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Women's Health
Natural Remedies for Sunburned Skin
My sister had skin cancer after living in
Florida for many years. She said to me, "The sun is not your
friend!"
Some people get very severe sunburns multiple times each year, without seeming to go out into the sun much at all. Others however, lose track of time while they're
having fun outside. Whatever the reason, getting severe sunburns can be quite painful, and they're damaging to the skin in general too. There are many natural ways to relieve the pain of a sunburn though, plus prevent blistering and help heal the sunburn faster too.
Regular old black tea is an excellent remedy for sunburns, or burns of any kind. Simply soak some tea bags in cool water long enough to release the tannin. You'll know when it's released because you'll see the dark tea color of the water.
Lay these cool, wet tea bags onto the burned area for ten to fifteen minutes at a time, or dip a clean cloth into the tea itself, and pat this onto the burned areas. The tea will take the sting, heat and pain away, plus it will turn the burned skin to a tan.
Plain white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar is another excellent remedy for sunburns. Both will take the pain from the burn, and apple cider vinegar can often prevent or heal blisters.
What you need is a nice, cool compress.
You can either create a cool compress of vinegar to apply to the sunburned areas of the skin, or put some vinegar into your bath water and soak in it.
Pure vitamin E in gelcap or liquid form is another excellent sunburn remedy. Apply the pure liquid to the sunburned skin, and it will remove the pain and itching, soften the skin, and often prevent peeling. Taking extra vitamin E by mouth also helps.
Aloe Vera juice or gel. Use pure aloe vera gel, juice, or a live plant leaf. Smear the aloe vera onto the affected area to ease the pain and itching, prevent peeling, and speed up healing.
Salt water or baking soda also help take away the sting and pain of a sunburn, and can help prevent blistering too. Sea salt is best if you have it on hand, but plain old table salt can be used too. Baking soda is already salty, so there's no need to add salt to it. These remedies can also make the skin drier though, so following up with aloe vera or vitamin E oil is usually best.
Old fashioned oatmeal will soften and soothe the skin, reduce the pain, and help you to start healing. Make the oatmeal slightly watery, then apply it to your skin. You can either cook the oatmeal then cool it, or use it raw oatmeal mixed with cool water. Don't massage the burned area if you're using raw oatmeal though, because it's an exfoliant and may cause the skin to start being removed before it's ready. Mixing aloe vera juice and/or tea into the oatmeal helps further.
Avoid using oils or lotions on sunburned skin because these will hold the heat in and cause more blistering. Also avoid products with alcohol, fragrances, and misc other chemicals because they can cause additional pain, stinging and irritation.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.
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