Home Remedies For Sunburn

Summer the time of year people get to enjoy warm weather, blue skies, swimming, fishing, picnics with friends and family, and many other outdoor activities. But it’s also the time of year when sunburn can become a problem. Sunburn is caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Too much exposure to UV light can damage your skin, making it red and painful.

People mainly living in the tropical countries usually suffer from the problem of sunburn. Though it is not a serious skin disease, it is very important to treat it as soon as possible to prevent the discomfort. Natural home remedies are best for sunburns as they treat the problem successfully without causing any damage to the skin.

Home Remedies For Sunburn

1. Baking soda

Baking soda can be very soothing on sunburned skin due to its alkaline nature. Plus, it has antiseptic properties that will relieve the itchy sensation associated with sunburn.

Fill your bathtub with cold water, add one cup of baking soda and stir well. Soak in the water for about 15 minutes. After getting out of the bath, pat dry or allow your body to air dry. Do this once daily until you get positive results.

Alternatively, mix four tablespoons of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste directly on the affected skin using a cotton ball. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off with tepid water. Follow this remedy once or twice a day for several days depending upon the severity of your condition.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Applying apple cider vinegar on the sunburn affected areas is another very beneficial home remedy for sunburn. It heals sunburn faster. Take about one cup of apple cider vinegar and gently apply it on the sunburn affected areas with the help of a cotton ball. Soon you would see that it has been absorbed in the skin completely providing you immense relief. It is best to apply apple cider vinegar after shower to get the best results.

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can also help treat sunburned skin. It has soothing properties that help the skin retain its natural moisture and reduce irritation. Fill the bathtub with cool water, add one cup of oatmeal to it and mix thoroughly. Soak in the bath water for about half an hour. After getting out of the water, air dry your body and avoid rubbing the skin with a towel. Do this once daily until you get rid of the sunburn symptoms.

Alternatively, cook oatmeal with enough water until it has a runny consistency. Let it cool completely and then apply it liberally to the damaged skin. Do not rub the oatmeal on your skin. Leave it on the skin for half an hour and then rinse it off with cool water. Follow this remedy two or three times a day as needed.

4. Yogurt

Applying fresh yogurt helps to get rid of the pain and discomfort caused due to sunburn to a great extent. Yogurt is thus considered as a very effective home remedy for sunburn. Yogurt contains a lot of enzymes that help to reduce the pain and heals the skin faster. Gently apply fresh cool yogurt directly on the sunburn affected areas and leave it for about 5 or 10 minutes. After this rinse the skin with cold water. You would see that the pain and discomfort would slowly reduce and give you immense relief. This is a very simple yet very effective home remedy for sunburn.

5. Cucumber Paste

Cucumbers have natural antioxidant and analgesic properties which acts as an excellent home remedy for sunburn. Take a Chill cucumber, smash it properly and make a fine paste. Gently apply this paste on the sunburn affected areas and leave it for some time. Then wash your skin with cool water. The cucumber paste soothes the skin and reduces the pain and the dark tan caused due to sunburn. This is a very simple and useful home remedy for sunburn.

6. Aloe Vera

The thick, gel-like juice of the aloe vera plant can take the sting and redness out of a sunburn. Aloe vera causes blood vessels to constrict. Luckily, this healing plant is available at your local nursery or even in the grocery store's floral department. Simply slit open one of the broad leaves and apply the gel directly to the burn. Apply five to six times per day for several days.

7. Honey

Honey works as a natural antibiotic and helps trap moisture in the skin, which is essential for treating sunburn. Plus, an enzyme present in honey helps repair damaged skin. Honey also decreases inflammation and swelling associated with sunburn.

Apply a thin layer of natural honey on the affected skin and allow it to dry on its own. As the moisture in the honey is absorbed into the skin, it will speed up healing and minimize pain. Apply honey two or three times daily for a week. Also, eat one tablespoon of honey with a glass of lukewarm water three times a day to boost the immune system and speed up healing. In fact, you can eat honey on a regular basis to enjoy good health and glowing skin.

8. Potato Juice

Applying potato juice on the sunburn affected areas is also a very effective home remedy for sunburn. Wash properly and cut 2 medium sized potatoes into slices. Then put the potato slices in the blender and take out the fresh juice. Gently apply the fresh potato juice on the sunburn affected areas and leave it for some time. Take a cool shower after a while. The potato juice reduces the pain and provides a soothing feeling. This is a very beneficial home remedy to treat sunburn successfully.

9. Cool Compress

To reduce inflammation and pain associated with sunburn, you can apply cold compresses on the affected area. Cold compresses cause the tiny blood vessels to constrict, which in turn will reduce inflammation.

Wrap a handful of ice cubes in a damp cloth. Hold the compress over the affected area as long as it is cool. Apply several times a day as needed to relieve discomfort.

Never apply ice directly on the skin as it can damage your skin.

10. Milk compress

A cool milk compress is one of the quickest, simplest and low-cost ways to treat sunburn. It doesn’t get much easier than just heading to the refrigerator for relief and easy is good when treating anything. The initial coolness of the milk will ease the heat, while it also creates a layer of protein to protect your skin, help it heal, and further soothe discomfort.

Pour a bowl of milk high enough so that you can thoroughly soak your compress in it. When the gauze or wash cloth is saturated, let the excess liquid drain off. Drape across your burn, pressing gently so that it stays in place, and leave it on for as long as needed. If the milk in the bowl becomes room temperature chill it before re-dunking your compress.

11. Coconut Oil

Applying coconut oil on the sunburn affected areas is a simple home remedy. Coconut oil soothes the skin and provides immense relief from pain. Gently apply pure coconut oil on the sunburn affected areas and leave it for some time. Soon you would see that the redness of the skin as well as the pain has reduced considerably. Apply the oil directly on the sunburnt areas as many times as possible during the day to get rid of the pain and discomfort completely.

12. Tomatoes

Just mix a one-quarter cup of tomato juice or paste with one and a half cup of buttermilk. Apply the resultant mixture on the affected area gently. It will provide relief. Alternatively, one can slice or mash tomatoes and apply to the sunburnt skin. Mashed potatoes can be mixed with equal amount of buttermilk and applied on the sunburnt area to get relief. In addition to all this, one can also add two cups of tomato juice to cool bathing water and soak into it for 15-20 minutes.

13. Mint and Tea

Mint naturally cools and soothes whatever it touches, and sunburns are no exception. The tannic acid and theobromine found in green tea also helps relieve pain and heal damaged skin when applied topically.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Remove the strings and tags from the 5 tea bags and add them, as well as 3 cups of fresh mint leaves, to a pan. Pour the boiling water over the mint leaves and tea bags and cover with a lid, letting is sit for approximately an hour so you can get all the good stuff out of it. Strain and then chill. When the mixture has chilled thoroughly, use cotton pads or a clean soft cloth soaked in the liquid and apply directly to the burn. You can also pour it over the burn if you wish. If you find yourself without green tea you can substitute black tea, which also contains tannins.

14. Drink Water

When suffering from sunburn, make sure you drink extra amount of water. The sun fried your skin and also dehydrated it. Therefore, to replenish the liquid, keep your water intake high. Being well hydrated will expedite the healing process. To know you are well hydrated, clear urine can be used as an indication. Yellowness in urine indicates insufficiency of water in the body.