Sun’s out, bums out! All of us (or at least, most of us) love having fun in the sun. But then…the dreaded sunburn makes its appearance on the skin. Ouch! Soon after, the frantic questions follow: Why did I go out in the sun without sunscreen? Why did I stay out for so long? Will my skin itch and burn forever? The next step is obviously to take a nice, cold shower and sit down in front of Google. “Best effective ways to get rid of sunburn” you type in. “How to get rid of sunburn redness from body” you type in next, hoping for more doable remedies. “How to get rid of sunburn redness overnight naturally”: at this point, you’re panicking and scratching away at your sunburnt skin. Relax! Don’t get worked up. This article is a helpful response to your query of “best ways to get rid of sunburn fast home remedies”. To understand the best ways to get rid of sunburn, one should be aware of what sunburn actually is and how it is caused.
Sunburn is the irritation or damage that is caused to your skin due to excessive exposure under the sun. The harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun cause damage to your skin, leading to sunburn. Frequent and long exposure under the sun especially increases the risk of several skin issues such as dark spots, wrinkles, excessive redness, rashes, abnormal tanning and, in extreme cases, skin cancer too. Sunburn, however, never starts off as an extreme case and can always be avoided if you adhere to certain tactics and precautions. Sunburn, if not too extreme, can be treated easily as well.
Symptoms:
Firstly, in order to correctly identify sunburns, you should be able to understand their symptoms.
A few symptoms were mentioned briefly in the introduction, but now I will elaborate them to make it easier for you to detect and understand. So stop panicking at the sight of your sunburn – it is time to gain some valuable and useful knowledge! To treat and prevent sunburns, it is important to know everything about them. Since sunburns are one of the most common issues one can face, especially in India, they might lead to other skin issues such as:
1. Wrinkles:
2. Dark spots:
Dark spots often show up on lighter skin tones in the form of freckles. Freckles are tiny dark spots that form usually over and under the bridge of your nose, collarbone, neck and shoulders. However, freckles can appear anywhere on the body. They can darken too, if exposed to the sun for long periods of time.
3. Redness:
The burning of the skin can cause the blood to show up easily just under the surface; hence excessive redness can be easily spotted. When tanned skin tans further, the redness becomes extremely prominent.
4. Rashes:
Rashes are commonly caused due to chafing of the skin (and also the wrong choice of clothes in the heat – who asked you to wear the nylon tee, eh?). Rashes can appear on your back, the middle of your thighs, the bikini line, shoulders etc. If it's extremely hot outside, avoid wearing skirts or tight jeans. If a skirt is your only option, wearing a pair of tights or leggings underneath is highly recommended to avoid rashes (as your thighs won’t chafe). Never make the mistake of wearing heavy, sequined, synthetic clothes outside in the heat. Always opt for cotton clothes, as they are breathable and light!
5. Itchy skin:
As you scratch your sunburn and tanned skin, you realize that the rashes on your skin are causing the itchiness. No prizes for guessing that it’s good to avoid scratching any further. Soothe the skin by applying cold cream or talcum powder, because irritating the skin further can lead to bleeding or infections.
6. Roughness:
With tan and sunburn go away your previous complexion; and the smoothness of the skin. Tanned skin often develops tiny cracks – which is why it is so important to moisturize.
7. Blisters:
They are bound to pop up when the heat is excessive because the skin is burning! Blisters are very painful, hence should be handled with great care. A few words of advice: always let your blisters breathe. Don’t pick at it. Give it time to heal.
8. Flakiness:
The excessive dryness of the skin can lead to it peeling off in flakes. Nobody likes flaky stuff - especially when it is skin. A moisturiser is extremely important to get rid of this flakiness.
Solutions:
Now that you know the causes and symptoms of sunburns, we can move on to the remedies – basically the moment you were waiting for. All your desperate questions: “best ways to get rid of sunburn fast home remedies”, “how to get rid of sunburn redness”, “how to get rid of sunburn redness overnight” …and so on, will now be answered. While sunburns are a common phenomenon, it is also important to know that the intensity of sunburns can depend upon how hot the sun is your geographical location, your skin type and for how long every day you are exposed to the sun. Look at the symptoms you have and choose the remedy accordingly. It is time to kiss those sunburns goodbye.
1. Ice packs:
Ice packs are the very first option that should come to your mind when you experience sunburns. How to get rid of sunburn redness overnight? Well, start off by being aware of the difference between a tan and a sun burn. Most people tend to mistake tans to be sunburns and vice versa, which can be troublesome. The moment your skin starts hurting and feels like it is burning, you can be sure that it is a sunburn. The best way to soothe sunburnt skin is to apply an ice pack initially so that the sunburn is soothed. Ice also absorbs the heat and provides a cooling effect which can be relieving for the skin.
2. Cool baths:
When you get sunburned, your first aim should be to cool it down. Cold baths can help calm the redness and rashes. It will also moisturise the skin by preventing dryness and flakiness.
3. Hydration:
Dehydration is something that in the long run can lead to severe problems. It comes as no surprise that one of the symptoms of sunburn is dehydration. The sun sucks away your energy and the water content in your body. Not cool! You need at least 70% of water in your body to be plentifully hydrated. Drinking plenty of water smoothens and relaxes the skin. It also reduces the blisters. You can detect dehydration when there is an extreme lack of urination and weakness throughout the body. If you start experiencing dizziness or vertigo, I strongly suggest that you visit a doctor as soon as possible.
4. Sunscreen:
Swimming in chlorine contained or salty water can lead to higher chances of sunburns. In order to block the rays of the sun, it is important to properly cover your skin with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen twenty to thirty minutes before going out in the sun. Pick the sun screen depending on your skin type. Hence, the average SPF (sun protection factor) should be around thirty. On the basis of how sensitive your skin is, keep reapplying the sunscreen. You should apply the sunscreen more frequently if you are going swimming or if you tend to sweat heavily. It is advisable to apply sunscreen every two to three hours if you are going to be out in the sun for long periods of time.
5. Timings:
Always check the time before going out of the house! Why, you may ask. Well, the intensity of the sun's rays varies from place to place and time to time. For example, in India, during the summers, the sun is at its peak between 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Avoid going out during this time.
6. Creams:
Cold creams are another great way to soothe the sunburnt skin. Any good quality cold cream will work for your skin. Just make sure it is suitable for your skin type.
7. Aloe Vera gels:
Aloe Vera is the solution to innumerable skin problems. Aloe Vera has amazing nutrients and has a cooling effect on the skin. More than Aloe Vera cream or gel that is packaged, I would suggest you use an actual Aloe Vera leaf, cutting it in half and scooping out the natural gel to apply on the skin. The gel will soothe the skin and take away the rashes and redness. In around one to two hours your skin will start feeling less stingy.
8. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory blood drugs:
Also known as NSAIDs, these medicinal drugs relieve the blisters, swelling and pain caused by sunburns. Common and suggested medicines are ibuprofen and naproxen. If the side effects of these drugs are too great and damaging, I suggest using the home remedies instead. Always consult a doctor before taking such drugs.
9. Avoid the sun:
There are several ways as to how you can avoid the sun. Avoiding the sun does not necessarily mean not stepping out into the sunny street at all. Avoiding the sun can mean carefully draping a scarf around your face and wearing full-sleeved clothes. Did you know that the sun’s rays can harm you even on a cloudy day? While it may seem extra, it is important to use an umbrella while going out. Your skin matters! The ozone layer that protects the surface of the earth is getting damaged day by day, and harmful ultraviolet rays are reaching us faster.
10. Clothing:
Clothing is incredibly important when it comes to sunny days, especially during the summer when the heat does not seem to leave our bodies. As mentioned above, to avoid rashes, one should opt out for skirts (especially without tights or leggings), since chafing can cause problems. Tight jeans are a big no-no because the skin needs to breathe. Wearing black is not a suggestion, but if you are a diehard fan of the colour, I suggest you choose cotton clothes. Cotton terry cotton, chiffon, muslin, khadi, linen and other light materials of clothing are good to wear in the sun, as they allow breathing space for the skin.
11. Self-care:
Sunburns or not, it is very important to protect your skin and moisturise it. Moisturisers like Aloe Vera gels, Petroleum Jelly, Vaseline creams, Nivea creams etc. are items that should constantly feature on your bedside table. Moisturizing the skin helps in hydration and nourishment, and gives the skin the conditions it requires to heal it.
12. Sunglasses:
Skin is not the only part of the body that is affected by the sun. The harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun can also pose a danger to your eyes. In order to protect your peepers from excessive light, you should wear anti-sun glares that block the sunrays. Plus, sunglasses can make anyone look cool!
These were twelve solutions and preventions that can be your answer to “best ways to get rid of sunburn”, “how to get rid of sunburn redness overnight” and “best ways to get rid of sunburn fast home remedies”. However, the sad fact is that it is always us who are cause for all these extra environmental phenomena that bring problems for us (and the planet at large). If it wasn’t for the excessive gas emitting factories and polluting cars that let out great amounts of smoke into the air every second, the ozone layer would have still been protected. The ultraviolet rays would never have been able to enter the atmosphere and reach the surface of the planet, like they do now, if it weren’t for the greenhouse effect and global warming. Hence, after taking care of ourselves, we should also do our bit towards the mother earth. In some cases, unfortunately, the sun’s out, but so is the jury. Change your habits for the good of your own self and the planet.
Most importantly, stay hydrated, enjoy life, go to the beaches - not to tan yourself excessively but to splash water and run around wildly. The next time you won’t have to type in a bunch of random keywords (eg: best ways to get rid of sunburn fast home remedies) to get a response for an itchy, burn-y problem. Keep in mind that appearances don’t matter, only health does. Most things are in your hands. Stay healthy, stay happy!