Sunburn causes premature wrinkling and greater risk of cancer but home remedies can provide pain relief for mild cases at home.
Summer sunshine and playing outdoors go together but if we don’t follow certain guidelines, we can pay the price with painful sunburn. The pain of sunburn may last up to a week but will be worst between six and forty-eight hours of sun exposure. Injured layers of skin will peel away in three to ten days but the damage will remain.
Dermatologists tell us that prolonged exposure to sunlight breaks down the tissue structure of the skin. Cells shrivel and die, dilated blood vessels may leak fluid, and DNA sequences are damaged, predisposing the skin to cancer. Just one severe sunburn can double your chances of malignant melanoma later in life, not to mention greater wrinkling at a premature age. .
With that in mind, the best sunburn treatment is prevention. These days sun exposure is particularly hazardous because of the thinning of the ozone layer which allows more of the sun’s harmful rays to shine through. Avoid direct sunlight as much as possible, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM and always wear a sunscreen with a SPF (sunscreen protection factor) of at least 15. If you’re in and out of water, remember to reapply each time. However, some people leave this off in their quest for a golden tan, and underestimating the strength of those ultraviolet rays, end up a painful lobster red instead.
In sunburn cases where dizziness, fever, chills, nausea, headaches, swelling, purple blotches, excessive itching, visual difficulties, or fluid filled blisters are experienced, the treatment of a doctor should be sought. However, mild sunburns, though quite painful, can be treated at home. A number of home remedies may help soothe burned skin.
- Apply cool oatmeal compresses or soak in a tepid bath with oatmeal or a bath treatment such as Aveeno.
- A half cup of ordinary baking soda added to tepid bath water also works well.
- Soak in a tepid bath with one cup of white cider vinegar added.
- Room-temperature milk compresses are recommended by some dermatologists.
- Boil lettuce leaves for ten minutes, strain off and chill the water (cool, not cold) and apply it to burned skin. Some dermatologists also recommend this.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers may be of some benefit.
Drink plenty of fluids to replace those lost in the burning process.
If blisters are present, keep them uncovered if possible and do not break them. Blisters are the body’s way of protecting the burned area and opening them invites infection.
Lubricants such as petroleum jelly or butter may feel good but they actually cause the skin to retain heat and should not be applied on the first day. Products with benzocaine may provide temporary relief but can aggravate irritated skin and ultimately delay healing.
These home remedies are simply suggestions and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. If your sunburn is serious, seek the help of a doctor immediately.
