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Home Remedies for Sunburn

Top Ten Home Remedies for Sunburn

Summertime brings with it outdoor cooking, beach excursions, and sunburn. Skin without protection can burn in a matter of minutes. But don’t worry; if you know how to treat sunburns, there are several ways to lessen the sting. In this article, we’ll look at home remedies and proactive steps you may take to repair your skin and ease your discomfort.

Contents:

  • What is Sunburn?
  • What causes Sunburn?
  • Symptoms of Sunburn
  • How to prevent Sunburn?
  • When to consult with Doctor?
  • How to get rid of Sunburn at home?
  • Cold water
  • Aloe vera
  •  Coconut Oil
  • Cucumber
  • Oatmeal
  • Tea tree oil
  • Baking Soda
  • Witch Hazel
  • Vinegar
  • Hydration

What is Sunburn?

Sunburn is a skin injury brought on by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays found in sunlight. UV light produced artificially, such as that found in tanning beds, can also cause sunburns. Radiation burns are different from sunburns. After 11 minutes of exposure, you might feel the effects of a sunburn. Within two to six hours, the skin will begin to become red. 

For a few days after getting sunburned, your skin will continue to burn. The length of time it takes for the skin to heal will depend on how bad your sunburn was. The skin’s outermost layers are harmed when you get a sunburn. Being exposed to excessive amounts of UV light from the sun causes an inflammatory response.

In extreme circumstances, blistering and peeling can also result from it. It can also cause reddening and irritation. Your body is attempting to expel its damaged skin cells as a result of the peeling.

What causes Sunburn?

Sunburns result from excessive UV light exposure. When UV radiation overwhelms melanin’s capacity to protect the skin, sunburn can result. If you have light skin, you might get a sunburn within 15 minutes of being outside. Dusky skin tones allow people to spend hours in the sun without becoming burned.

Symptoms of Sunburn

Mild Sunburn: Redness and discomfort on the skin are signs of a mild sunburn. Skin feels tight and irritating. Skin peeling could happen after 4–7 days.

Severe Sunburn

  • Dehydration
  • skin burning
  •  Blisters
  •  Infection
  •  pain.

How to prevent Sunburn?

  • Stay out of the Sun.
  • Wear full clothes
  • Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV radiation are at their peak.
  • Apply Sunscreen before going out.
  • Avoid tanning beds.
  • Stay hydrated
  • Carry protective eyewear

When to consult with Doctor?

Contact your healthcare practitioner as soon as you detect any of the warning signals listed below.

  • Nausea
  • Skin rashes
  • Fever
  • Painful blisters
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Dizziness

How to get rid of Sunburn at home?

Cold Water

A sunburn is skin irritation. The affected area can be cooled down, which is one of the most straightforward techniques to reduce inflammation. The initial step in treating a sunburn should be to cool the skin.

Try routinely soaking in chilly baths or showers. You’ll experience less pain as a result. Remember to leave some water on your skin when patting yourself dry after a shower. You may keep the moisture in your skin after a shower by using a decent moisturizer.

TIPS

  • Avoid swimming pools since chlorine water might make skin irritation worse.
  •  Additionally, stay away from putting ice on your skin. When your skin is already burning, it could seem attractive, but it could end up hurting your extra-sensitive sunburned skin more.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is an essential natural remedy for a number of skin conditions. Sunburns could be treated using aloe vera.

Additionally, it helps blisters heal and soothes irritation. Additionally soothing the skin is vitamin C and vitamin B. It hydrates skin and expedites recovery. The healing of burned skin can be sped up with aloe vera gel. You can apply aloe vera gel straight to the injured region.

TIPS

  • Aloe can cause allergic responses in some people, so if you’re unsure, you might want to avoid using it. You could also test it out on a small patch of skin first.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can trap heat and exacerbate symptoms, so you should only use it once the skin has cooled and the blistering has stopped. Apply the coconut oil generously as a natural sunburn treatment once your skin is prepared, which could take a few days.

Cucumber

This trendy vegetable act as a natural painkiller and antioxidant (pain reliever). Before being crushed in a blender and applied to the skin as a paste, cucumbers can be refrigerated.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal that has been finely milled and added to bath water has anti-inflammatory properties. Make your own by blending or processing a cup of instant or slow-cooking oatmeal into a fine powder until it is smooth. Pour into lukewarm bathwater, then soak. You can also apply a paste made of oats and cold milk to your skin.

Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a typical ingredient in many sunscreen lotions. It can help in the treatment of sunburn by increasing blood flow to the skin’s blood vessels and giving essential nutrients to the wounded skin.

Before using, tea tree oil needs to be diluted with some carrier oils, including coconut, almond, or olive.

TIPS

  • Direct application of pure tea tree oil to the affected skin is not advised.

Baking Soda

Inflammation and irritation can be reduced by soaking in bath water that has been treated with baking soda or cornflour. You may also form a paste out of these ingredients and water and apply it on burnt skin.

TIPS

  • Avoid exfoliating your skin while in the bath or right after you get out. Use a towel to dab yourself dry; do not rub.

Witch Hazel

When witch hazel is applied to the skin, it can reduce inflammation.

Apply this astringent to the skin for 20 minutes using a washcloth or cotton gauze. To lessen discomfort and itching, reapply three or four times a day (or as necessary). 

Vinegar

The pH balance can be restored and healing promoted by using cider vinegar. Add one cup of cider vinegar to a bath to use this.

Vinegar’s acetic acid reduces inflammation, itching, and discomfort. Add one cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm bath and soak. You can also use a washcloth to apply vinegar on sunburned skin for ten to fifteen minutes at a time.

Hydration

When you have sunburn, you need to drink more water to stay hydrated. Sunburns cause the body to lose water to the skin’s surface, dehydrating the person. Drinking too much water can assist you to avoid being dehydrated as a result of sunburns.

Serve watermelon, grapefruit, cucumbers, and other produce items that are high in water content.

 

Ankita Singh is a pharmacist. She received her Master’s degree in Pharmacy (Pharmacognosy) from Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Dehradun. She earned her Bachelor degree in Pharmacy from Sardar Bhagwan Singh Post Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Research, Dehradun. She has done her research work on "Characterization of Herbo-metallic formulation and evaluation of its anti-cancer potential". Ankita has a passion for educating and motivating within the health care and the use of herbal plants in various diseases. Through her work she ensures that her information is current, accurate and trustworthy.
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