Tips to Help You Treat Your Sunburn

Tips to Help You Treat Your Sunburn

Clara Nawfal

June 26th 2021

It’s important to protect your skin from sun damage throughout the year, no matter the weather because sun exposure can cause sunburn, skin aging (such as skin spots, wrinkles), eye damage, and skin cancer.

Lower your risk for sunburn, skin cancer, and early skin aging

Sun damage to the body is caused by invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. People of all skin colors are at risk for this damage. You can reduce your risk by:

· Limiting your time in the sun, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

· Use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF value of 15 or higher. Reapply at least every 2 hours and check the expiration date before you use it. (Broad spectrum offers protection against UVA and UVB rays, two types of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation).

The FDA recommends that you use broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher, even on cloudy days.

· Apply sunscreen to all your face, but avoid putting it inside your mouth and eyes, and if you don’t have much hair, apply sunscreen to the top of your head or wear a hat.

· Apply every two hours if you are swimming or sweating.

· No sunscreen is waterproof.

· No sunscreen completely blocks UV radiation. So you have to take other protections such as protective clothing, sunglasses, and staying in the shade.

How quickly can you heal sunburn

According to the National Cancer Institute, about a third of American adults experience a sunburn each year, and more than 33,00 of these burns require emergency room visits. If you have pale skin or spend a lot of time in the sun, you are at a heightened risk of burning. In general, more severe sunburns take longer to heal than milder burn.

The more severely you burn, the longer it will take for your body to replace the damage layer skin. Mild sunburn symptoms usually alleviate in 3 to 5 days, while more severe burns may take a couple of weeks.

How to heal sunburn faster

To heal from a sunburn, you need to give your body time to replace the skin that was damaged. There is a limit to how fast your body can heal itself, but you can maximize the healing process by getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and moisturizing your skin.

· Get lots of sleep

· Avoid tobacco use

· Avoid additional sun exposure

· Apply aloe Vera

· Wear loose clothing

· Cool bath

· Apply hydrocortisone cream

· Stay hydrated

· Try a cold compress

· Try an oatmeal bath

Some people claim applying chamomile or diluted apple cider vinegar to your skin can help heal sunburns. However, these methods haven’t been scientifically proven.

All sunburn treatments work by supporting your body’s natural healing process, which has a limit to how fast it can work. If your sunburn is mild, it will likely heal by itself without medical treatment. However, if you have a severe sunburn that is blistering or causing you to feel sick, visit a doctor to see if you need additional medical treatment.

There are no magical cures for sunburn, but there are a number of ways you can support your body’s natural healing process. And remember, the easiest way to treat sunburn is to avoid it.