Home-based Natural Sunburn Remedies

Exposing skin to the sun is a good idea as it provides the body with essential Vitamin D. However, one must expose the skin in moderation as excessive exposure can easily and quickly lead to horrendously painful sunburns.

Besides excessive exposure, exposing the skin even in extreme hot weather conditions can cause sunburn. For instance, spending only 10 minutes under the sun during the hottest part of the day can cause sunburn, and, unfortunately, you may not even realize it when your skin is getting burnt! The symptoms of sunburn usually develop within a few hours after the skin is burnt.

What happens during Sunburn?

When the harmful Ultra Violet (UV) rays radiated from the sun hit the skin cells, the rays damage the DNA. Then, the body reacts to this damage by making attempts to repair these damaged cells and killing the severely damaged skin cells.
Usually we think the redness of the skin and the burning sensations that we experience is the real damage, but, as a matter of fact, they are the results of a body’s response to the damage already caused to the DNA of the cells.
The UV exposed skin increases its production of melanin, which is the dark pigment in the top layer of the skin responsible for giving it its colour. Increasing the production of melanin is the body’s way to shield the deeper layers of the skin with the help of a tan; however, the amount of melanin produced to protect is determined by many factors including the genes.

DIY Home-based Natural Sunburn Remedies

1. Potatoes

Natural starches found in raw potatoes do a fantastic job of drawing heat out of the skin. For many years, potatoes have been well-known as a pain reliever, functioning well on skin irritations and giving relief from bites and burns, and possibly providing help in reducing skin inflammation.
For some, the juice of potatoes do a great job, but some like raw slices of potatoes for healing sunburn. Take 2 or 3 potatoes, then grate them over a bowl or kindly put them in a blender and give them a whirl till they turn into liquid form. Now pour out the mixture, take cotton swabs and soak them into the mixture, and gently apply to the affected sunburn area. Once the applied paste is dried, take a cool shower. It is recommended to repeat this process once a day for a few weeks to see effective healing.

2. Green Tea

If a few empirical studies are to be believed, green tea plays a pivotal role in preventing sunburn and other types of skin deformities. Green tea is rich in antioxidants that enrich the skin with various benefits such as protecting skin against inflammation particularly caused due to harmful UV rays. Either you can apply the green tea on the sunburn or make a habit of regularly drinking green tea.
Take 2 to 3 cups of water to a boil, add 5 tablespoons of green tea leaves and remove the leaves from the heat. Keep the leaves covered for about 30 minutes till you get a concentrated form of tea. Then dilute the concentration with 4 cups of ice cold water. Take a cotton swab and soak it in the tea and then apply it on your face, hands and shoulders. If you want to make the experience more soothing, try adding a few drops of mint in the concentration.

3. Milk

If you fancy a quick and easy relief from your sunburn symptoms, milk is your safe bet. The coolness of the milk that is stored in the refrigerator will do wonders on your sunburn symptoms by easing the heat and help it heal.
Take a bowl and pour the cold milk high enough to thoroughly soak your compress in it. While the washcloth is completely saturated, allow the excess liquid to soak. Now drape the washcloth gently on your burns, and leave it on for as long as you like. Make sure you don’t let the milk reach the room temperature. Always keep the milk cold, refrigerate it, if required.

4. Honey

Honey seems to be everyone’s favourite, especially due to its natural antibiotic properties that help to trap the moisture in the skin, which is essential for treating sunburns. Also, the enzyme found in honey assists in repairing damaged skin cells. Plus, honey also plays a vital role in reducing skin inflammation and swelling associated with sunburn.
Take natural honey and apply a very thin layer of honey on the affected sunburn areas and allow it to dry. It is the moisture in the honey that will speed up the healing process and reduce pain and discomfort that comes along with sunburn. You must apply honey at least twice or thrice a day to see quicker results.

Besides applying honey, eating one tablespoon of honey along with lukewarm water thrice a day will stimulate the immune system and boost the healing process.

5. Take a bath with cold water (add baking soda to bathwater)

For immediate relief, take a bath with cold water just after you feel the pain of sunburn. A cold water will do wonders on your affected sunburn areas and alleviate all pain and discomfort related to skin inflammation and swelling. However, ensure that you don’t apply soap or bath gel on any of the sunburn affected areas. Doing so will worsen your pain due to the presence of chemicals in soaps. Instead, toss a handful of baking soda into the cold bath water and allow the soda to soak for about 20 minutes. Baking soda will help in fighting skin inflammation remarkably well.

6. Bottom line:

It is believed (and, rightfully so) that prevention is always better than cure since DNA damage due to sunburn can lead to premature aging of the skin. And, once the damage is done, all we have is options to reduce the effects of sunburn. In addition to employing the mentioned DIY home-based remedies, it is also imperative to apply skin brightening creams for dark spots. Although the skin care market is inundated with plenty of skin brightening creams, make sure you try skin brightening cream by Dermology. The Dermology skin brightener cream, unlike other skin brightening creams, reduces skin discoloration and other premature signs of aging naturally!