Sunburn Treatment – Soothing A Burn

Sunburn treatment is something everyone needs at some point. We’ve all been there and then we’ve all felt the miserable sting of a sunburn afterwards. Many of us are old enough to recall a time when sunburns happened and we didn’t really pay too much heed. Now, we know better. As parents, we try to teach our kids that burning their skin now is setting them up for possible cancer later, but sunburns happen even when trying to be careful. Here are a few ideas for how to maximize relief with sunburn treatment.

Sunburn Treatment – A Little Old School. A Little New School

There’s no end to how people approach treating sunburns. Like almost any ailment, there are all sorts of conflicting ideas on sunburn treatment, and many of them are complete and total myths. Let’s take a look at treatments that are not myths.

Old School

While some old school methods of treating a sunburn have been proven to be false. There are some that have actually been proven to work. These methods have been around for years, and can be used in conjunction with modern methods of sunburn relief to help soothe red, inflamed skin.

Vinegar and Water

This is one that’s been around for a very long time. It’s also one that most of us run away from. It’s the classic vinegar and water bath. While dipping your sunburned body into a vinegar solution will sting like you’re being attacked by 1,000 bees, its natural antibacterial properties help to keep the possibility of infection down.

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Epsom Salt

Another oldie but goodie when it comes to sunburn treatment is the Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt is an all-natural product with anti-inflammatory action that helps reduce swelling, redness and irritation associated with a sunburn.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the most popular sunburn treatments out there for a reason. The gel of the Aloe Vera plant has naturally occurring soothing and anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce the swelling, irritation, and pain of a sunburn. Be sure to test a very small area of unaffected skin before use. Although its not widely known, many people can be allergic to aloe vera gel. This is one we use if ever we get sunburns.

New School

Current sunburn treatment uses topical and ingested medication to help soothe the irritation, redness, swelling, and pain of a sunburn. These methods are proven to work and are safe, so they’re worth a try if you look like a land lobster.

NSAIDs

NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen have been proven to reduce the inflammation of sunburned skin just like they reduce inflammation in joints and overworked muscles. If you have a sunburn, take an NSAID as recommended on the box in the same way you’d take it for joint pain to help keep your skin calm.

Topical Hydrocortisone Cream

This is another great weapon in your sunburn treatment arsenal. Hydrocortisone cream is a highly effective topical corticosteroid, which means its sole purpose is to reduce inflammation. Apply this in conjunction with an oral NSAID to give your sunburn a one-two punch.

Colloidal Oatmeal Bath

While a bath of vinegar is all about antibacterial action. A colloidal oatmeal bath is all about reducing inflammation in the skin. Colloidal oatmeal has been shown to be highly effective for everything from sunburn treatment to inflamed skin due to allergies. A nice long soak in a cool, colloidal oatmeal bath can help soothe the burn and inflammation of your burned skin.

Sunburn Treatment – Old School or New School? That’s up to You

I am a bit old school and a bit new school when it comes to sunburn treatment. Chances are, you already have almost everything I listed in both the old and new school categories in your home. I can say from experience as a parent of a very fair skinned daughter, that NSAIDS often help her but so does Aloe Vera gel. The combination can give my daughter relief from the burning and inflammation of sunburns.

I’ve found that the best course of sunburn treatment for my family is to start with sunscreen. The only good sunburn is the one you don’t get!

What is your sunburn treatment remedy? I’d love to hear about it.