Protecting the skin against harmful UV radiation and avoiding excessive exposure of our body to the sun is a very important element of our summer care. If, in addition, we care for our skin every day, gently cleansing and moisturizing it carefully, we reduce the risk of excessive drying, wrinkles, discoloration and loss of firmness, i.e. premature aging. Staying "in the sun" for too long and inadequate or complete lack of protection against it can also result in a very unpleasant skin burn.
Today on my blog about how to use home remedies to reduce the discomfort associated with just such a burn.
In the summer, when the sun is shining intensively, we are happy to spend our free time in the fresh air, we love to soak up the sun and enjoy when we come back beautifully tanned from summer vacation. If we properly care for our skin, protect it against the harmful effects of UV rays, we carefully care for and adhere to the principle that too much is unhealthy, there is nothing wrong with it. Well-groomed skin gently sun-kissed looks after all very effective and healthy. The problem arises when we forget to protect it properly or use sunbaths for too long, then the risk of serious burns increases significantly. Everyone who has had the trouble to feel it on their own skin knows that it can effectively make life miserable. Sunburns are very painful and at best stay with us for a few good days, making memories after a dream vacation unfortunately not the most pleasant.
Briefly about sunburns
The effects of too long exposure of our skin to the sun, usually do not appear immediately, usually it takes about 2-3 hours before we notice the first signs of sunburn and even a dozen or so hours to let us feel how distressing it can be. Most often, fortunately, we are dealing with first degree burns, which only affect the top layer of our skin, and although the ailments that accompany them are not pleasant, we can easily deal with them and pass quickly enough. Burns of the first degree are most often manifested by redness, increased warmth of the skin, hypersensitivity to touch, slight swelling, pain and burning. The situation is much worse in the case of second degree burns that affect both the epidermis and dermis. This type of burn occurs much less frequently, but always requires medical consultation. When we deal with a second degree burn, our skin is very red, it hurts, swells, and bubbles filled with serous fluid appear on its surface, the treatment lasts much longer, sometimes it takes several weeks. Severe burns may also be accompanied by general symptoms, e.g. fever, chills, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting and even sunstroke.
How to deal with the most common first degree burns? Here are some home remedies that will alleviate irritation and accelerate skin healing.
A cool shower and a soothing bath
A cool shower or bathing in a bathtub is a very good way to make you feel instant relief. Remember, however, that the water is not too cold and its stream is strong, then you will avoid additional irritation and effectively reduce pain. Also, don't forget that the burned skin is very warm, so sudden entry into cold water can end up with a very dangerous thermal shock for us. To avoid this, it's best to lower the water temperature gradually during the bath so that it changes slowly until it cools you down nicely. You can add a few tablespoons of baking soda, linseed decoction, starch or oatmeal to the bath. In this way you will alleviate skin irritation, reduce inflammation, moisturize it and accelerate regenerative processes. But remember not to overdo it with the length of the bath, even if it brings you a pleasant relief, do not lie in the tub for more than 15-20 minutes.
Aloe vera gel
Aloe not only pleasantly cools burned skin, but also moisturizes it, reduces pain, burning and redness, and thanks to the anti-inflammatory effect it accelerates healing and regeneration. Prepare a few large aloe vera leaves, gently remove their outer green part, and place the gel extracted in this way for a while in the fridge. It should cool slightly, but it can't be too cold. When it's ready, lightly rub a thin layer of gel on the sunburned skin and wait for it to absorb. For better results, you should do this 3-4 times a day, for several days. Aloe vera will certainly reduce uncomfortable burns and help your skin recover quickly.
Green tea compress
Green tea is primarily a wealth of antioxidants, which, by eliminating the effects of free radicals, perfectly cope with the effects of excessive exposure to the sun. Green tea also has anti-inflammatory effects, reduces swelling and redness, relieves pain and prevents premature aging of burned skin. Just brew a few bags of green tea, and when it cools down, prepare compresses soaked in the resulting infusion and gently place them on burned skin. This procedure should be repeated several times a day.
Honey
Honey, but only such real, works great as a natural medicine accelerating the regeneration and treatment of irritated skin. Honey moisturizes it perfectly, nourishes, soothes the effects of burns, prevents scars and, above all, heals. So let's try its properties by spreading it gently on burned skin. A few such treatments will make your skin look much better, your burns will quickly disappear and you will forget about persistent pain and unpleasant burning.
Apple vinegar
The use of apple cider vinegar on burned skin brings excellent results, effectively reduces pain, burning, redness and swelling. Vinegar also has anti-inflammatory effect, which is why it accelerates healing of burned skin, reduces the risk of its peeling and blistering, and at the same time pleasantly cools and brings wonderful relief. You can add it to the bath or dilute it with water (half and half) and use it in the form of compresses, or pour it into the atomizer and spray it on irritated skin from time to time.
Potatoes
We know potatoes well, they are perfect as a natural soothing agent caused by excessive skin exposure to the sun. Grated or sliced raw potatoes, relieve pain and burning, prevent blistering, reduce inflammation and accelerate regenerative processes. Just cut the slices or grated potatoes to the burned skin and leave it on for 10-15 minutes to feel relief and feel their wonderful properties on your own skin. Be sure to repeat this treatment 3-4 times a day.
Linseed oil
Linseed oil is a very good way to alleviate the symptoms of sunburn and accelerate the renewal of irritated skin. Linseed oil moisturizes and smoothes the skin, prevents cracking and flaking, reduces the effects of free radicals and slows down the aging process. Linseed oil also reduces inflammation, has antibacterial and antifungal properties, minimizing the risk of infection of damaged skin. You can apply it directly to burned skin, but you must remember about regularity and apply it 2-3 times a day for several days.
Milk, yogurt, kefir and buttermilk
A wrap made of milk or other dairy products such as kefir, buttermilk or yogurt is probably a well-known and very effective way for us to get sunburned. Of course, we are talking about natural products without any flavor additives, which unfortunately could have a different effect than intended and worsen the condition of irritated skin. These products help restore our skin's natural pH, cool, moisturize and soothe irritations, and thanks to the content of valuable proteins, vitamins and minerals, perfectly rebuild damaged skin and accelerate healing of burns. You can make a compress by soaking them in gauze or add 2-3 glasses of milk to a cooling bath, you will certainly feel relief quickly.
Green cucumber
If you want to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of sunburn and accelerate the healing and regeneration of your skin, be sure to try the green cucumber mask. Just cool it in the fridge, cut it into thick slices or grate it on a grater and wrap it with sunburned skin fragments. You can also combine grated cucumber with a little buttermilk or yogurt, or squeeze the juice out of it and prepare compresses from the soaked cotton pads. Every way is good and everyone will certainly bring relief and accelerate the treatment of irritated skin.
How to avoid sunburn?
Sunburn is not only very unpleasant, but also dangerous, so despite the fact that today we know a lot of ways that help us to alleviate the accompanying ailments, it is definitely better to just avoid them. Therefore, remember to avoid prolonged skin exposure to the sun, especially during hours when it shines most intensively, i.e. between 10 and 15 (when it is very hot even 16), use care and protective cosmetics with high filters, adapted to our complexion, protect your head, eyes and neck, and very importantly, if you take any medications, even those without a prescription, before going out in the sun check whether they intensify its action.
Remember that sunburns also significantly increase the risk of melanoma - a serious cancer, so protect your skin every day. Do not forget that people with fair skin are the most exposed to sunburn, sometimes just a few dozen minutes of sunbathing without proper protection to feel the unpleasant effects. However, let's not go crazy, remember that the sun also has a very good effect on our body, and without it our life would not be possible, but it is important to properly prepare our body to meet its rays and maintain healthy restraint.