Summer is still high over our heads! How many sunburns have you gotten already? Health Fitness Revolution always recommends wearing at least SPF 30 and reapplying throughout the day, but what if its too late and you’re already burned? Don’t wallow in your discomfort, Health Fitness Revolution has some natural remedies for you!
- Yogurt: Spread yogurt on your burned skin to help cool and heal. Your best bet is to use full-fat, plain, unsweetened yogurt. Let the yogurt stay on the skin until it warms then rinse off. It contains enzymes and acids that can help cure the sunburn. Although slightly unpleasant to begin with, relief comes in minutes.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera gel is the most common home remedy against sunburns. You can use lotions that contain Aloe Vera, but it is better to apply fresh Aloe Vera gel to the damaged area of the skin, as this will help the epidermis recover faster. The sterols in this healing plant are anti-inflammatory and will prevent skin from swelling, while the nutritive mineral zinc will enhance tissue regeneration. Don’t “rub it in” all the way, as you might with a regular lotion. Leave it a bit goopy and moist on top of the burn, as this helps prevent the skin from drying out and becoming more irritated. If you’re going to buy it in a bottle, the best choice is one that contains no added colors or fragrances.
- Honey: A thin layer of raw honey (the unprocessed kind; it should say “raw” on the label) spread on the affected area can reduce inflammation and help fight free radical damage incurred by the burn.
- Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in salmon, sardines, herring and anchovies, can help reduce inflammation and promote tissue healing from the inside out. Not a fish fan? You can also get these healthy fatty acids from walnuts, flax seeds, pecans, hazelnuts, chia seeds and hemp seeds.
- Tea bags: If your eyelids are burned, apply tea bags soaked in cool water to decrease swelling and help relieve pain. Tea has tannic acid, which is known to ease sunburn pain.
- Oatmeal: Wrap dry oatmeal in cheesecloth or gauze. Run cool water through it. Discard the oatmeal and soak compresses in the liquid and apply every 2 to 4 hours. Researchers say the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compounds found only in oats called
avenanthramides are responsible for oat’s ability to soothe itching and irritated skin.
- Coconut Milk: After a long day in the sun, keep with the tropical theme as a remedy. Apply a thin layer of cool coconut milk to the sunburned area and the coconut milk with
soothe and moisturize the skin.
- Drink plenty of Water: Very Important! Sunburns are dehydrating, so it’s important to counterbalance this by drinking a lot of water while you recover. Aim for 12 glasses containing 8 ounces/236ml of water each day (or even a little bit more).
- Cool Bath: Set the water to a cool temperature that’s just below lukewarm (that is, not teeth-chattering cold), and relax for 10 to 20 minutes. The temperature will ease the pain, and the water will stop your skin from becoming as irritated. Repeat as often as you need to.
- Vitamin E and C: Applying vitamin E oil to sunburns relieves pain, as the vitamin helps to moisturize the skin. It’s also good to note that both vitamins E and C have been shown in studies to work as a preventive measure against sunburn because they act as antioxidants to heal sunburn that is a result of oxidative damage to skin cells.
