From the Health Coach: Sunburn home remedies

Did you accidentally soak in too much sun while having fun outside recently? Don't worry. Try these home remedies to soothe your skin.

• Place a cool compress or cloth on the sunburned skin for immediate sunburn relief. Chilled lotions and cloths can help, or even frozen packages of veggies.
• Rehydrate burned skin by drinking extra fluids, especially water. This helps the skin to heal more quickly. Eat fluid filled foods like watermelon while recovering.
• Take a cool shower or bath. Lavender, chamomile, baking soda and oatmeal can all be added to help soothe the skin as well. If you have apple cider or white vinegar, they can also be used to calm toasted skin.
• Use aloe vera to cool sun scorched skin—you can even use the salve directly from your house plant. Vitamin E oil can also be applied to help decrease skin inflammation from sunburn.
• Yogurt and milk can be applied to skin after a too much fun in the sun. The protein found in these foods creates a film that alleviates sunburn pain and itch.
• Use cucumbers as an analgesic. Chill cucumbers and then mash or blend to create a paste. The paste can be applied to faces and other areas while skin is healing from sunburn.
• Brew black tea. After it’s cooled, use a cloth to apply it to the skin. It’s believed that tea can help to draw heat from the skin. Tea bags can also be applied to sunburnt eyelids to help calm the skin.

And one last tip: Stay in the shade following a sunburn and let your skin heal. If you do have to be outside, try to find shade, and don’t forget your sunblock!

Have Questions?
Campbell County Health Wellness works to reduce health risks and promote overall wellness among employee groups and individuals across the northeastern Wyoming region. At Wellness, you can receive daily community blood draws, lab tests, and health and wellness screenings in Gillette, Wyoming. To learn more about Wellness, please visit www.cchwyo.org/Wellness or call 307.688.8051.

This blog was written by Rachel Wilde, PBT, CPT, MA, CCH Wellness Services Technician and Phlebotomist