Even with all the warnings against sun exposure and the multitude of SPF-containing products out there, sunburns are an unfortunate reality for many of us. A sunburn is one accessory that doesn’t go well with any summer dress or wedges. Though sunburns should be avoided if at all possible, when you do find yourself with some crispy, red skin, there are some steps that you can include in your beauty routine to help the healing process.
The most important thing to remember after a long day in the sun that resulted in some sizzling skin is to drink plenty of water. You want to keep yourself and your skin hydrated in order to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Keeping hydrated helps your skin repair faster and the unsightly burn go away sooner.
Aloe Vera gel is a staple in the sunburn healing routine. It is the same remedy you used as a kid when you slathered your burnt skin in aloe. When you are looking for an Aloe Vera gel to purchase, check the ingredients and find a product that does not contain alcohol because alcohol has drying properties. Aloe gels work to moisturize and sooth the sunburn, ultimately allowing a faster healing time.
For both pain and the inflammation caused by the burn, take some ibuprofen. I tend to forget that you can actually do something about the pain rather than just wincing every time something brushes against the painful burn. Ibuprofen also has anti-inflammatory properties that help to heal the burn, which is essentially inflammation caused by the sun.
Taking a bath can also help soothe your sunburnt skin (and your stress level). A tea bath, either chamomile or black tea, helps heal a burn because the tannins in tea bring out the burn from your skin and take away the pain. A milk, oatmeal, and honey bath also works to soothe burns and moisturize the skin. Be sure to avoid hot baths; at most, the bath should be lukewarm. If you can’t take the time for a full bath, taking a cool shower also helps the pain.
Along with adding a few steps into your routine for treating a sunburn, there are some things you should definitely avoid. I always advocate exfoliating, but when you have a sunburn be sure to skip this process. Since the skin is already damaged and trying to repair itself, scrubbing off the sensitive skin does not help. Keeping your skin moisturized is good, but avoid lotions and soaps with fragrances and chemicals because they can cause irritation and actually dry your skin out. The most important thing to remember is to cover up if you have to head out into the sun again, since you don’t want to further damage your skin.
The most important thing to remember after a long day in the sun that resulted in some sizzling skin is to drink plenty of water. You want to keep yourself and your skin hydrated in order to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Keeping hydrated helps your skin repair faster and the unsightly burn go away sooner.
Aloe Vera gel is a staple in the sunburn healing routine. It is the same remedy you used as a kid when you slathered your burnt skin in aloe. When you are looking for an Aloe Vera gel to purchase, check the ingredients and find a product that does not contain alcohol because alcohol has drying properties. Aloe gels work to moisturize and sooth the sunburn, ultimately allowing a faster healing time.
For both pain and the inflammation caused by the burn, take some ibuprofen. I tend to forget that you can actually do something about the pain rather than just wincing every time something brushes against the painful burn. Ibuprofen also has anti-inflammatory properties that help to heal the burn, which is essentially inflammation caused by the sun.
Taking a bath can also help soothe your sunburnt skin (and your stress level). A tea bath, either chamomile or black tea, helps heal a burn because the tannins in tea bring out the burn from your skin and take away the pain. A milk, oatmeal, and honey bath also works to soothe burns and moisturize the skin. Be sure to avoid hot baths; at most, the bath should be lukewarm. If you can’t take the time for a full bath, taking a cool shower also helps the pain.
Along with adding a few steps into your routine for treating a sunburn, there are some things you should definitely avoid. I always advocate exfoliating, but when you have a sunburn be sure to skip this process. Since the skin is already damaged and trying to repair itself, scrubbing off the sensitive skin does not help. Keeping your skin moisturized is good, but avoid lotions and soaps with fragrances and chemicals because they can cause irritation and actually dry your skin out. The most important thing to remember is to cover up if you have to head out into the sun again, since you don’t want to further damage your skin.
