Treating A Sunburn: What To Know And How To Prevent Them In The Future

If your skin is turning bright red in the sun, it's a sign that you needed to put on sunscreen much earlier and that you need to get out of the sun before your skin blisters and peels. If you do have a sunburn and you have peeling skin or your skin feels painful long after you're out of the sun, you need to treat it properly. Some sunburns may not be painful at all, while others may be painful for days after the original burn. If you have a painful sunburn, read on for tips to treat the sunburn and what you can do to prevent one in the future.

Take A Cool Bath

Taking a cool bath can help soothe your skin. A shower may be too painful, as the jets pressing on your skin can be too harsh and feel like tiny needles digging into your skin. Instead, take a cool bath and add some Epsom salts to the water to soothe your skin. Soak in the water for only about 15 minutes to prevent pruning.

Apply Lotion

Apply lotion to your skin to keep your skin smooth and hydrated and to also hold in moisture. It can also help soothe your sunburn and keep your skin from feeling painful. Continue to add lotion to prevent your skin from drying out. 

Take A Pain Reliever

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever to alleviate any pain from the sunburn. The pain reliever won't treat the sunburn itself, but it can help with the pain. Take it only as needed or every 4–6 hours as suggested by the manufacturer. Don't take more than suggested in a single day to prevent causing health concerns such as liver damage.

Slough Off Peeling Skin

If your sunburn is beginning to peel, you can slough off the dead skin by using a loofah to gently slough off the dead skin cells. Do this gently, as the skin below is going to be very sensitive. If you scrub your skin too harshly, you'll be left with painful skin afterward.

Sunburn Prevention Tips

To help prevent a sunburn, you need to apply sunscreen every hour you are in the sun. Wear sunscreen of at least SPF 50 or more on your skin. Pay close attention to the skin on your face, neck, ears, shoulders, and back. These are areas most people forget about applying sunscreen. Apply sunscreen to any area of the body that is being exposed to the sun. Limit your time in the sun as much as possible and wear a hat to protect your face, as well as sunglasses.

If you have a sunburn, you need to treat your skin. Sunburns can damage the skin and you are more susceptible to skin cancer with every sunburn. Talk to your dermatologist about other sun safety tips.


Share