Sunburn Relief

Information on Sunburn Relief...

Although sunburns typically occur during the warmer months when the sun pelts the earth with heat, sunburns can actually occur in all different types of weather and seasons, making knowledge of how to get proper sunburn relief extremely important.

Directly applying the oils from an aloe vera plant to a sunburn, or most burns for that matter, can offer a great deal of temporary relief. Aloe vera helps to relieve the stinging and burning sensations, as well as to help prevent further inflammation of the area. Special lotions containing lidocaine can also help to provide great over the counter relief for the pain of sunburns.

One home remedy for sunburn relief involves the use of apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is a wonderful treatment for sunburns, as it helps to not only reduce the sting and pain of the burn, but to reduce the redness as well. Treat the area by dabbing a piece of sterile gauze into the vinegar and then gently blotting it on the affected areas of skin. Why gauze? Washcloths can easily collect dust as they are typically stored in the open. Lint and other fibers from washcloths and cotton balls can become entangled in severely burned and dry skin or open blisters and may lead to infections. Gauze on the other hand is often times kept within a sterile wrapper and free of loose fibers.

Many people recommend spreading Noxema cold cream over the affected area. Use of this treatment is debatable. While it does provide almost instant pain relief and some moisture, it appears to only be effective when it is left applied topically, without being rubbed into the skin. Another often recommended home remedy for sunburn relief is to take a bath in whole milk.

On a rare occasion, a sunburn may be severe enough to require medical attention and prescription drug treatment.