Ever have one of those days? You’ve spent a couple of hours enjoying the great outdoors, you return home, and then it hits you. Your shoulders and face start to sting and you realize you’ve got one bad sunburn. Next time this happens, don’t just suffer through it. There are some things you can do to make the healing time better.
Skin Treatments
You can now purchase aloe vera gel in your local drugstore or supermarket. This plant extract is great for cooling a burn and speeding healing. It also moisturizes your skin. There are also several types of anesthetics available that are applied as lotions or sprays. These will numb the affected area while your skin recovers. Avoid products containing benzocaine and don’t cover the area with petroleum jelly, as this does not allow the heat to escape.
Pain Relief
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can relieve some of the discomfort you feel with a sunburn. Avoid aspirin, however. Take a cool (not cold) bath, adding a small amount of baking soda to the water. Use cool, wet compresses on the afflicted areas, but don’t use ice. Drink extra liquids to help prevent dehydration.
Get Help
If your skin is simply red and painful, you’ve probably suffered a first degree burn. A second degree burn will cause blisters to form on your skin. If you have extremely blistered skin, are suffering severe pain, or generally feel ill, seek the assistance of a physician immediately. Also, any sunburn in an infant under the age of one should be considered an emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
It is important to try to not get another sunburn while your skin is still healing. This will only further delay healing and will cause more pain. Remember, though, that prevention is the always the best medicine. Use sunscreen when going outdoors, take a hat, and stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day. Hopefully, you’ll never have to treat a sunburn again.
At The Quarters on Razorback Road Apartments in Fayetteville, Arkansas, we believe it’s important to live life vigorously. In order to do so, you must educate yourself regularly with lifestyle-enhancing tips such as these. With this blog post, we seek to improve your way of life through education that promotes self-care.