Sunburn Treatment Tips

Sunburns can be more than unsightly; they're often painful, and they're bad for your skin. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick, fail-proof way to heal a sunburn. Once the damage is done, the best way to get sunburn relief is to use a sunburn treatment that will help manage pain and heal your skin as quickly as possible.

Sunburn Remedies

The signs of a sunburn might not even fully develop until a full day after you've been exposed. For sunburn relief, try the following:

• Keep your skin cool: Take a cold bath or put a cold, wet towel on the burned area, which will help relieve any pain.
• Leave the blisters alone: Breaking sunburn blisters can lead to infection, so be careful not to touch them.
• Take a pain reliever: If you need to, take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine (but be sure to talk to a doctor before administering a pain reliever to children).
• Use aloe: Slather aloe on a sunburn for cooling relief. When your skin starts peeling, keep using the aloe or another moisturizing cream.

A Bad Sunburn: When to Call a Doctor

If you have a sunburn that lasts for an extended period of time, or you're in serious pain, don't be hesitant to call a doctor. Keep an eye out for these signs, which may mean you should seek medical attention:

• Blisters
• Fever
• No improvement after several days.

How to Prevent a Bad Sunburn

In the future, you'll want to take precautions to not get badly sunburned again. The best defenses against the sun's harmful rays include:

• Stay out of the sun: Keep out of the sun during peak times of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wear protective clothing: Wear a hat, long sleeves, or sit under an umbrella when you must be out in the sun.
• Wear sunscreen: Slather on sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.

Staying out of the sun isn't just important to keep your skin looking good--it can also prevent you from getting skin cancer. Be sure to use plenty of SPF when you go outside and limit sun exposure, so you won't have to put these sunburn tips to use!

Resources

EMedicinehealth Staff. (2010). Sunburn treatment. Retrieved March 16, 2010, from the Emedicinehealth Web site: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sunburn/page5_em.htm.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2009). Sunburn treatment. Retrieved January 9, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sunburn-treatment/AN01423.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2009). Sunscreen. Retrieved January 9, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sunscreen/SN00044.