Apply soothing lotions with aloe vera to sunburned areas. Try anti-inflammatory medicine (like ibuprofen) to reduce pain, swelling, and fever. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Don't try to stop peeling after a sunburn.
Products like hydrocortisone, aloe vera gel, or Solarcaine will help cool off the skin and reduce redness. If you are shopping for sunburn treatment products: Aloe vera from a plant works slightly better than gel, but either one will help. Look for products that contain hydrocortisone or mentholated ingredients.
Second-degree burns (also known as partial thickness burns) involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin. The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen and painful.
The best way to heal a sunburn is to let your skin breathe. You can use a fragrance-free light moisturizer as long as it doesn't contain petroleum or benzocaine. One that contains aloe or soy may be beneficial.
Management and Treatment
Steps you can take include: Covering your sunburned skin while it heals, especially when outside. Cool, damp cloths may help you feel better. Using topical cooling and hydrating gels and creams like hydrocortisone cream or aloe vera gel.
The fingertip test. Fingertip test for checking that skin blanches which is a normal skin reaction. Skin that does not blanch when gently pressed is damaged. Remove finger and there should be a blanched (pale) area where the finger was.
Pain is usually at its worst 6 to 48 hours after the burn. While the symptoms of a sunburn may be temporary, the skin damage is permanent.
“A sunburn is the result of acute damage to the skin due to immediate overexposure to UV rays and does not transition into a tan. A tan is a more gradual process that develops as the skin responds to UV and tries to shield it from further harm. ”
Apply Aloe
Aloe is a tried-and-true remedy that will soothe your sunburn almost instantaneously. This succulent is known for its moisturizing, cooling and anti-inflammatory effects, providing the much-needed relief you are after.
Genetics play a significant role in how our skin responds to sun exposure. Certain genes influence melanin production and skin color, affecting whether you tan or burn. People with fair skin have less melanin and are more prone to burning, while those with darker skin have more melanin and are more likely to tan.
Cindy Kermott, a Mayo Clinic preventive medicine physician. "But if you've already been sunburned, taking a cool shower or bath can be a helpful start." Dr. Kermott says the cool water from a shower, bath or cold compress works to tame the inflammation that occurs around a sunburn.
Take frequent cool baths or showers to help relieve the pain. As soon as you get out of the bathtub or shower, gently pat yourself dry. Apply a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or soy to help soothe sunburned skin. Do this while your skin is still damp from a bath or shower and whenever you feel discomfort.
The danger goes far beyond any short-term pain, redness and discomfort, because after the sunburn fades, lasting damage remains. Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
It's best to avoid petroleum-based moisturizers because they can trap heat and worsen the sunburn. Instead, use a light moisturizer (a lotion or gel) that contains aloe vera or soy. “Aloe and soy have antioxidant properties, which can speed up the healing process,” Dr.
When a burn has open blisters, a person may want to use antibiotic creams and ointments. Antibiotic creams can help prevent infection in the wound and help the burn heal faster. Some topical creams also contain pain-relieving ingredients that may ease discomfort.
There is no scientific evidence for using mustard to treat burns. In fact, it may actually irritate your skin further. After applying mustard, your skin may feel warm, but that doesn't mean it's healing your skin.
Cover the burn with a clean bandage. Wrap it loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the area, reduces pain and protects blistered skin. If needed, take a nonprescription pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
Hell's Itch is an inciting dermatologic reaction that can occur after sun exposure and is often characterized by symptoms such as intense pain, itching, paresthesia, and suicidal ideation.
Keep skin cool and moist.
Or, take a cool bath with baking soda. Apply aloe vera lotion, moisturizing cream or a nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected skin several times a day. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying for extra soothing comfort.
The liquid inside a sunburn blister is typically clear and watery and leaks in from neighboring tissues. If you leave your sunburn blisters alone, this liquid can actually provide protection to the skin and help with healing, which is why it's so important to not pop or pick at your blisters.
If your skin is not blistering, moisturizing cream may be applied to relieve discomfort. DO NOT use butter, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), or other oil-based products. These can block pores so that heat and sweat cannot escape, which can lead to infection. DO NOT pick at or peel away the top part of the blisters.
If your sunburn is peeling, that means it is healing. This can be an itchy, somewhat painful process—but in some rare cases, the itch can be taken to a whole new level. This is known as hell's itch, or the devil's itch, which can feel like a deep, painful, throbbing itch that lasts for a few days after sunburn.