By: Ozren Podnar |
9 natural remedies for sunburn |
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Beautiful sunny summer day is drawing near the end, but one little thing affects your mood negatively - you have got sunburn!
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation can accelerate the aging of the skin, but the burns are the first consequence of a careless exposure to the sun.
If you suffer from burns that hurt, sting and itch, reach for these natural remedies that alleviate pain and promote healing.
1. Oat flakes
An oat flakes bath is one of the oldest natural remedies against sunburn.
Put half a cup of cereal in a blender or a mixer and grind them until they turn into a fine powder.
Pour oat powder in lukewarm bath water and stir by hand to disperse the powder more evenly.
Soak for twenty minutes and then dry with a soft towel using gentle movements.
You can make a wrap using an oat powder mixed with cool water. Every two to four hours put a wrap soaked in a mixture on the burn area.
2. Apple cider vinegar
Vinegar bath is a famous home remedy for burns.
If possible, use apple cider vinegar, but in its absence can use wine vinegar.
Vinegar is an antiseptic and cools the skin while it evaporates.
It also promotes the establishment of pH balance, which relieves burning and stinging.
3. Honey
The product of bees’ work is appreciated for effectiveness against a number of ailments, including sunburn.
Several studies have shown that honey has antibacterial properties and helps in wound healing.
Applying honey directly on the burn accelerates epithelialization of the skin or the creation of new cells.
For this purpose, the most effective is manuka honey.
Rub the honey on the burned area and wrap it with a gauze. Apply this treatment twice a day, each time with a new gauze.
You can use pure honey, a mixture of milk and honey in 50:50 ratio, or honey and lemon in a 80:20 ratio.
4. Aloe vera
This plant has a long history of application in the case of sunburn due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Use one hundred percent aloe vera gel or juice to calm and dampen the skin.
Aloe vera contains a natural substance lidocaine - an anesthetic that relieves the pain caused by burns.
The active substances of aloe vera enhance the blood flow to the affected tissue and improve the supply of natural substances needed for self-healing.
Aloe vera contains enzymes that soothe the pain and reduce inflammation, redness and swelling.
In addition, aloe gel is effective against bacteria and fungi that could cause infection on the burned skin.
5. Low-fat milk and yogurt
Mix a cup of cold low-fat milk with four cups of water and add a few ice cubes.
Soak cheesecloth into this mixture and make a wrap.
Place the wrap on the burned area and hold it for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat every two to four hours.
Milk creates a film of protein that alleviates the burning, itching and pain caused by burns.
Yogurt has a similar effect.
Apply yogurt on the burned area. Rinse the skin with cool water and then gently pat dry with a soft towel.
6. Tomato
Rubbing burns with fresh tomatoes relieves pain and burning.
Tomato has preventive properties against sunburn.
The German study showed that smearing the skin with tomato paste reduced the risk of burns.
Substance lycopene is responsible for that effect, since it neutralizes the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the skin.
7. Tea bags and wraps
If your eyelids are burned, soak the tea bags in cool water and place soaked tea bags over closed eyes.
Tea contains tannin acid, which relieves the discomfort caused by burns.
You can also use cooked black, green or mint tea.
When the tea cools, dip a gauze in tea and make a wrap. Tannic acid in tea extracts the heat from the burned skin and helps restore pH balance.
8. Soda
Baking soda creates an alkaline environment, which acts as a balm on the skin. It has antiseptic properties, relieves itching and allows easier skin peeling.
Mix the baking soda with water, soak a cotton ball in the resultant mixture and apply it on the affected area.
Or, pour half a cup of soda in a lukewarm bath and soak in it.
9. Lettuce and cucumber
Boil lettuce leaves in water. Strain the liquid and allow it to cool for several hours in the refrigerator.
Dip a cotton ball into the liquid and spread it over the sunburned skin or gently press the affected area.
Cucumbers are a natural analgesic and have anti-oxidant properties.
Cool cucumbers and chop them in a blender until you have a paste. Apply this paste to the burned areas, including the face.
What else can help
Vitamin E may help reduce inflammation caused by sunburn.
Oil the skin with oil rich in vitamin E (for example, wheat germ oil) or take vitamin E diet supplements.
Satisfy the urge to put something cold on the burn. Ice pack provides relief from mild burns. Wrap it in a damp gauze or cloth and place it on the burned tissue.
Stay away from bubble baths and do not apply soap on the burned skin. If you must use soap, use the mildest baby soap you have.
If the burn is very red and painful or if blisters start to form, consult a doctor.
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