How to Treat Sunburn

Getting rid of sunburn and its effects requires a lot of patience until the burns gets enough time to heal. Therefore it can be said that there is no cure for sunburn, so there are some options that help control symptoms until the body takes the time needed to heal and recover from these burns. Below are some tips that can be followed to control sunburn.

Tips to control sunburn

• Avoid sun exposure until completely healed
• Apply moisturizer to the burn if the burns does not cause pain. Although moisturizers do not stop the peeling of the skin, but at least they provide moisture to the lower layers of the skin.
• Avoid using soap of all kinds on the burn, as it irritates the skin.
• Bathing with lukewarm water frequently helps relieve pain.
• Drinking a lot of water because sunburn draws water and fluids in general to the surface of the skin, which reduces the amount of water reaching the rest of the body so therefore drinking a lot of water protects against dehydration.
• Giving pimples a chance to heal, and not touching these pimples or tampering with them. This is because the formation of these pimples helps to heal the skin and protects it from infection.
• Wear clothes that cover the whole body in case of needing to go outside the house. Ensure these clothes are tight and do not allow sunlight to pass through.
• Avoid using petroleum jelly on burnt skin.
• Avoid putting ice or ice cubes on the burnt skin.
• Do not rub or scratch the burned skin, and do not try to peel it in anyway.
• Avoid using products that contain benzocaine or lidocaine.

Medical treatment of sunburn

The severity of a sunburn does not appear immediately after suffering from it, it may take two days for the severity of the burns to become clear, and it takes several days to heal, as mentioned above. The available options are aimed at relieving symptoms such as swelling, pain and feelings of discomfort. It is worth knowing that the previously mentioned advice is the primary option used to control sunburn, but in case it fails or if the sunburn is very severe you can then resorts to prescribing medication options.

You can used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. This is because they help relieve pain from swelling that is caused by sunburn. They are also able to fight inflammation. Among the methods of protection that are recommended are the following;

• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, which protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
• Make sure to apply an ample amount of sunscreen so that it covers the entire skin exposed to the sun, and it is advised to adhere to the instructions attached to the product in terms of reapplying the sunscreen.
• Reapply sunscreen after swimming and when sweating.
• Use lip balms that contain sunscreen.
• Wearing a wide-brimmed hat that covers the head well, and be sure to wear clothes that cover the entire body, and it is generally recommended to choose light-coloured clothes for their ability to better reflect the sun’s rays.
• Avoid exposure to the sun during the hours when the rays are at their strongest, between ten in the morning and four in the afternoon.
• Wear sunglasses that protect against UV rays.