Photo courtesy www.naturalnews.com
No matter how much we think we're protected by the sun, we're not and the worse your diet is the more prone to sun damage you are (as noted at a recent gathering of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists to be discussed another time).
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you have a sunburn, you now have permanent DNA damage in those cells. This means you're prone to hyperpigmentation, skin cancer or other skin diseases down the road. Don't panic- some people pay a lot of money for the same controlled effect and don't even realize it!
Forget all of that for now. You're as red as a Maine Lobster and you need relief fast!
Here are some of my top 5 remedies to not only relieve your skin, but help prevent the damage from being so permanent :
1) ICE- or rather cool rags are important to bring down the heat. A sunburn is inflammation and bringing down the heat with cold is a way to fast track the healing. If the burn is strong throughout the body and not just the face, chest and shoulders hit a cold shower at various times throughout the day in addition to the cold packs. I like the super large cold gel packs they use for athletes with major sports injuries. They're not as messy as a regular pack. Frozen peas always work fine as well.
2) ALOE- most conveniently packed with chemicals at your local Walgreens or Walmart, but if you can raise your own aloe you're better off for it. I also like to take drinking Aloe (without sugar or flavorings) and spray it on the skin every hour or so. Aloe is used for healing and it is an anti-inflammatory. The spray makes it all very convenient. Just make sure you're not using distilled aloe, but the actual aloe without additives in it.
3) OATMEAL- If you have a burn that is really just annoying and only slightly painful go ahead and opt for the healing powers of oatmeal. Oatmeal helps to raise the immune system of the skin and help keep out bacteria since your own skin system has been compromised. If the burn is throughout the body you might try sitting in a cold oatmeal bath for at least 20 minutes. 1-2 cups of plain, ground oatmeal should suffice. You can do this at least twice daily until the burn has subsided.
4) BLACK TEA- is also anti-inflammatory. Tea bags have been long known to be great for taking down swelling around the eyes, but they are also effective in helping to relieve sunburns. Not only do the antioxidants help to prevent further damage in case you're exposed to more sun, but the tannins are supposed to draw heat out of the skin. Try brewing some black tea overnight and stick it in the refrigerator so it's nice and strong. Add that to a spray bottle and spray as desired. Using the cold tea bags directly on the skin is also very nice and can help to balance out the skin.
5) POTATO- slice the potato and stick it on the sunburned areas. Make sure it lies flat on the skin. This will help to draw out heat on the burn as well and has antimicrobial effects. I understand according to natural news that the inside of the potato skin is the most effective....and I just thought they made great Superbowl snacks!
There are LOTS of other remedies out there for REALLY minor sunburns- apple cider vinegar, egg whites, vitamin E, lavender and more, but the Mayo Clinic really advises against these remedies as it supposedly delays the healing process. I personally like placenta from new Zealand. It immediately cools the skin and helps to heal it quickly. Finding the good stuff is not easy. Stay away from milk baths until the burn has healed. The milk can be irritating even though it does promote collagen growth. Essential oils can also be irritating and cause complications if your burn is severe so it's best to stay away from even the "pharmaceutical-grade" ones unless you're thoroughly healed.
Please keep in mind if you have a severe burn from falling asleep in the sun or can't even put on a shirt or clothes because you're so blistered causing you to experience a fever- call the doctor or seek medical attention. You could have 3rd or 4th degree burns. Not something to mess around with! In the meantime make sure you hydrate with plenty of water and electrolytes. Also stay away from soaps of any kind or anything that makes your skin's pH too acidic or too alkaline. The skin has no protection when it is burned!
