It can happen when you least expect it. Maybe it was a cloudy day. (Shame on you! You should wear sunscreen anyway!) Maybe you were on a long drive and your arm got burned. Maybe you forgot your hat or your sunscreen. Sunburn happens, even when you’re prepared and careful.
Here’s how to deal with it:
- When the burn is fresh — red, itchy, and achy — you need to focus on keeping the skin hydrated and soothing the inflammation. Use a moisturizer as frequently as needed. A cream with steroids, like hydrocortisone, will help relieve the discomfort, too. Aloe vera juice or gel is good to help with the healing and feels nice and cool on the burn. You can deal with the inflammation from the inside out by taking aspirin or ibuprofen. Dermatology experts believe that controlling the inflammation can reduce the risk of wrinkles and brown spots.
- Once the sunburn starts to sting — maybe after a night of sleep or a shower — you can ease the pain with tannins. Steep a few tea bags (black tea is best) in hot water, then let them cool in the fridge. Place the tea bags on the burned area to take the sting out of the burn and soothe your irritated skin.
- As the burn heals, stick with the hydration. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated from the inside out. Use a lotion that contains antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E to help take care of free radicals in the damaged skin cells.
- Be gentle with your skin. Rough sponges and exfoliating scrubs can really hurt sunburned skin. Give yourself a break and switch to a softer washcloth and a soap without any gritty bits.
- Not all sunburns peel, but if yours does, you can gently buff away the dead skin with a dry washcloth. Don’t be too rough — you don’t want to scrub off any skin that isn’t ready to go, or irritate the new skin beneath the dead skin.