestions to come were proposed by a panel of experts, and included in a story posted by Prevention Magazine.
Feeling the Burn – Sunburn That Is
When you walk through the door with your skin on fire, naturally the first thing you’re going to want to do is soothe it. The fastest way to achieve a temporary respite of the pain is to head for the faucet. Cold water will help right away, whether you fill a basin and soak the affected part in it, (if feasible) or wet a towel and wrap it around the impacted area. You can also use ice. Though don’t apply it directly to the burned skin. Instead, put the ice in a cloth first.
And while you’re there, get a glass and drink some of that water, too. Keeping your body hydrated will serve in assisting to offset your singed skin. The aforementioned experts also had the simple, yet excellent, idea of positioning yourself in front of a fan to help with the effort of keeping your skin even cooler during the initial recovery period. *
Oldie But Goodie Home Remedies For Sunburn
Next up is witch hazel. If memory serves, my great-grandmother used to have this old staple around a lot. It’s still available, and pretty inexpensive. If you happen to have any in your closet or medicine cabinet, pour some onto a washcloth and place it over the injured area and re-apply as needed. One thing you don’t want to use on a sunburn is soap. Think about the drying effect bar soap has on your skin when it’s perfectly healthy, and then imagine that same effect on burned skin and it’ll suddenly occur to you why.*
The Refrigerator: Your Kitchen’s Medicine Cabinet
Some people use their kitchens and pantries to store the food they’ll consume thrice daily; in-between meal snacks notwithstanding. How quaint. What few folks know however, is that some of these very products are natural ways to help tackle a sunburn. Here are some straight from the source article’s mouth; so to speak.
Other options are oatmeal, milk or cornstarch compresses. Make a compress out of any of these, (see article for detailed instructions) and apply to the wound. After it’s been cooled or chilled, you can also use the water garnered from boiled lettuce leaves as a salve.
Also, spread yogurt over all affected areas before later showering it off with cool water. Yogurt: it’s the balm! Yeah, I know. But I may never have a chance to use that joke again.
The piece also suggests using tea bags on burned eyelids to provide relief to pain and swelling. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always use tea bags that have also been steeped in cool water.* (We know what you’re thinking but remember, we’ve all heard that McDonald’s hot coffee story.)
The Rest is Up to You: Sleeping Off A Sunburn
For many injuries, sleep is an essential part of the body’s healing process. It’s no different with damaged skin. So do what you’ve got to do to get into a comfortable sleeping position but, once you do, you should really try to do your best to catch some winks.*
Doctor, Doctor; Can’t You See I’m Burning, Burning?
A special nostalgic thank you to The Thompson Twins 1984 hit tune for inspiring this paragraph’s title. And it’s very fitting. Because if your sunburn’s clearly too much for these home remedies to handle, it’s best for you to see a doctor ASAP for the appropriate professional treatment.
The Best Sunburn Remedy of All
Of course, the best way to effectively treat a sunburn with a 100% cure rate is to just not get one in the first place. If that sounds easier said than done, well, it really isn’t. Practicing sun safety techniques and taking precautions against the skin damage inevitably caused by the sun’s ever-present, harmful UV rays is a relatively simple exercise.
Wear and continually re-apply your sunblock whenever you’re outside. Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, wide-brimmed hats or ball caps. Avoid the outdoors completely between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Whenever and wherever possible, seek natural or artificial shade. Also, never tan; either naturally or artificially and wear your Sundicators Wristband to remind you when its time to re-apply sunsreen.
If you start following these tips and avoid sunburns, you can then also avoid having to ever worry about home, or any other remedies, to begin with.
*Source article: Prevention.com
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