Natural Sunburn Remedies

[CodieCW]

by Rick Alan

Summer—the season for barbecues, picnics, sailing, baseball, golf, and the beach. And if you're not careful, it's the ideal time for sunburns.

We all probably have at least one memory of a nasty childhood sunburn—the hot red skin that was painful to touch, the stuff Mom sprayed all over it to cool it off, and the flaking and peeling that came later. Some people with severe sunburns even experience blistering, fever, chills, nausea, and/or vomiting.

If you take the proper protective measures, you shouldn't get burned. But if you do, you'll want to seek treatment that will do two things: cool the skin to help ease the pain and moisturize the skin with ingredients that promote healing.

Traditional, Over-the-Counter Remedies
There are numerous over-the-counter (OTC) skin care products and pain medications that can be used to treat sunburn. According to Dr. Jeffrey Dover, Associate Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Boston's Beth Israel/Deaconess Medical Center, one of the most soothing is topical Solarcaine. Other OTC pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve) will also help ease discomfort, but if you're so burnt that nausea is a problem, you should avoid these products.

Natural Remedies
In addition to traditional OTC treatments, there are several natural remedies for sunburn:


Cool milk compresses--Applying cool whole milk to a sunburn with a soft cloth or cotton gauze will help ease the pain and discomfort, while the fat content of the milk will help soothe the skin and may facilitate healing.

Cool baths--Soaking in a cool bath is one of the best ways to draw heat from the skin and soothe the pain and discomfort of a sunburn. Adding chamomile oil or baking soda to a cool bath (or oatmeal to a lukewarm bath) can relieve the pain. (After bathing, lightly pat the skin dry with a soft towel, preferably cotton. If you take an oatmeal bath, let the light coating of oatmeal that clings to your skin remain.)

Rubbing alcohol--Because it evaporates so quickly, dabbing on rubbing alcohol will quickly cool and ease the pain of sunburned skin.

For best results, follow the abovementioned treatments immediately with a slathering of moisturizing cream to relubricate the skin and facilitate it's retention of water.

Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is commonly used to treat sunburn. A thick, jelly-like substance found in the leaf of the plant, aloe vera gel is soothing probably due in part to anthraquinones (natural analgesics). Because it is naturally rich in substances such as vitamins A, C, E, and amino acids, it may also provide health benefits to the skin, though studies have generally failed to find any specific beneficial effect on sunburns.

Gel extracted directly from an aloe vera plant works best, but the plants may be difficult to find. Accordingly, you may want to buy an OTC aloe vera cream that contains the gel. But if you do, make sure that the cream contains a higher concentration of aloe vera than it does water or other solutions.

Prevention
The best way to deal with a sunburn is to avoid getting one in the first place. So, whenever you're out working or playing in the sun, be sure to take the following precautions:

• Wear protective clothing, including a long-sleeve shirt and a hat.
• Avoid midday sun, if possible, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
• At least 15 minutes before going out into the sun, cover all areas of exposed skin with a sunscreen containing a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
• Consumption of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C might slightly increase sun protection. Applying antioxidants to the skin also offers modest benefit, according to preliminary studies.
• Reapply sunscreen every hour while out in the sun, and more often if you are perspiring heavily or swimming.

Since ultraviolet rays can filter through clouds, take the above precautions even on cloudy days.

Also, be aware that certain medications, including many antibiotics, tranquilizers, and diuretics can increase your susceptibility to sunburn. While taking these or other medications, check with your pharmacist or physician about any increased risk for sunburn.

RESOURCES:

American Academy of Dermatology
http://www.aad.org

A Homeopathic perspective on burns. Homeopathic Educational Services website. Available at: http://www.homeopathic.com/ailments/new/Burns.htm.