How to Ease the Pain of a Sunburn

By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor

Ease the Pain of a Sunburn

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Pain and redness from a sunburn usually peak after about 24 hours, followed by blisters, itching and peeling. There are several ways to treat a sunburn. Follow these steps for simple home treatment.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Peppermint or green tea
Aloe vera
Cold compresses
Aspirin or ibuprofen
Antibacterial ointment
Drinking water
Gentle moisturizer

Step1

Take a cool shower or bath as soon as you realize you have a sunburn. Brew an extra strong batch of peppermint tea and add it to your bath for a pleasant remedy. Don't wash with soap; leaving your skin's oils intact helps it to heal.

Step2

Cover the sunburned area with 100 percent aloe vera gel. If you have an aloe plant at home, cut off one of the stalks, peel one side of it and rub it all over the burned area. Fresh aloe works better than store-bought gels.

Step3

Apply cool, wet compresses to the burned area whenever you need relief from the heat. For extra relief, soak the compresses in peppermint tea or green tea.

Step4

Take aspirin or ibuprofen several times a day to reduce pain and inflammation.

Step5

Wear loose-fitting clothing to avoid irritating the burn.

Step6

Avoid breaking any water blisters. Apply antibacterial ointment to any that break on their own.

Step7

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Step8

Apply a gentle moisturizer to your skin of you like. It will help return your skin to normal levels of moisture, but it won't help relieve the pain of the burn.

Tips & Warnings

Children are more prone to dehydration and heat exhaustion than adults, and should drink plenty of water while in the sun. Call your child's doctor if you observe excessive sweating, clammy skin and a rapid pulse.
If you develop a high fever or become dizzy or disoriented, contact a physician immediately.
If symptoms persist or if you have specific medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you contact a physician. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 8/10/2006 Get a package(s) of alka seltzer tablets, fill a bowl with cold water, then put in 2-4 tablets (I use 4), let them completely dissolve. Then soak a washcloth with the dissolved mixture, squeeze out excess water back into the bowl. Apply like a cold compress to your skin. When the towel gets warm, re-soak it in the mixture left in the bowl. Repeat until the bowl is empty.

What this does it applies the aspirin directly to the skin, and it stops the skins pain directly. It works wonders!

Anonymous said

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on 8/10/2006 Take a shower or bath with as hot of water as you can stand it. Apply baby oil liberally over the affected area. Rinse with hot water again. Relief will follow immediately.

Anonymous said

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on 6/11/2007 I went fishing yesterday and got a sunburn. I found out if you sit down, watch a movie, and don't do anything for a while, plus don't think about the burn; you're fine by the next day.

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 After being in a water park for an entire day, I was burned so badly that lotion melted on my shoulders, despite the fact that I applied SPF50 several times. A few days later I was blistering. I went swimming in an outdoor pool the next day (probably not too smart) but it dried up all the blisters and I was almost done peeling by the next day. Maybe not too healthy, but if you need to get rid of your sunburn quickly, try it!

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 It helps if you get an ice cube and rub it all over the burnt areas. It cools your skin down really fast, and it helps take the stinging and burning out.

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