Got a sunburn ? Here is what to do
By Gunay Hasanova
Many of us have gone a little too far in order to get a nice suntan. We lost track of time, or nodded off, and now we are lobster-red and uncomfortable.
But, it is important to take it serious and stop it from happening again, as a risk for melanoma doubles if you have had more than five sunburns.
These tips are essential to fast, immediate, and affective sunburn treatment.
Take a cool shower
The water will wash dust away, moisturize and soothe the skin. Take a cold bath or shower to cool your skin down. Do not wash your sunburned skin with harsh soaps and avoid rubbing your skin dry after bathing, as these may increase the likelihood of peeling.
Apply moisturizer to sunburned areas
Do this immediately after stepping out of the shower. Moisturizers that are specifically designed for use on sunburned skin are available in most drugstores. Most contain aloe vera to soothe the skin, reduce inflammation and help prevent peeling.
Stay in the horizontal position
The body needs to rest, so that it can quickly get recovered. Therefore, after the sunburn it is better to lie down.
Use talc
If it is painful to lie because of sunburns, then you can sprinkle talcum powder on the sheet. This will reduce the skin friction and reduce discomfort.
Drink more water
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Drinking plenty of fluids helps to prevent dehydration, which is inevitable during the sunburn. It is better to drink still water, iced tea, decoction of herbs (chamomile, mint).
Cool milk compress
A cool milk compress is one of the quickest, simplest and low-cost ways to treat sunburn. It doesn’t get much easier than just heading to the refrigerator for relief-and easy is good when treating anything.
Stay in the shade
Hiding from the sun is very important when you are recovering from sun damaged skin. Be sure to wear loose fitting clothes. Doing this will reduce any irritation your clothes may cause on your sunburn.
While doing certain things to recover your skin, you need to keep in mind that there also a list of the things that you should not do:
Do NOT apply ice
Temporary relief may turn into a sad picture. Ice can cause death of the epithelium with possible cosmetic defects in the future.
Do NOT apply alcohol compresses
Alcohol-based tools for sunburn treatment dry the skin. For the same reason you should not use vinegar.
Do NOT treat the skin with oil
Do not apply butter and vegetable oil to the burns in the acute period. It seals the pores and does not allow the skin to breathe.
Do NOT apply dairy products on skin
Such traditional means as sour cream or yogurt may have more harms than good. Dairy products provide a favorable environment for bacteria that can cause infections.
Do NOT drink coffee or alcohol
It is necessary to stay away from alcohol, strong tea and coffee since they aggravate the condition for dehydration.
See a doctor if you are experiencing pain, swelling dizziness, blister, nausea, chills, or a fever. Serious issues may be arising.
The following symptoms serve as a sound alarm to contact the doctor:
- Skin is blistered or acquired purple or bright red color;
- The temperature has risen above 38 degrees;
- Shortness of breath, or breathing quickened;
- Having severe headaches, dizziness.
Repeating sunburns put you at a substantial risk for skin cancer and premature skin aging.
Stay safe and enjoy the sun!
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