Because Crawfest was on Saturday, I know a lot of people are very sunburned right now. Those of you who aren’t – good job, that’s not an easy thing to do. However, for those of you that are bright red, I have decided to show you how to make your own sunburn treatment. You won’t have to leave your house because all of the treatments involve things you probably already have. If you want to rid yourself of that horrible, red, stinging pain, read this. (Again, if you are allergic to any of the ingredients below, do not put them on a sunburn—it will not feel good.)
1. Cucumber
Everyone knows that cucumbers are used a lot during spa treatments, especially around the eyes. Cucumbers are used because they have qualities that reduce swelling of the skin. According to Ilovenaturalskincare.com, “cucumbers also [contain] powerful antioxidants that help build collagen and elastin, and protect skin from the damaging effects of the sun.” I would recommend pulling a cucumber out of the fridge, slicing it thinly, and either let it sit on the effected area, or gently rub the cucumber on the affected area.
For more directions on how to use cucumbers to treat sunburns, click here.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is generally an ingredient that everyone has around the house. It’s great for cleaning and obviously baking, but it’s also a great way to soothe that stinging burn. According to discoveryhealthjournal.com, “rubbing baking soda on your skin gives it moisture and cools your burn down to a manageable degree. Whether you have a slight burn on your cheek or a large one all along your back, this method can help get your skin back to normal while ridding you of the unrelenting pain that usually accompanies such an injury.” This is definitely an easy way to help soothe and cool your skin.
For directions on how to use baking soda to treat sunburns, click here.
3. Milk
Using milk to soothe a burn seems rather intuitive. It’s very basic and it’s often used to help calm stomach irritation. According to koolasun.co.za, “The fatty acids, and possibly lactic acids in milk, are reported to have healing effects on sunburn[s].” Because the fatty acids in milk are what is said to help heal burns, this site recommends using full cream milk or half cream milk because there are more fatty acids in cream.
For directions on how to use milk to treat sunburns, click here.
4. Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline)
I got really badly sunburned last Saturday and in a vicious search for some relief, I decided to try Vaseline. My Vaseline says right on the package that it is used to treat burns, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I actually put mine in the fridge and when I came home from classes I put it on my burn. It really did help make my burn hurt less and made it feel like there was a layer protecting my skin from further damage. The Vaseline helped keep the peeling skin under control as well. After research I discovered that mayoclinic.com actually advises readers to avoid using Vaseline on sunburns because it can “prevent or delay healing.” It worked well for me, but definitely take caution when using this product.