It happens so easily, You’ve been out enjoying the sun all day, forgot to reapply sunscreen and before you know it, you’ve scored a nasty sunburn. Although it may seem like just a temporary situation i.e.: it looks bad, it hurts, it peels, it can also cause long-lasting damage to the skin, such as wrinkles or even skin cancer.
So what can be done? You need to help the skin repair itself as quickly as possible, below are some tips on what to do. Remember sunburn is a burn and & so it is damaged skin and needs to repair & it will always have a susceptibility to burning in the future.
1. Get Out of The Sun
This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s crucial –- and something people too often don’t do. Some damage has already been done, and you don’t want to harm your skin any more. You should stay out of the sun until the burn fades completely.
2. Assess the Damage
Most sunburns aren’t severe enough to go to the hospital . Even if a couple of small blisters pop up, it’s usually safe to treat the burn at home. If you develop blisters on more than 20 per cent of your body, you should seek medical attention immediately, You should also head to the hospital if you feel nauseous, get intense chills or run a fever.
3. Take A Pain Reliever
For sunburns that you can treat on your own, over-the-counter painkillers can take the edge off. If the burn’s not so bad –- mainly your skin just feels a little tender -– pop an ibuprofen, which acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling and ease the pain.
4. Take A Cool Bath
It’s also important to cool the skin down gently, but skip the shower -– the continual blast of water on scorched skin will not feel good. Also skip the soap, which will dry skin out even more. Instead, add a few scoops of baking soda to a bath. It’s cooling and helps your skin retain moisture.
5. Use Aloe Vera Gel or Burn Gel
If you are away from home and can’t catch a bath, smear on aloe vera gel as it is an cooling agent and an anti-inflammatory.
6. Drink Water
Bad sunburns cause a process called vasodilation, where the blood vessels dilate and lose water from the skin very quickly, this can lead to dehydration, fatigue and even heat stroke if not treated. Sipping water immediately and keep drinking it to be sure they stay hydrated.
7. Don’t Touch The Blisters!
Leave it alone. Picking or peeling burned skin or popping blisters can lead to permanent scarring
8. Don’t Get Burned Twice!
Don’t forget how much damage sunburn causes. Get in the habit of applying broad-spectrum sunblock every day, especially through the rest of the summer!
