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.
Some treatments that people use for sunburn can make symptoms or skin damage worse. Do not apply butter to a burn on the skin. Do not use petroleum jelly. Do not apply ice or ice packs.
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. Zubek says.
Pop an aspirin, ibuprofen or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication to ease pain and reduce swelling. A hydrocortisone cream can help take the edge off, too. Slather on moisturizer. Whether your skin is newly burned or already peeling, moisturizer helps promote healing.
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. Gently lather it on your burns and let it dry so that your skin can soak up all of its qualities.
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.
Avoid putting ice on a sunburn, as this can make matters worse by causing intense vasoconstriction, where blood vessels narrow sharply and cut off local blood supply to already damaged skin. Moisturising lotions can also help soothe by keeping moisture in, but avoid skin-numbing creams unless prescribed by your doctor.
“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. ”
Be careful not to over-apply aloe vera gel or ointment to sunburn. Always read the directions on product labels. Perform a patch test before using aloe vera gel on a large area of skin. Apply a small amount of aloe vera on the arm and wait 24 hours.
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.
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.
How do you get rid of a sunburn overnight? You likely can't get rid of a sunburn overnight, but taking frequent cool showers may help reduce the sting from sunburn. After the shower, use aloe vera gel or a gentle moisturizer to keep moisture in your skin, which can help it heal faster. Also drink plenty of fluids.
Hot showers, baths and hot tubs
But even when your sunburn pain subsides, hot water can still be too drying. As your skin recovers from a burn, it needs to maintain all the natural moisture it can. There's no need to take cold showers. A lukewarm or cool shower will do.
Sunburn blisters form as small bumps on the skin. They are usually white or transparent in appearance and filled with fluid, which can contain lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus.
"Most sunburns will lose their associated pain and red tone in three to five days. But if you have a more severe, blistering burn, this could last up to 10 days," Dr. Klein said. Pain from a sunburn usually starts within two to six hours of sun overexposure and peaks at about 24 hours.
If you or your child has sunburn, you should get out of the sun as soon as possible – head indoors or into a shady area.
This causes the skin's blood vessels to leak into the spaces between cells and other skin structures. It's this extra fluid and the swelling it causes that lead to the red skin, hot sensation and painful sensitivity of freshly sunburnt skin.
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.
For mild to moderate sunburn, apply nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected area three times a day for three days. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying.
Be sure to moisturize often, as the sunburn has damaged the skin and left it dry and fragile, and drink plenty of water. Your body is sending extra fluids to the sunburned areas, and you'll help the healing process by staying hydrated. Sun damage is cumulative, which means the risks you take last a lifetime.
The size of a burn can be quickly estimated by using the "rule of nines." This method divides the body's surface area into percentages. The front and back of the head and neck equal 9% of the body's surface area. The front and back of each arm and hand equal 9% of the body's surface area.