4 Ways To Soothe A Sunburn

As the warm weather rolls around, there’s a good chance you want to catch some of the sun’s rays and bask in the warm glow.  Stay out a little too long however and what would have been a nice golden tan will turn into a red, nasty sunburn.

As the pain sets in, you want to find relief – and quickly.  The good news is with the right approach, you can easily soothe that sunburn.

Let’s go over four things that you should do immediately after getting burned so that you can start feeling better again.

 

Create A Cold Compress

To get some instant relief, try a cold compress. Soak a towel in some cold water and then wring out.  Lay this towel over the area where you’re burnt and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

This will help to take the sting out of the burn while also helping to lightly decrease swelling that may be present. Just note that you want to use cold water, but not ice cold, which could aggravate the burn further.

If you want even more benefits, soak the towel in some cold brewed green tea instead.  Green tea contains compounds that will lower act powerfully to lower the inflammation you’re experiencing.

 

Grab A Potato

As strange as it may sound, that potato you planned on making for dinner can also help relieve some of the pain from your sunburn. Potatoes contain compounds that can alleviate sunburn while reducing inflammation as well.

You have the option here to simply lay potato slices directly over the sunburned areas or if you prefer, blend the potatoes up into a liquid and then smear this liquid over the burned area.

 

Use An After Sun Treatment

Consider making use of an after sun treatment as well. These are specially formulated to help soothe tight, sore skin after its been burned and to help kick-start the skin renewal process.

Check out our highly effective after sun treatment products and have one ready for next time you get burned.

 

Apply Baking Soda

If you don’t happen to have potatoes around to help you treat your sunburn, baking soda can do the trick instead.  It has a nice silky texture and when mixed with cool water will feel great over that burn.

Baking soda also has properties that will help lessen the redness of the skin impacted by the burn and provide some temporary pain relief as well.

Simply mix together a couple tablespoons of baking soda with enough cool water that a thick paste is formed. Then smear this paste over the skin until fully covered. Note that if the burn area is larger, you’ll need more baking soda so adjust the amounts accordingly.

So there you have a few of the best ways to soothe a sunburn naturally.  While your best step is always preventative by making sure to use a proper SPF sun protection lotion, if you are in the unfortunate situation of already being burned, any of these four strategies can help.

 

...and remember, qualified nutritionists at Healthy Being are available to offer further general advice to help guide you in selecting the right products. So please, feel free to contact us at anytime!

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Shannon Clark is a qualified nutritionist and a regular contributer to HB Insights. She specialises in weight control and management as well as optimal fitness performance. She's devoted to helping readers obtain their own personal best health and fitness and stays on top the latest trends in the industry.