SUNBURN
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Prevention is the best remedy here, if you can. Long-term
results from excessive exposure to the sun, such as skin
cancer and wrinkled skin, can be avoided with proper
precautions. One of the best preventatives is to use a
sunscreen with an SPF of 30 that offers protection against
both UVA and UVB rays. You can get as much sun sightseeing as
baking at the beach, so use sunscreen whenever you are
outdoors.
Use an aloe vera lotion containing a sunblock. This will cut
out 90% of the burning rays and allow 75% of the tanning rays
to reach the skin.
To speed healing take the following supplements for a few days
after getting burned: 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 I.U. of
vitamin E, 15 mg of beta carotene, and 1-2 tablespoons (or
about 3 capsules per teaspoon) of flaxseed oil, an essential
fatty acid.
Caution: don't ever cover a sunburn that is blistered or open
with an ointment, oil, salve or butter, for it will make the
area susceptible to infection.
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If you should get
sunburned, here are some old wives tales or folk remedies to
use.
Remember - If you turn bright red, get blisters, have fever,
chills and nausea -
CONSULT A DOCTOR
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- Aloe
- Take as many leaves as necessary from an aloe plant;
refrigerate; peel off top layer of leaves; apply the side
of the leaf with flesh exposed directly to the sunburn.
Other remedies use aloe vera juice: for mild to medium
sunburn, keep the affected area moist with aloe vera
juice. Repeat frequently. This will reduce the pain and
the amount of peeling. Aloe vera ointment works well, too,
as it contains oil and will not evaporate. For a severe
sunburn, keep the area moist at all times with aloe vera
juice. Since aloe vera is an astringent, you may want to
use aloe vera ointment or some sort of oil, such as olive
or baby.
- Aloe
Juice - Combine the aloe juice with ½ the
amount of vitamin E. Dab on the sunburn. Vitamin E is a
good moisturizer.
- Apple
cider vinegar - Apply apple cider vinegar to
the burn with a cottonball to relieve the pain. Keep the
skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and
peeling.
- Aspirin
- Aspirin kills the pain and reduces
inflammation and redness of a sunburn. It short-circuits
the whole sunburn process. It must be taken within 24
hours of getting sunburned.
- Baking
soda - Dissolve some baking soda in water and
make a compress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to
add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak.
Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it
air dry. Baking soda is cooling and will help the skin
retain moisture.
- Baths
- Add 20 drops of each of lavender and chamomile essential
oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for 10 minutes
- Bergamot
- Add bergamot oil to cool bathwater.
- Calendula
- Put 20 drops of calendula tincture in four
ounces of water and bathe the skin until the pain goes
away
- Cucumber
- Rub sunburned area with fresh cucumber slices
- Epsom
Salts - Dissolve epsom salts in water and make
a compress using a clean cloth.
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- Ice
- Apply ice or cold water to the burned area. This will
stop the burning process and cool the skin
- Lavender
- Mix 20-25 drops of lavender oil in one cup of water and
bathe the sunburned area
- Lemon
Water - Mix the juice of three lemons into two
cups of cold water and sponge on the sunburn. The lemon
will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will
promote healing of the skin
- Milk
- Make a compress of whole milk (or buttermilk) and apply
to the burned area for 20 minutes; repeat every two to
four hours. Wash the milk off so you won't smell sour! The
fat content of the milk is soothing for burns
- Oil
- Cover the area with cooking oil and sprinkle powdered
ginger on the oil. This will promote healing
- Onion
- Bruise an onion and rub on the burn.
- Peppermint
- Apply peppermint oil to the sunburned skin. You can also
make a mild peppermint infusion and use it as a wash to
cool the sunburn
- Potato
- Grate a potato and apply it to the burned area. The
starch will cool and soothe the burn
- St.
Johns Wart - Make an ointment or salve with the
essential oil of St. Johns wort for burns that have not
broken the skin. It is anti-inflammatory, antiviral and
antibacterial.
- Tea
- Make some tea, cool, and apply to the burn. While any
tea may be beneficial, mint tea, such as peppermint or
spearmint are especially good. The teas have tannins that
help the healing process
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- Urtica
Urens - Put 20 drops of urtica urens tincture
in four ounces of water and bathe the skin. This remedy is
good for itchy, prickly skin
- Witch
Hazel - Make a decoction of witch hazel and
apply with a compress
- Yarrow
- Native Americans used an infusion of ground
yarrow as a wash
- Yogurt
- Apply plain yogurt with live cultures
- Yogurt
and Strawberries - mix equal parts of yogurt
and mashed strawberries and apply to the sunburned area
for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
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(609) 602-4493