Treatments, products and vitamins to ease sunburn: How to treat sunburn

The party in the sun went longer than you expected, and there was less shade. Didn’t think you’d actually swim, so you didn’t bring extra sunscreen to re-apply. Blessed with a gorgeously dark complexion, didn’t realise you too can burn. Didn’t realise the glare from the snow would cause the skin to fry. The medicine you are taking causes you to be photosensitive, and more sensitive to uv-rays. Didn’t check the weather forecast and it was hotter and sunnier…

Whatever the reason, the skin is burning, tinged red and radiating with heat; it now needs to be dealt with.

Run the sunburned area under cold water, in the shade.

Take a cold bath or shower if you have large areas of sunburn. The cold bath will feel terrible however will bring the temperature down.

If there are blisters forming have a bath, as you don’t want them to burst under the steady stream of the shower.

Don’t use soap or a wash cloth.

It is important to put moisture back in the skin, with unscented moisturizer, or after suncare creams or aloe vera gel or spray

The reason this product is selected to add to your sunburn kit, or even just as an everyday moisturizer because it an organic product and has no artificial thickeners in it which may cause further irritation to your skin. Aloe vera has long been reputed for speeding the healing of burns including radiation burns, which believe it or not sun burn is a radiation burn of over exposure to Ultraviolet rays. The other great thing about aloe vera is it has antibacterial properties, in one application you have added moisture and an antibacterial agent your skin.

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant, rich in minerals, vitamins and the building blocks of proteins – amino acids. If you have an Aloe Vera plant, the gel is found in the leave, cut near the base of the plant you will most likely only need one leaf.

This is a wet cloth placed on the burned area, particularly if it is still feeling uncomfortable and you are as a wrinkly as a prune from hanging out in the water.

Wear comfortable flowing garments to avoid rubbing on affected areas which will inflame the sunburn.

There is aloe vera juice you can drink which will cover the next two options, aloe vera juice doesn’t taste good, but it is high in nutrients and water which will help speed recovery.

Vitamin A

Is found in orange foods. This is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it stores in your body, it’s unlikely you will require vitamin supplements. Vitamin A, is great for healthy skin.

Vitamin E

Easily found in most legumes, the highest would be sunflower seeds, almonds, and pine nuts.

Spices such as paprika and red chili pepper, you probably won’t feel like heating hot foods with the feeling of fire on your skin already though.

Dried herbs such as basil and oregano

Dried apricots, pickled green olives, and cooked spinach

Vitamin E, also helps protect your skin from being damaged by the sun, and is another vitamin essential for healthy skin.

You will notice it in most reputable suncare products as it an antioxidant, you know the stuff that is reputed for preventing aging. On a related topic, one of the fastest ways to age your skin is overexposure to the sun. It produces a lovely leathery quality after years of excessive exposure with brown spots included; more noticeable than freckles and definitely less cute than freckles.

Prevention is the best cure; this doesn't mean taking up a sun free existence, time spent in the sun is important, for many reasons. How can we spend time together without being burned?

Check the UV Index

The Ultraviolet (UV) index calculates the likelihood of sunburn, sunscreen has a UV rating, ensure it is higher than the UV rays you are heading out in to. Whilst checking the weather before venturing outdoors also check the UV Index, and prepare accordingly. Therefore because the UV rays are responsible for sunburn, summer is not the only time to be concerned about sunburn, you can get sunburned in winter on a lovely day with the beaming sun. Be sun smart all year round.

Cover up

Wearing long sleeved, hats and light pants is better than having to worry about “Skin Cells in trauma ads” IF you are out for a while, don't keep stripping down put your t-shirt back on.

Hats for women

Sunglasses

Your eyes can suffer damage from the sun

Sun lotion

Put sunscreen on and spend time in the shade as much as possible, particularly for drying off, and re-applying sunscreen; for more tips on how to apply sunscreen and best sunscreen follow this link.

Don't spend time in the sun with the sole purpose tanning, and definitely avoid UV tanning beds. If you really need a tan get it from a bottle.