How To Heal a Sunburn Fast

How To Heal a Sunburn Fast

I never thought it would happen to me. But, hey, who knew you could get sunburned in a shadow wearing SPF 50? As it turned out, my pale skin can burn even in these unlikely sunburn conditions. If you are experiencing the same problem, no worries: there are ways to heal a sunburn fast. Even if you don’t have access to a dedicated medication. This guide provides a step-by-step guide to my sunburn relief strategy.

Aloe Vera

The first thing I do when sunburn is asking at the reception if they can give me an Aloe Vera leaf. Most of the tropical resorts have a dedicated Aloe Vera plant for situations like that, so don’t be afraid to ask.

I cut the leaf in a few pieces to squeeze the juice out of them. Then I use clean hands to distribute the liquid on the damaged areas of my skin.

No More Sun (If You Want to Heal a Sunburn Fast)

While some sunburned people would go back to the beach wearing sunscreen and covering a burned area with clothes, I think that it’s important to avoid it. Rubbing your skin with sunscreen and then using soap-based products to remove it is not a good idea if your skin is sunburned.

Instead, I hide from the sun and don’t apply any other products on your skin except Aloe Vera and a moisturizer.

Water

Drinking water is beneficial for you, but it’s essential if you are dealing with a sunburn. When my sunburn happened, I drunk so much water that I needed to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes or so. And with every new glass I sipped, I felt that I’m washing the toxins out of my body.

Try it! Drinking lots of water make such a big difference when you are dealing with a sunburn.

Take Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Over the counter drugs like Advil and Tylenol are helping so much when you are dealing with a sunburn.

(Disclosure: I’m not a doctor so make sure to consult with a medical professional before taking any drugs).

Make sure not to mix medications with alcohol. Such a combo is dangerous for your health.

Moisturize

Have a bottle of Aloe Vera or any other soothing lotion (think oatmeal, witch hazel, cornstarch, and chamomile) on hand and reapply it every hour.

By keeping your skin moist, you are ensuring that it will not get peeled. Also, it feels so lovely when you apply a cold lotion on a hot sunburned skin!

Best Face Masks for Sensitive Skin

My Sheet Mask Trick

I came out with this trick on vacation, and it helped me a lot!

If you brought a sheet mask with you on a trip, put it in a hotel’s fridge for 5 minutes, and then apply to the sunburned area. That way, you’ll provide temporary relief as the mask is cold and ensure that your skin is moisturized.

I recommend avoiding masks that contain irritants like Vitamin C and Salicylic Acid. Instead,  stick to those that contain Aloe Vera, chamomile, calendula, and green tea. In other words, stick to masks designed for sensitive skin.

Forget the Soap

For the next week or so, avoid soap touching affected area as much as you can. It means don’t wash your face with a cleanser while taking a shower if you burned your legs or arms.

Soap is the worst thing you can do for sunburned skin as it makes your skin dry and provokes peeling.

Don’t use any exfoliators for at least a few weeks after a sunburn as you could damage your skin even worse.

Use Anti-Scar Oils

First of all, I have to remind you to never-ever use oil on a burned skin — you’ll make your sunburn even worse!

The right time to start applying oils on a burned skin is when it’s fully recovered and no longer looks red and irritated, which means at least two weeks after the accident has happened.

I recommend starting with Jojoba Oil as it’s such a perfect moisturizer that seems to work for everyone. Then, I would proceed with Emu Oil as it’s an all-natural solution for scars and burn recovering skin.

You can also use less natural but still effective BioOil that you can find at any pharmacy.

Learn Your Sunburn Lesson

My sunburn experience taught me that SPF 50 is probably not enough for people with such pale skin like mine.

This summer season, I will continue using sunscreen and start applying a mineral SPF powder on top — I’ll make sure to report on how it goes!

* * * * *

I hope my tips and tricks on how to treat heal a sunburn fast. I also would love to hear that you’ve learned your lesson and will be more careful with the sun in the future.

How To Heal a Sunburn Fast

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13 Comments

  1. Thank you for reading!

    Posted 7.13.17
  2. Loved it thanks for sharing..

    Posted 7.11.17
  3. Beauty Follower wrote:

    Hi! I wear spf 15 from November through April, and the other months I wear spf 50 and sometimes 30. Using loads of Bepanthol body cream as an after sun lotion in spring & summertime.

    Posted 5.11.17
  4. Me too! Never again I forget re-applying sunscreen!

    Posted 5.1.17
  5. Thanks, Amanda! Wow 115+ degree weather sounds intense! I don’t know how people manage to live in those weather conditions… Air conditioners everywhere, I guess!

    Posted 5.1.17
  6. Awwww I could only imagine how harsh sun is in Greece! Are you wearing SPF 50 every day? How do you protect your skin on everyday basis?

    Posted 5.1.17
  7. Yep, Aloe Vera really helped me out! I immediately felt that the skin is less irritated!

    Posted 5.1.17
  8. Hopefully you will be smarter than I was with my sunscreen application so you don’t have any sunburn at all! But if you do, the sheet mask trick really works!

    Posted 5.1.17
  9. Greta wrote:

    I love the sheet mask idea! I will try that next time I get sunburnt (hopefully, not in the near future-ha!)

    – Greta
    http://www.mintyfrosting.com

    Posted 4.26.17
  10. Oh I swear by alow vera! My mum has a plant in her backward garden and I’m constantly supplied aloe vera all year roun, he. When it’s summer and I get a sunburn this is my no-brainer option and it definitely works! Also, as you suggested I try to extra hydratate those days and of course taking extra care with sun rays. :) Thanks for sharing, gorgeous!
    xx

    http://www.stylebydeb.com

    Posted 4.26.17
  11. Beauty Follower wrote:

    You are so right about the aloe leaf effect, i have try it and works.
    My skin is fair and since i live in Greece I deal with sun burn all the time :(

    Posted 4.26.17
  12. So smart! I used to live in the Mojave dessert in near Las Vegas and people were never prepared for 115+ degree weather. The sun is so intense that people from cooler/moderate climates had never had such bad burns. These are the kinds of tips I would 100% agree with! No sun after is key!! Lovely pictures as always!
    http://www.lipstickisalife.com/

    Posted 4.26.17
  13. This is really interesting. I currently have two sunburnt shoulders because I was foolish enough not to put sun-cream on. I have definitely learnt my lesson.

    http://ohduckydarling.com

    Posted 4.26.17

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