Sunburn

Managing Sunburn

Ultraviolet rays (UV) from the sun are very powerful and can do a lot of damage.  This damage is preventable with sunscreen.
If you experience sunburn, the best thing you can do is treat your skin to help reduce the pain and also heal the skin.
This advice comes from The American Association of Dermatologists.
1. Take frequent cool baths or showers to help relieve the pain.  Gently pat yourself dry and immediately apply a moisturiser to help trap water in your skin.
2. Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera to help soothe sun burned skin.  An over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can be used on areas that are especially uncomfortable.
3. Consider taking aspirin or ibuprofen to help reduce any swelling, redness and discomfort.
4. Drink extra water.
5. If your skin blisters, allow the blisters to heal.  Blistering skin means you have a second-degree sunburn.  You should not pop the blisters, as blisters form to help your skin heal and protect you from infection.
6. Take extra care to protect sunburned skin while it heals.
7. Sunscreen application should be a top priority when spending time outdoors. I find that many people do not actually apply sunscreen correctly and therefore risk burns. One shot glass full should be adequate for the average adult body. Always look for a Broad Spectrum SPF.