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Sunburn Remedies and Treatments

sun burned skin
We have such a great time enjoying summer fun in the sun.  It's great to be outside experiencing a beautiful summer day! While you are enjoying fun outdoor activities, it's sooo important to remember that those UV sun rays are super strong and they can burn our skin. You have to take precautions and take care of your skin. I call sunscreens magic potions. Think about it. It's amazing really. You spread a cream on your skin and it prevents a painful sunburn.

Maybe you forgot to put on sunscreen or maybe you thought you wouldn't be out in the sun very long and wouldn't need it. Maybe you forgot to reapply sunscreen while having fun at the beach or pool. Or maybe your sunscreen was expired or didn't have a high enough SPF for your skin. Whatever happened, you ended up with sunburned skin. The skin is traumatized and damaged. It hurts and you need to cool it down and help it heal. 

I have had many clients come into the salon with painful sunburns looking for relief. We use YonKa skin care products for our facials. They make a product that is amazing for healing sunburn, YonKa Lotion. I highly recommend it for calming and healing sunburned skin. I have other remedies as well, so I put together a little guide of remedies to help cool and heal the sunburn.

 Sunburn Remedies
Water:
Shower
Take a long cool shower to cool down the skin. No soap on burned areas!  Apply a light moisturizer after showering. Avoid creams containing petroleum and petroleum jelly. The petroleum will be too occlusive and trap heat in. Look for hydrating lotions containing glycerin, aloe, soy, vitamin E and oatmeal. Burt's Bees Aloe & Coconut Oil After Sun Soother is a good one.

 Bathe
Soak yourself in the tub for 15-20 minutes.
-Add 1 cup of oatmeal to a lukewarm bath
or  
-Add 1/2 cup baking soda to a lukewarm bath
or
-Add a few drops of lavender and/or peppermint essential oil to a lukewarm bath. Lavender is amazing for healing burns.

 Air dry or pat dry gently with a towel. Apply a light hydrating moisturizer after bathing. 

 Drink
Drink plenty of water to cool and hydrate your body. Try coconut water.  It helps dehydrate the body fast.

 Food:
Fruits and Veggies Your skin has been damaged by the sun. Eat foods high in anti oxidants to help the skin fight skin damaging free radicals and heal quicker. Brightly colored fruits and veggies are high anti oxidant foods.

Aspirin:
Take aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce pain and inflammation. It is most beneficial when taken within 48 hours of sun exposure.

Topical Remedies:
Aloe
Apply Aloe Vera gel to relieve pain and inflammation. Keep it in the refrigerator for extra cooling.

 Lidocaine
Try a sunburn treatment product containing lidocaine for numbing relief.

 Cucumbers
Cold cucumber slices are great for healing and cooling small areas.

 Vinegar
Use apple cider vinegar to balance pH, relieve pain and heal the skin. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of water. Put in a spray bottle and spray on frequently or pour it on a soft cloth to make a compress.

YonKa Lotion
This our favorite topical sunburn remedy at the salon!!!
Spray on YonKa Lotion. It is called lotion but it is a healing toning mist. It is an amazing healer for burned skin. It contains a blend of healing essential oils: cypress, geranium, thyme, lavender and rosemary. 

 There are two formulas, one for dry/sensitive skin (it's pink) and one for normal/oily skin (it's white). The sensitive formula has a lower concentration of essential oils than the normal formula and it also contains plant glycerin. The normal formula for not contain glycerin. Glycerin makes the sensitive formula better for holding water in the skin which will help it heal faster. Spray it on several times throughout the day. You can also make a compress with it.
Tea
Use tea, especially mint tea. Brew it fresh. No sugar. Chill it. Put in a spray bottle or on a soft cloth as a compress. The tannins in the tea speed the healing process.

 Honey 
This is a messy remedy but very effective due to honey's antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. The best honey to use is Manuka honey. Apply it straight to the burned area and lightly cover with plastic wrap or make a thin paste of 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup honey to apply to the burned area. Keep it on as long as possible. Take a cool shower to rinse large areas. You can read the details about Manuka honey on wikipedia. Here's a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuka_honey

The Doctor:
See a doctor if you have symptoms of sun poisoning which is a severe sunburn. Sun poisoning symptoms include large blisters, facial swelling, fever, chills, rapid pulse, upset stomach, headache, confusion, fainting and dehydration. You need more than the sunburn remedies I listed. You need medical attention to prevent infection and treat the extreme physical reaction the body is having to the burned skin .

Click here for tips to prevent sunburn

 Do your best not to pop blisters from sunburn. I know it is so tempting to pop them, but popping them can cause scarring and the popping opens the skin up making the already damaged skin susceptible to infection.

 I hope these remedies help you heal your sunburn pain. Take care of the skin you're in!

Have a healthy, happy skin day!
xo
Jill
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PS: Thanks for using my affiliate links💋
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