If you got a nasty sunburn recently, here are some treatment options, as well as tips to prevent future burns and a warning about the dangers of catching too many rays.
We love this great video as a quick refresher.
Sunburn treatment
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends these five steps to treat a sunburn:
- Don’t wait to treat. A sunburn can take some time to develop, so you should get out of the sun and follow steps 2-5 as soon as possible if you feel a sunburn coming on.
- Moisturize and repeat. Use a cream or lotion to soothe your burn, and to help prevent peeling. You’ve probably heard that aloe vera is a good treatment for sunburn, and although initial research has shown only that aloe may help heal burns, at the very least, it will soothe the burn’s heat and pain.
- Drink lots of water. One side effect of a sunburn is that the fluid in your body is drawn to the surface, to your skin. To make sure you don’t get dehydrated, drink plenty of water.
- Take an anti-inflammatory. Ibuprofen can help to reduce swelling and redness if taken as soon as you feel the burn coming on.
- Seek medical help if necessary. If you’re experiencing bad blistering, fever or chills, seek the help of a medical professional.