Menu
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result

Home > Skin & Beauty > Skin Conditions > Home Remedies and Self-Care for Sunburn

Home Remedies and Self-Care for Sunburn

Updated on August 13, 2021
9 min read
By Akanksha Shah Sanghvi, MD, Clinical Dermatology

In this article:

  • Home Remedies for Sunburns
  • Self-Care Measures for Sunburnt Skin
  • How to Prevent Sunburns
  • Most-Asked Questions About Sunburns
  • Final Word

Moderate exposure to sunlight is the chief source of vitamin D and can also get you a beautiful tan. However, prolonged sun exposure through the years can contribute to age spots, premature wrinkling, and an increased risk of skin cancer.

home remedies for sunburn

Moreover, spending excessive time under the sun, especially without sunscreen, can result in a painful sunburn. The treatment for a sunburn depends on the degree of burn. While severe sunburns require medical treatment, you can manage mild sunburns with home-based interventions.

Home Remedies for Sunburns

The following at-home treatments can help treat mild sunburns:

1. Apply aloe vera gel

Aloe vera gel is a popular home remedy for various skin problems, including burns. It possesses anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, (1) and anti-itch properties (2) that can help manage the symptoms of a sunburn.

Advertisements

How to use:

Wash the affected area with cold water and pat it dry using a clean towel. Apply fresh, cold aloe vera gel or aloe-based lotion to the area twice a day until it heals. Avoid using alcohol-containing products as they may irritate the burnt skin.

2. Take an oatmeal bath

oatmeal bath for sunburn

Oatmeal is effective in treating sunburns due to its moisturizing properties that can help alleviate the discomfort associated with flaky, dry skin. (3) Moreover, colloidal oatmeal contains antioxidants that help control inflammation. (4)

How to use:

Mix colloidal oatmeal in your bath water and soak your body in it for 15–20 minutes. Avoid using oatmeal scrubs.

3. Apply honey

Honey can help heal wounds and treat mild burns, among its various uses. (5) Since the sunburnt skin often turns flaky and dry and develops blisters, the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of honey can support recovery and prevent infections associated with blisters. (6)

It is vital to use only medical-grade honey, which is sterilized, for the treatment of burns.

How to use:

Wash the affected area with cold water and pat it dry. Apply honey gel or paste to the burn and wash after 15 minutes. Discontinue use if it stings.

Advertisements

4. Use a cool tea compress

The tannins in tea act as an anti-inflammatory agent, thus helping in the treatment of sunburns. (7)

How to use:

Brew a cup of green or black tea and cool it in the refrigerator. (8) Soak a clean cloth with the tea and apply it to the affected area. Pour some more tea on the cloth. You can also add mint leaves when brewing the tea to enhance its cooling effects.

5. Dab some witch hazel

Witch hazel is rich in polyphenols that help reduce inflammation and promote wound healing. (9) It is suggested that witch hazel-based emollients can help boost skin recovery in mild sunburns.

6. Use yogurt

yogurt for sunburn

Yogurt has been a popular anecdotal remedy in the treatment of sunburns, although no scientific evidence supports its use.

How to use:

Wash the affected area, pat it dry, and apply cool yogurt. Rinse after a few minutes and apply moisturizer.

7. Make a vinegar compress

The use of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar is another anecdotal remedy for the treatment of sunburn.

Advertisements

Vinegar can help reduce the flakiness and itching associated with sunburn. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this remedy, and therefore it should be used with caution. Discontinue treatment if burning or itching is felt. (10)(11)

How to use:

Soak a clean cloth in diluted vinegar and apply it to the affected area.

Self-Care Measures for Sunburnt Skin

Along with the given home remedies, the following measures can also promote healing and reduce discomfort:

  • Take cold baths.
  • Apply moisturizer on the burnt area to soothe and nourish the skin. You can use coconut oil, milk, shea butter, or cocoa butter for the same.
  • Use a bandage if your skin develops blisters in order to prevent an infection.
  • Avoid the use of alcohol on the burn.
  • Do not venture out under the sun until the redness, pain, and peeling disappear.
  • Consume plenty of fluids and stay hydrated.
  • Apply cold compress.
  • Avoid the use of soaps on the sunburnt skin.
  • Take OTC pain medications if necessary.

How to Prevent Sunburns

prevent sunburns

It is fairly easy to prevent your skin from getting burnt in the first place than going through the pain, redness, and flakiness associated with a sunburn. Prevention also helps avert permanent DNA damage from UV rays that can cause aging and skin cancer. The following preventive measures are useful:

1. Slip on protective clothing

It is recommended to wear loose-fitting but tightly woven clothes to protect your skin from UV radiation.

2. Slop on some sunscreen

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends applying sunscreen with at least SPF 15 to your skin 20 minutes before going out in the sun, followed by reapplication every 2 hours. You must also reapply the sunscreen after swimming, exercising, or playing outdoors. (12)

You can use broad-spectrum sunscreens available in the forms of gels, ointments, wax sticks, creams, and lotions, preferably those containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. You should also apply lip balms with SPF 30 to protect your lips.

3. Slap on a hat

Use a broad-brimmed or legionnaire-style hat that can help protect your head, face, ears, and neck from direct sunlight and UV rays.

Advertisements

4. Seek shade

It is advised to stay under the shade, especially between 12–3 pm when the sun is at its strongest.

5. Slide on sunglasses

Sunglasses can help protect your eyes from sunburn, macular degeneration, cataract, and pterygium, all of which can lead to blindness.

6. Use a UV index scale tool

A UV index scale tool identifies peak UV times, which can help in taking precautions. It is a highly useful tool for farmers as they spend most of their time working outdoors.  

7. Avoid tanning beds

The UV rays from tanning beds can also cause skin cancer, sunburn, and wrinkling. You may use self-tanning products, but make sure to use sunscreen with them.

Advertisements

8. Avoid exposing your babies and toddlers to sunlight

Since the use of sunscreen is not recommended for children below 6 months of age, it is best to prevent them from sun rays. Try to keep your toddlers in the shade, and dress them in full-sleeved garments and other protective clothing.

Most-Asked Questions About Sunburns

treat sunburns

Can sunburn preventive measures affect vitamin D levels in the body?

The use of sunscreen can lower vitamin D production in the skin and will have a drastic effect on vitamin D levels in the body.

A few minutes of sunlight in the morning or late afternoon, when the UV levels are low, are enough to stimulate vitamin D production in the body. Therefore, it is important to follow sensible sun protection, rather than avoiding sunlight at all times.

Does tanning protect the body from skin disorders?

A skin tan cannot prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin. Therefore, it doesn’t lower the risk of skin or eye damage or even skin cancer.

Can a baking soda bath help treat a sunburn?

Many people use pastes made of baking soda and water on their sunburnt skin or add baking soda to their baths to help relieve the itching associated with sunburns. (13) This remedy has not been clinically studied, and it is best to avoid its use as there are various other proven remedies available.

Can essential oils be used to prevent or treat sunburn?

A few studies have shown the potential use of essential oils in treating different aspects of traumatic burns, but no study has assessed their use for healing burnt skin directly. (14)

Anecdotally, peppermint and lavender essential oils mixed with carrier oils or aloe vera gel have been observed to help sunburnt skin due to their cooling effect. (15) However, they have no use in preventing sunburns as their SPF value is extremely low. (15)

Final Word

Sunburns are a common nuisance that can cause pain and peeling of the skin. Moreover, they may have long-term damaging effects, including skin cancer.

It is recommended to protect yourself from sunburn by wearing protective clothing, using sunscreens, and avoiding prolonged sun exposure. If you do get mild sunburn, you can use various home remedies for relief. However, if your sunburn is severe, immediately contact a doctor.

Continue Reading Continue ReadingSunburn: Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Treatment Options
References
  1. Surjushe A, Vasani R, Saple DG. Aloe vera: a short review. Indian journal of dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/. Published 2008.
  2. Hekmatpou D, Mehrabi F, Rahzani K, Aminiyan A. The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review. Iranian journal of medical sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6330525/. Published January 2019.
  3. Reynertson KA; Garay M; Nebus J; Chon S; Kaur S; Mahmood K; Kizoulis M; Southall MD; Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin. Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25607907/. Published 2015.
  4. A; PNYRKAF. Oatmeal in dermatology: a brief review. Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22421643/. Published 2012.
  5. Zbuchea A. Up-to-date use of honey for burns treatment. Annals of burns and fire disasters. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158441/. Published March 31, 2014.
  6. Subrahmanyam M. Topical application of honey for burn wound treatment – an overview. Annals of burns and fire disasters. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3188068/. Published September 30, 2007.
  7. OyetakinWhite P, Tribout H, Baron E. Protective mechanisms of green tea polyphenols in skin. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390139/. Published 2012.
  8. Dawid-Pać R. Medicinal plants used in treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834722/. Published June 2013.
  9. Dawid-Pać R. Medicinal plants used in treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834722/. Published June 2013.
  10. Luu LA; Flowers RH; Kellams AL; Zeichner S; Preston DC; Zlotoff BJ; Wisniewski JA; Apple cider vinegar soaks [0.5%] as a treatment for atopic dermatitis do not improve skin barrier integrity. Pediatric dermatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31328306/. Published 2019.
  11. Johnston CS, Gaas CA. Vinegar: medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. MedGenMed: Medscape general medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/. Published May 30, 2006.
  12. Radiation: Sun protection. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/radiation-sun-protection. Published 2003.
  13. Quandt SA, Sandberg JC, Grzywacz JG, Altizer KP, Arcury TA. Home Remedy Use Among African American and White Older Adults. Journal of the National Medical Association. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4631220/. Published June 2015.
  14. Kathleen Jopke Heather Sanders Rosemary White-Traut. Use of Essential Oils Following Traumatic Burn Injury: A Case Study. researchgate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312354213/. Published 2017.
  15. Karacor-Altuntas Z, Ince B, Dadaci M, Altuntas M. A cause of severe chemical burn: topical application of herbal medicines. Annals of burns and fire disasters. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441307/. Published September 30, 2014.
  16. Kaur CD, Saraf S. In vitro sun protection factor determination of herbal oils used in cosmetics. Pharmacognosy research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140123/. Published January 2010.
  • Was this article helpful?
  • YES, THANKS!NOT REALLY
Spread the Love❤️
Advertisements

You Might Also Like

Nutrition

The Art of Dieting, Survey by 37 Nutritionists and Dietitians

By Laura Krebs-Holm, MS, RD, LD

Read more

Newsletter

Get our BEST updates delivered to your inbox:



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Categories

  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • Oral Care
  • Eye Care
  • Heart Health
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Women’s Health
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Respiratory Health
  • Web Stories

Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
eMediHealth

This site provides content for informational purposes only. The information provided is not intended for use as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In case of a medical concern or emergency, please consult your healthcare provider.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation.

Our Network: Little Extra

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Nutrition
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Wellness
  • Yoga & Meditation
  • Women’s Health
  • Heart Health
  • Allergy & Immunology
  • Bones & Joints
  • Child Health
  • Digestive
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Eye Care
  • Glands & Hormones
  • Health News
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Mental Health
  • Nervous System
  • Oral Care
  • Pain Management
  • Respiratory Health
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Urological Health
  • Web Stories

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.