Summer is officially upon us, and that means so are the sunburns. Obviously the best medicine for a sunburn is prevention which means a lot of sunscreen and skin protection when exposed to sun. But of course it’s not always easy nor do we want to be fully covered when laying poolside. Remember, there’s nothing you can do to reverse the long-term damage that harmful UV rays have left on your skin. Still, there are steps you can take to soothe your skin and get sunburn relief in the moment.
There are different types of sunburns that come with varying degrees of symptoms, but with any sunburn it is extremely important to keep your skin and body hydrated. Sun poisoning is no joke!
Here are our favorite at-home and natural remedies for a sunburn:
- Hydrate: We already mentioned it, but hydrating is probably the most important thing you can do for a sunburn. Drink plenty of water to help counteract the drying effects of a sunburn. Did you know that one large wedge of watermelon provides 9 oz—more than a cup—of water. Other hydrating fruits include honeydew and cantaloupe; each contains about 5 oz of water per cup. Check out our post on hydrating foods!
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is great in the summer. While some people say it is actually helpful in the realm of a 5 SPF, we actually think the benefits of coconut oil post burn are great! It really helps to reducing the redness of the burn and minimize peeling.
- Take a Bath: We think a bath could solve almost all problems, but when you have a sunburn you have to be careful what kind of bath you decide to soak in. Hot water and soap are a no-go with red burnt skin. Instead, opt for a cool bath sans suds. Instead, mix in a cup of apple cider or white vinegar which can really help sooth skin, it’s a great astringent, and it soothes sunburn pain!
- Frozen Peas, Please: We know, we know, the benefit to Catered Fit meal delivery is that you don’t need to keep frozen food on hand. But in this case, if you’ve got them, pull out some frozen veggies and use those to cool and soothe your burnt skin! If you haven’t got any peas, use an ice pack from your latest Catered Fit delivery! These ice packs are great for cooling that summer burn, but it’s important to cool the right way! Wrap the pack or bag of veggies in a cool damp cloth and apply to the red zone.
- Yogurt: The acidic nature of yogurt is close to that of our skin and can help promote natural healing. The probiotics in yogurt help moisturize and reduce the burning pain. Find a plain (no need for flavor here!) full-fat yogurt and apply to skin in sun burnt areas, wait 10-15 minutes and then rinse off with cool water.
With all the fun summer provides between pool parties and beach days, we all find ourselves spending more time out in the sun that normal. But sunburns can be serious and the most important lesson is to wise up and not make the same mistake twice. After you’ve gotten burned, it takes 3 to 6 months for your skin to return to normal.
Fun fact: Sunscreens with SPF 15 protect against 94% of the sun’s harmful rays, and those with SPF 30+ protect against 97%