Okay, so I’m not going to sit here and start on a big lament about how a single sunburn puts you at an increased risk for skin cancer. Or about how sunburn only occurs after your cells are already damaged. Nope, not going to do that. 😉 What I am here to write a full blog post about, though, is how to treat a sunburn in seven easy steps:
1. Take an aspirin as soon as possible.
It may sound like illogical advice, but aspirin is a natural anti-inflammatory. According to Dr. James Spencer, a St. Petersburg, Florida dermatologist in this month’s Allure, “Ultraviolet radiation causes inflammation, and aspirin is an anti-inflammatory [that doesn’t cause thinning of the skin over time.] ” Less inflammation means less pain, so I say, go for it! (One word of caution: don’t give aspirin to children under 18, as aspirin exposure in children has been associated with Reye’s Syndrome).
2. Try distilled white vinegar.
According to Dr. Audrey Kunin, author of The DERMADoctor Skinstruction Manual, distilled white vinegar takes the sting out of a burn, “once the initial sting from the vinegar wore off.” According to Kunin, “The acetic acid in the vinegar works as a topical NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).” It doesn’t smell too pleasant, but it’s a nice quick, cheap at-home fix.
3. Shower with lukewarm water – and oatmeal.
Even if you’re Queen (or King, for that matter) of the Hot Showers, lay off for a while. Hot showers can be irritating for a sunburn, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio of The Derm Blog. Instead, Dr. Benabio recommends showering or bathing with lukewarm water and Aveeno Colloidal Oatmeal.
Oatmeal has proven anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. In a supplement to the journal Cosmetic Dermatology, it is stated that these ingredients are among the few natural ingredients that are regulated by the U.S. FDA. In addition, in the supplement, it reads that oats have been used since ancient Egypt to manage dry, itchy skin. Colloidal oatmeal, a preparation of ground hulled oat kernels dispersible in water found in Aveeno Colloidal Oatmeal, is helpful to dry skin in four major ways:
- 1. Contains a helpful mixture of components that soothe and/or hydrate skin, including 10-18% protein, 60-64% polysaccharides, and lipids, enzymes, saponins, prostaglandin synthetic inhibitors, vitamins, and flavonoids. In short, oat proteins have high hydration and fat-binding capacities, and have been shown to improve skin’s barrier function.
- 2. Has a lower pH than human skin, which enables absorption of oils and dirt on the skin.
- 3. Positively charged sites of oat proteins help oatmeal bind to negatively-charged parts of the skin, anchoring the moisturizing ingredients into the skin. This helps the ingredient form a thin layer over the skin. (Pretty neat, huh? )
- 4. Contains vitamin E, an antioxidant.
- 5. In one study, cited here, oat kernel extracts inhibited prostaglandin synthesis to a degree comparable with that of indomethacin, indicating that oatmeal may reduce pain and itching.
4. Use an aloe vera cream immediately after you shower.
Aloe vera is one of the mysteries of the dermatological world: it works, but no one seems to know why. According to Dr. Spencer, “It’s been a sunburn staple since the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans, although no one knows why it works.” Maybe this will be something I devote my research days to in medical school, who knows. 😉 Until then, I recommend Aubrey’s Certified Organic Aloe Vera ($7.78, Amazon.com). (For more on certified organic, click here.)
5. OR try green tea creams or compresses.
A green tea cream works because — surprise! — it’s also anti-inflammatory. Two great ways to get it: one, try a cream with a high concentration of the active part of green tea, the EGCGs, like with the 90% polyphenols found in Topix Replenix Cream ($44.95, Amazon.com). Or, according to Dr. Kunin, you can brew up a batch of green tea, chill it, and make compresses at home. The EGCG will act as an anti-inflammatory through the cool compresses (pretty neat, huh?!) My personal favorite is Tazo China Green Tips Green Tea ($5.95 for a box of 24, Amazon.com).
6. Despite traditional advice, avoid benzocaine or lidocaine.
I have heard from a number of sources to use topical numbing agents, like benzocaine or lidocaine, on a bad burn. However, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio of The Derm Blog, “Although [numbing agents] can feel great when applied, they are notorious for causing allergic contact dermatitis. If you think a sunburn is bad, try adding an incredibly itchy, allergic contact dermatitis on top of a sunburn. As one of my patients put it: “Its like being tied down on an ant hill of fire ants.”’ Um, that’s not good. Sooo, stay away from traditional advice on this one, and lay down with some aspirin, vinegar, oatmeal, green tea, or Domeboro instead (see below).
7. Try Domeboro.
What’s Domeboro, you ask? (I had no clue either.) Domeboro ($10.03, Amazon.com) is an astringent solution that has been used for decades. According to Dr. Katie Rodan (of Pro-Activ fame) in this month’s Allure, it’s good for blisters. It’s available in powder form, and can be mixed with water (and yes, also green tea) to form a cool, soothing compress. Now doesn’t that sound nice? 🙂