Ah, summer! Sandy beaches, sunbathing, picnics . . . and sunburns. With all the time that we spend outdoors during the hot months, the probability of getting at least slightly sunburned once or twice is pretty high. Children are particularly at risk since they often squirm around too much to be sure that their sunblock has been evenly applied.
While prevention is the best medicine, sometimes it just isn’t enough, or perhaps a rainy day unexpectedly turned sunny and you were caught without sunscreen. Whatever the case, hot, red skin is the end result and all you want is relief! Here are a few ways that you can ease the burn naturally.
Perhaps one of the best home remedies for sunburn is lavender oil. Use the oil to prevent peeling and conserve the tan while getting rid of pain at the same time. It is recommended that you add to a carrier oil (grape seed works best) and gently spread it over the affected skin as soon as you realize that you are burned. This lavender oil should be part of your summer first aid kit.
A cool, damp cloth applied to the area can be a great help in reducing the heat of the sunburn. To make this treatment even more effective, try using a strong, cooled tea instead of plain water. The tannin will help draw out the heat from the burned area and provides faster relief than just water.
Make sure that you drink lots of fluids, mainly water, to keep your body well hydrated. Often, when a sunburn is severe, blisters will form which seep liquid. If a lot of this liquid is lost, it can contribute to dehydration. Drinking plenty of water will help you heal faster and keep headaches at bay.
A bath of cool tea can also help relieve the pain of sunburn, although it won’t stop peeling. You can make very strong tea and then dilute it with cool water to get the amount needed. Other useful bath concoctions include baking soda or oatmeal. Baking soda will simply dissolve in the water, but oatmeal can be placed inside a square of cloth which is then gathered up and tied to form a bath sachet which can be hung under the running water from the faucet. These both help seep the heat out of the burn and can ease itching from peeling skin, as well.
A sunburn is never pleasant, but if you prefer not to use commercial sprays and lotions which may actually worsen the sunburn, there are several home remedies to choose from. Natural methods can actually be better than ones that you pay for.