Home care begins before sunburns happen. If you are prepared before going out in the sun, you surely won’t need these advices and techniques.

Immediate self-care is aimed at stopping the UV radiation.

- Get out of the sun

- Protect exposed skin

- Don’t use tanning beds

- Relief of the lesions becomes important.

- Medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are helpful, especially when administered early.

Mild sunburns can be treated by applying cool compresses with a mix of milk and water. You can also apply cold compresses with Burow’s solution. You can find this at a drugstore. Dissolve 1 packet in 1 pint of water. Immerse gauze or a soft clean cloth in it. Gently wring out the cloth and put on the affected area for 15-20 minutes. Change or refresh the cloth and solution every 2-3 hours.

There are many commercially available brands of aloe-based products. This ingredient has been known to be beneficial for skin renewal and can be found in any local drugstore. You can also tear off a piece of the aloe plant, split open the leaf and use the cool jellylike material found inside the leaves to soothe your skin.

Cool (not ice cold) baths may also help. Avoid bath salts, oils, and perfumes because these may produce sensitivity reactions. Do not scrub or shave sun burned skin. Use soft towels and pat yourself dry. Do not rub. Once you have done this, apply a light, fragrance-free skin moisturizer.

Avoid using lotions that contain topical anesthetic medications because you may become sensitized and then allergic to that medicine.

Obviously, avoid the sun while you are sunburned.

Medical Treatment for Sunburns

Silver sulfadiazine (1% cream, Thermazene) can be applied for treatment of sunburn with opportune cautions about use on the face.

If your case is mild and not life threatening, the doctor may simply recommend plenty of liquids, aspirin, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.

Additional topical measures such as cool compresses, Burow solution soaks, or high-quality moisturizing creams and lotions may be prescribed.

If your case is grievous enough, oral steroid therapy (cortisonelike medications) may be prescribed for several days. Steroid creams used on the skin show minimal to no benefit.

Stronger pain-alleviating medication may be prescribed in certain cases.

If you have blistering, steroids may be withheld to avoid an increased risk of infection. If you are dehydrated or suffering from heat stress, intravenous fluids will be administered, and you may be admitted to the hospital. People with very grievous cases may be transferred to the hospital’s burn unit.

Damage left by sunburns or other factors can now be minimized applying a biological skin care product designed to regenerate your skin and restore its old functionality.

- Sandrine Magrin

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