15 Home Remedies For Sunburn For Instant Relief

The best remedy that can be used after sunburn is cold compresses. A cold compress helps to cool the skin reducing excess heat that accumulates in the burnt area of the skin. This cooling effect provides an instant feeling of relief. 

Furthermore, the cold compress also helps to reduce the size of the blood vessels in the damaged area, which aids in minimizing swelling or inflammation and redness of the skin.

How To Apply

Use a damp washcloth soaked in cold water and apply it to the affected area for 10-15 minutes several times a day. Do not expose the skin directly to the ice as this may promote even more skin damage.

Take A Bath

Furthermore, taking a shower/bath with cool water can enhance relief by lowering skin temperature and removing particles that cause dermal irritation.

Collagen is important in the repair and maintaining firmness and elasticity of the skin, the aloe vera gel also aids in collagen synthesis. Further, the compounds in aloe vera help eliminate pain, redness and inflammation associated with sunburn through suppression of the cyclooxygenase pathway.

Additionally, salicylic acid provides both anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties which will help reduce the pain and discourage infection in affected skin. Besides, skin benefits from the moisture in aloe vera because it possesses a high water content and a rich record of sugar molecules.

How To Apply

To use aloe vera, you have to decouple the leaf and apply the gel on the affected region of the skin. It can also be purchased commercially and the Aloe vera gel available at the supermarkets can also be used.

Due to their rich nutritional value, cucumbers are highly beneficial to the health. They have inherent cooling characteristics which can reduce the amount of heat linked with sunburning. When used externally they help in relieving the burning of the skin as soon as they are applied. Cucumber contains a lot of water that hydrates the skin thus eliminating the unpleasant feeling resulting from dryness, for instance, due to sunburn.

Besides that, cucumber contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that will assist in healing sunburn by decreasing inflammation and redness. Silica, potassium, and magnesium in the cucumber composition make them effective in reducing skin inflammation.

How To Apply

The experience of cold followed by placing chilled cucumber on the affected areas can also be quite helpful to give some relief for localized pains in case of sunburn. However, you can also add aloe vera gel with cucumber paste to enhance its functionalities.

The cool and alkali nature of baking soda makes it an ideal home remedy for the treatment of sunburn. Baking soda has antibacterial properties which help reduce the sensations of itching caused by sunburn. During skin healing, the skin might develop itchy rashes and may eventually peel off, however, baking soda helps relieve this condition.

UV radiation can upset the skin’s ability to maintain the correct pH and can also cause skin dryness and even inflammation, thus worsening the burning sensation. Baking soda is alkaline and rebalances the skin’s pH level thus minimizing swelling and inflammation.

How To Apply

Taking a cool bath with a few tablespoons of baking soda can do wonders. For focused therapy, make a baking soda and water slurry and pat the burned parts of your skin delicately with this paste.

Skin is a natural barrier that retains moisture. After getting sunburned, it causes the skin to peel, become excessively dry or tight, or develop a flaky texture. To avoid this outcome and support quicker recuperation, the lost moisture has to be restored.

Drinking enough water can assist the body in performing its functions, which aids in healing. Intake of water is the most immediate method of replacing the lost fluids and ensuring adequate supplies of fluid in the body. Drinking much water will also assist in reducing swelling in the region affected by sunburn besides enhancing circulation, which aids in the distribution of nutrients required in repairing the affected cells.

Teas can be an effective way to treat the symptoms of sunburn at home, most likely because of tannins and antioxidants contained in the tea. Infusions generally, black tea and green tea have tannins and catechins that are anti-inflammatory. The above compounds mainly work by mitigating inflammation, skin redness and soreness associated with sunburn, thereby helping the affected parts.

Furthermore, the application of cool tea bags to sunburned skin can help alleviate the burning sensation and relative discomfort that result from overexposure to the sun.

Wearing tight clothes will increase irritation and friction on the affected area. However, wearing loose clothing could cause little or no irritation on the affected skin, and thus the healing process is not complicated by the additional trauma on the skin. Loose clothing also enables free air circulation, especially on the affected parts of the skin thus relieving the burning, stinging feeling.

Specifically, fabrics that are soft and loose, such as cotton, help prevent further rubbing of the affected skin by external factors and even movements.

Essential oils such as lavender oil, chamomile oil, and tea tree oil are very useful in treating sunburn. These oils are non-vigorous hence they are suitable for reducing the burning and inflammation that is associated with sunburn. Furthermore, they bring antibacterial qualities that help to prevent infections in sunburned areas.

How To Apply

Dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil to avoid skin irritation. Following that, apply the dilution mildly on the affected area at least 2-3 times daily for relief. 

Moisturizer aids in restoring the lost moisture, thus minimizing dryness and accelerating the healing process. Generally, moisturizers include ingredients such as aloe vera or soy, which are both reputed for their healing effects. Furthermore, moisturizers create a physical shield on the skin that not only retains moisture but also shields the damaged territory from any further aggression.

Tips For Using Moisturizers

Taking a bath or shower uses up much of the skin’s moisture thus applying moisturizer soon after bathing yields the best outcome. 

Moreover, it is advisable to use moisturizers containing ingredients like aloe vera, soy, etc. as they are specifically designed to soothe the affected skin after sunburn.

Popular for its cooling, moisturizing and calming effects, milk is packed with all-round nutrients and has various health benefits. The application of cold milk can assist in reducing heat as well as the inflammation caused by sunburn and get immediate relief.

In addition, both protein and fat contents in milk suppress the chances of further drying of sunburned skin since it seals in moisture. It also contains lactic acid which is a mild scrub that might help in the renewal of impaired skin, therefore, promoting faster skin healing.

Oatmeal, which is considered to be the primary component of many skin care products has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which assist in dealing with soreness, inflammation and itching. Therefore, it can be stated that taking a bath with oatmeal is beneficial to help the pain of sunburn.

Besides, colloidal oatmeal has the property of improving moisture and this is advantageous in relieving sunburn-sensitive skin since moisture plays a key role in the healing process with less scratching. Oatmeal has natural cleansing properties because it contains Saponin which helps to wash out dirt on the skin making it great for sensitive skin or skin that is burnt by the sun.

Diluted vinegar, when applied on the sunburned areas of the skin can help reduce the irritation of the burn. Moreover, it decreases the chances of new infections in damaged skin since it has natural antibacterial properties. 

Also, applying vinegar to the affected area helps lower inflammation, redness and swelling that comes with sunburn. It is also believed that vinegar helps reset the skin’s natural acidity level, which can potentially lead to healing.

How To Use

Vinegar should be mixed with water before applying it on the skin to reduce the burning sensation.

Also, to allow its inclusion in a larger sunburned area, one can mix a cup or two of vinegar with diluted water and take a cool bath.

Witch hazel is a shrub that is used often to help reduce the pain and other symptoms of a sunburn. It holds tannins that are known for their calming characteristics. Witch hazel, when used on sunburned areas can assist in reducing pain and skin redness since it possesses anti-inflammatory properties.   

It also has cooling effects which assist in alleviating the burning sensation associated with sunburn. Moreover, witch hazel can help tighten the skin and promote healing by constricting blood vessels in the area.

The properties of honey as a humectant are ideal when applied on the skin as it prevents dryness of the skin and enhances the healing process. The anti-inflammatory properties of honey can assist in the minimization of the inflammation and skin dryness associated with sunburns, while the antioxidants combat the oxidative stress of sunburn on the skin thus decreasing pain and irritation.

Also, honey possesses antibiotic qualities that act against different bacterial types, which may help prevent bacterial infections in sunburn areas. 

Honey not only helps relieve sunburn, but it also has numerous health benefits.

Exposing sunburned areas to UV rays worsens the damage and slows down the healing phase. Avoiding sun exposure is one way of minimizing inflammation and giving your skin the chance to heal without additional stress.

The skin may peel or become sensitive as the sunburn begins to heal. These side effects and discomforts can be exacerbated if an individual exposes himself or herself to the sun while in this phase. Maintaining the skin barrier intact helps the skin to heal itself quite well.