It hurts, it burns, it stings, it peels. We asked dermatologists how to get rid of sunburn fast. Here’s what they said.
Oops, I did it again.
Many of us have been stuck inside for…a long time at this point. So if you accidentally spent a little too much time in the sun recently and you’re wondering how to get rid of that sunburn, hey, I get it.
Even if you do your best to protect your skin from the sun, sometimes shit happens. You probably know that you should be wearing SPF every day (if you don’t, hi, you should!), and it’s even more important to put sunscreen on before you spend time out in the sun—and reapply it regularly. But, listen, there’s a lot going on right now, and we understand if it slipped your mind. And now maybe you’re dealing with a sunburn on those shoulders that haven’t seen the sun since well before the pandemic. Maybe you’re anxiously Googling “how to get rid of sunburn around a face mask.” We don’t know your life. But we are here to help. That’s why we consulted dermatologists for the best steps you can take to treat your sunburn symptoms.
What causes a sunburn
When your skin is exposed to UV light, your body tries to protect itself by making melanin, the dark pigment in the outer layer of your skin, which causes your skin to darken a bit, according to the Mayo Clinic. But that can only help so much, even in people with dark skin, which signals that they have a lot of protective melanin. If you’re roasting in a ton of UV light, you can pass right by the tanning threshold, winding up with the redness, stinging or itching sensation, and swelling that characterize sunburns. Your skin may also actually feel hot and bubble up into small blisters. If your sunburn is really intense, you might deal with a headache, fever, nausea, and fatigue as well, according to the Mayo Clinic.
These symptoms usually show up a few hours after your sun overexposure, but it could take a day or longer to know just how bad your burn is, the Mayo Clinic says. A few days after the burn, the top layer of your skin may peel off (this is your body’s attempt to heal itself), and the layer below that may have an unusual color and pattern for a bit.
Every sunburn is different, but bad ones can take several days or longer to heal, the Mayo Clinic says.
How to get rid of sunburn redness and pain
Once you realize you’ve been burned, it’s important to get out of the sun and treat the burn as soon as you can, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says. Try a few (or all) of these tips to help:
Take cool baths or showers.
As soon as you get out of the tub or shower, gently pat yourself dry. Leave a little moisture on your skin, then apply a moisturizer, the AAD advises. This helps trap the water on your skin and can reduce dryness that would exacerbate your irritation.
If you don’t have time to hang in the shower or bath, try placing a cool, damp towel on your skin for relief, Dr. Goldenberg says, and then follow it up with moisturizer.
Use a moisturizer with aloe vera, soy, or calamine. If that’s not enough, try a hydrocortisone cream.
People often champion aloe vera for its skin-soothing properties, including the Mayo Clinic and the AAD. And it can indeed help with the irritation of a sunburn. Soy might be a more surprising ingredient for sunburn aftercare, but it could allow your skin to trap more moisturizing water, according to research published in the journal Nutrients. You might also want to apply calamine lotion, according to the Mayo Clinic, to help with the itching and discomfort. And if you’re really having a rough go of it, you can use an OTC hydrocortisone cream, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Heads up: You’ll want to avoid products with petroleum, as moisturizing as they may seem, because they can trap heat in your skin, the AAD says.
Here are a few sunburn relief products that our editors tried and loved.
Take a pain reliever.
Avod using pain relief products with ingredients ending in -caine.
Drink a lot of water.
Everyone’s fluid needs are different, but most women should drink around 11.5 cups of liquids a day, according to the Mayo Clinic. (This includes fluids from drinks like coffee and the foods you eat.) Aim to have a few extra cups of liquid per day if you’re sunburned, Dr. Goldenberg says, but don’t push it to the point where you’re uncomfortable. Alternately, don’t stop there if you still feel parched. Listen to your body.
What to do if your skin is peeling or blistering
If a blister breaks on its own, the Mayo Clinic recommends cleaning it with mild soap and water, dabbing on some antibiotic cream, then applying a nonstick gauze bandage.
If your skin is blistering a lot or is extremely red and painful, or if you try these treatment options and are still in severe discomfort, call your dermatologist. You may need a prescription for an oral corticosteroid like prednisone to help with the inflammation or antibiotics if you’ve developed an infection, Dr. Goldenberg says. Hopefully that will help you put this sunburn behind you.
Unfortunately, peeling may also happen as a result of sunburn. According to the Mayo Clinic, this happens when the top layer of skin is damaged. Keeping the areas moisturized is your best bet.
How to prevent sunburn the next time you go outside
A great way to do that: Wear sunscreen! But that’s not the only sun-safety tip that should be in your arsenal. It’s also important to spend less time in direct sunlight (shade is your friend) and if you are going to be outside for a good chunk of time and aren’t sure you’ll be able to reapply as often as needed, wear clothes that protect your skin from the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation has some great information on sun-safe clothing.
“Stacking one sunburn on top of another is not a great idea,” Dr. Rosenbach says.
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