Top Secrets for Reducing Sunburn
Result of overexposure of the skin to sunlight and characterized by a general redness of the skin. Fair-skinned individuals are more prone to freckling and sunburn quickly and frequently, while dark-skinned individuals develop a protective tan that curbs repeated overexposure.
It is the most common form of skin burns directly associated with sun exposure. Sunburn injury range: mild to severe or first,
second and third degree burns.
- Whole Milk Yogurt Masque - Apply plain whole milk yogurt to sunburned areas. The coolness and fat content of the yogurt help soothe the burn. Rinse with cool water when yogurt becomes warm. Reapply as needed.
- Black, Green, or Chamomile Tea Bath - Steep 5 tea bags in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour tea into a bathtub filled with cool water. Soaking in chamomile tea helps soothe inflamed skin. Black and green teas contain tannins, which help take the sting out of sunburn.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Spritz - Fill a spritz bottle with apple cider vinegar (do not substitute white vinegar-it won't work) and spray sunburned skin. Alternatively, pour cider on a washcloth and apply to skin. Rinse with cool water.
- There is a lidocain spray that has aloe in it that works very well at healing and relieving the pain. It comes in an aerosol can. Tylenol or ibuprofen around the clock too helps.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before touching blisters. Blisters can easily become infected.
- If you have a large blister, you may want to drain it.
- Clean a needle with rubbing alcohol or soap and water, then use it to gently puncture the edge of the blister.
- Press the fluid in the blister toward the hole you made.
- Wash the blister after you have drained it, and pat it dry with clean gauze.
- Apply the toothpaste to the burned area using gentle pressure to smear it around. Make sure the skin is dry when you do this. Let it sit on the area for about 30 minutes. Then using cool water to gently rinse it off. You'll have to use your fingers to massage the toothpaste away as the water softens it.
- Actually your white skin is your natural skin. Your sunburn just damaged several layers of epithelial cells, and you are down to skin cells that have had limited UV exposure and have not had melanin induced pigment changes.
