Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

No one wants a sunburned skin after outdoor activities. Exposure to harsh sun causes skin to become dehydrated, red and flaky. However, the process of turning sunburned skin into brown skin is actually just the steps to soothe, heal and moisturize the skin. With some home remedies and over-the-counter medications for each step, you can easily restore and regain your healthy glowing skin.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Cool skin

1. 

   Cool sunburned areas. Cooling your skin is the simplest and most practical way to soothe a sunburn. With this method, you will feel very comfortable, and pain and redness and swelling will also decrease. You can apply a variety of ways to cool your skin.
   • Take a shower or bath.
   • Use a cold compress similar to wrapping ice or frozen vegetables in a towel.
   • Apply a cold compress to your skin with an ice cube. Take a relaxing rest between cold compresses to avoid damaging your skin.

2. 

   
   
   Sliced ​​cucumber applied to the skin. Cucumber helps to moisturize and cool irritated skin. Simply slice the chilled cucumber into thin slices and apply it to the affected skin area. The wider the spread, the more effective it is. If you do not have cucumbers, you can use potatoes instead because potatoes contain high water content and help increase moisture in the skin.
   • If you are having trouble getting cucumbers to stick to your skin, try moistening your skin with a little oil or lotion as they will act as glue.

3. 

   
   
   Apply aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is widely known as one of the few natural ingredients to help alleviate sunburn. You should apply an aloe vera gel, or lotion with an aloe plant extract, onto the affected skin area as soon as you notice a lot of redness or burning pain. Repeat a few times a day to prevent irritation and soreness.
   • If you have an aloe plant, you can make a cut between the blades and apply them to the burn to enjoy the 100% gentle effect of nature.
   advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Treating and healing skin

1. 

   
   
   Apply an ointment that contains a steroid ingredient. Steroids are pharmaceuticals that can reduce pain and swelling when it comes to skin contact, making them the perfect solution for sunburned skin. There are many types of steroid ointment that can be sold over the counter. Among them, Hydrocortisone cream is a popular choice. Gently rub a pea-sized amount onto the sunburned area, reapply after a few hours if necessary.
   • Note that steroid topicals are different from the more infamous drugs that athletes often abuse. In essence, these are anabolic steroids. Over-the-counter steroid medications are really safe to use (except in a few cases not for young children).

2. 

   Soak in a bath with tea water. Some people believe that the tannic acid in black tea can soothe burned skin and prevent flaking. To do this method, first boil a pot of water. Soak 5 or 6 tea bags in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, let the tea cool down at room temperature (put the tea in the refrigerator to cool to minimize the waiting time). Once the tea has cooled, use a cloth or spray to sprinkle the tea on the sunburned area and let it sit for half an hour. Another way is to simply hold the wet tea bag over your skin.
   • Black tea like the brand Earl Gray is often recommended for this.

3. 

   Soak in a bath with oatmeal. While this choice may sound odd, oatmeal is a great way to treat sunburns and promote healing. Oatmeal possesses healing properties such as normalizing the skin's pH and soothing itchy and irritated areas.
   • Try mixing two to three cups of plain (unsweetened) rolled oats in the cool bath water. Soak in the tub for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off or starting other treatments.
   • You can add 3/4 cup of baking soda to your bath for more moisture.

4. 

   Spray the vinegar with water. While it may sound strange, vinegar helps restore and balance skin's pH, helping to soothe and heal skin after a sunburn. Take a cold shower first. Next, fill the spray bottle with vinegar and gently spray it over the burnt area. Let the mixture stand for about an hour. Then, rinse or take a shower in cold water again.
   • The smell of vinegar can be unpleasant for about an hour, but your sunburned areas will flake less.
   • Most types of vinegar are effective, but according to some sources, apple cider vinegar is most effective. Don't use balsamic vinegar because the sugars and colorants in vinegar can irritate the skin.
   advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Moisturizes the skin

1. 

   Apply moisturizer. To restore sunburned skin, you should apply to the affected area a benign moisturizer that does not cause irritation. Most everyday skin care products do this. You could also try using a few drops of neutral oil such as baby oil, olive oil or canola oil.
   • Try products without flavoring agents. The chemical ingredients in aromatherapy sometimes irritate the inflamed skin.

2. 

   Drink water. Sunburned skin will be dry and swollen, so make sure you are hydrated to protect your skin. Maintain moisture both internally and externally to avoid excessive peeling and peeling of the skin. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 9-13 glasses of water a day.
   • Water can also help relieve sunburn headaches.

3. 

   Apply whole milk to skin. Fat in dairy products can help moisturize sunburned areas by reducing burning pain and preventing flaking. Whole milk is often the cheapest and most convenient to use. Try soaking a cloth in whole milk and place it on the burn for 20 minutes like a cold compress. Alternatively, you can put some whole milk in the bath and soak in cool water.
   • Do not use dairy products that contain little or no fat. Without fat, milk loses many of its inherent moisturizing properties.
   • Full-fat Greek yogurt has a similar effect when used as a lotion. Don't use sugar-sweetened yogurt, as it can stick and irritate the skin.

4. 

   Apply the potato flour to the skin. The starch in potatoes contains a lot of water, so applying them to your skin is a great way to moisturize dry skin caused by sunburn. Crush the potatoes into a paste. Apply this mixture to your skin and let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse the area with cold water.
   • You can also use a food blender to make a paste. When you do this, you should first cut the potatoes into small pieces. Note, if you try to grind the whole amount of potatoes at once, it will overload the blender.

5. 

   Apply coconut oil to your skin. Similar to other commercial moisturizers, natural oils also have the function of moisturizing and soothing sunburned areas, however, coconut oil is always a much better choice. In addition to providing moisture and restoring sunburn to become healthier, coconut oil gently exfoliates and removes dead cells and promotes the healing process.
   • Coconut oil is available at stalls in many clean food and specialty stores. Coconut oil will liquefy under the warmth of the hands.
   advertisement

Advice

• Avoid the sun until the sunburn is gone. If you want to sunbathe, it's best to use a sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin.
• For serious sunburns, flaking is inevitable. However, the methods above can help minimize pain and irritation during treatment.

Warning

• Sunburns are often harmful to the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer, so be sure to wear sunscreen if you have to go out for a long time.