August 14, 2019
There are a number of remedies which may help decrease the discomfort of your sunburn. These include:
- Try taking a cool bath or shower. Or place wet, cold washcloths on the burn for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day.
- Do not use harsh soap on burned skin. You can mix baking soda in water and dab on skin to help relieve the pain.
- Moisturizing cream may be applied to relieve discomfort, but should generally be used only when a burn has begun to heal and has reached the dry, itchy stage.
- Aloe gel is a common household remedy for sunburns. Hydrocortisone cream may also be effective.
- If the burn is severe, a doctor may prescribe a prescription medication, Silvadene, which is used in burn patients.
- Do not apply petroleum jelly, benzocaine, lidocaine, or butter to the sunburn. They make the symptoms worse and can prevent healing.
- If blisters are present, dry bandages may help prevent infection. Do not puncture blisters as that may slow healing and also increase the risk of infection.
- Over-the-counter medications, like Advil (ibuprofen), may help to relieve pain from sunburn. (Remember, do NOT give aspirin to children).
- Drink plenty of fluids. It is easy to become dehydrated with a severe sunburn.
- Wear loose natural clothing, such as cotton or silk until your sunburn starts to heal.
- Watch for any signs of infection, such as increasing redness (keep in mind that your burn will continue to redden for several hours after leaving the sun), fever, increasing pain, or pus-appearing discharge.
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If you have a topic for Wellness Wednesday, please email us at Elements@nfta.com.
If you have a topic for Wellness Wednesday, please email us at Elements@nfta.com.