Sunburn Home Remedies - How to Get Rid of Sunburn

Sunburn is reddening of the skin that occurs after you are exposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light. Sunburn can be life-threatening and is a leading cause of skin cancer. Sunburn in a very light-skinned person may occur in less than 15 minutes of midday sun exposure, while a dark-skinned person may tolerate the same exposure for hours. Ultraviolet light causes changes in the surface and in the deeper layers of the skin. It reduces the stretchiness of the skin and can cause premature aging and wrinkling of the skin, as well as the formation of age spots. UV-B radiation is much more potent at inducing erythema than UV-A and is, therefore, the principal cause of sunburn (about 85%). Certain light-skinned and fair-haired people are at greater risk of sunburn injury. Skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell cancer) is directly related to the amount of sun exposure (determined by skin pigmentation and hours in the sun). Finally, sun exposure and ultraviolet damage have been implicated in the development of cataracts .Deeper in the skin, it causes changes in the structure of cells, and increases the risk of skin cancers. Most people get the majority of their sun exposure when young, making sunburn more common in children and young adults. Some elderly individuals have a blunted sunburn response.

Symptoms of sunburn include tenderness, pain , edema , itching, red and/or peeling skin, rash, nausea and fever. Sunburns may be first - or second-degree burns. First-degree burns are usually limited to redness ( erythema ), a white plaque and minor pain at the site of injury. These burns usually extend only into the epidermis. Second-degree burns additionally fill with clear fluid, have superficial blistering of the skin, and can involve more or less pain depending on the level of nerve involvement. Second-degree burns involve the superficial (papillary) dermis and may also involve the deep (reticular) dermis layer. Certain antibiotics , contraceptives , and tranquillizers have this effect The risk of sunburn increases with proximity to the earth's equator. It can also be increased by pharmaceutical products that sensitise some users to UV radiation. There is no immediate cure for sunburns, but the pain can be relieved by hydrating the skin. Analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also reduce pain. In most cases, prehospital care involves providing simple first aid to treat patient symptoms.

Home Remedies for Sunburn

• Apply aloe vera or vinegar on the affected skin; it will stop inflammation and pain.
• Avoid products made from benzocaine, lidocaine and petroleum jelly.
• Rub mustard oil on the affected skin and allow to it dry, this will take out the heat from the skin.
• Cut fresh cucumber slices and rub them on the affected area.
• Before taking bath, add some baking powder to the bath water, this will help to soothe the burnt skin.
• Apply lavender oil or peppermint oil on the burnt skin.
• Do not burst any blister. They form a natural protection to help the skin sunburned to heal faster.
• Apply apple cider vinegar to the burnt skin using cotton ball.
• Take herbal bath; put few drops of chamomile and lavender essential oils in bath water.
• Take epsom salt or ice compress.
• Grate some potatoes and apply them on the burnt skin. Starch from the potatoes will soothe the burn.
• Antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C are very helpful in curing sunburn. Hence include vitamin E and vitamin C in your diet.
• Tannin tea is the active ingredient here, which helps to soothe and relieve some of the discomfort of sunburned skin.
• Tomato is a good antioxidant. Eat good quality protein foods like meat, egg, fish, chicken and so on. Eat lots of fruits.