Swollen, red, sore, and burned skin. Sound familiar? Slipping up on SPF protection can easily torture your skin, especially during the summertime.
Luckily, our experts have got you covered—revealing the ten of the best natural remedies for sunburn.
What’s good about these sunburn remedies is they can be done and applied at home. With that, here are the things you need to keep in mind to treat your sunburn.
Natural Remedies for Sunburn You Can Do at Home
Remember that when you are currently inflicted with sunburn, it is crucial to drink plenty of water, plus you need to avoid exposing yourself to even more sun until your burns have healed. But in order to heal your sunburn even faster, our health and fitness experts have compiled a list just for you.
If the sunburn blisters, covers a large portion of your body or is accompanied by a high fever, severe pain, nausea or chills, you should seek medical attention immediately.
But for mild sunburns, you can try these all-natural sun soothers.
Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurt is considered an anti-inflammatory, thanks to its lactic acid. Not only that, but it’s also an excellent remedy to soothe and moisturize your sunburned skin.
All you have to do is apply plain, organic Greek yoghurt to your face and body (or the affected parts at least) as a mask, then rinse it after 15 minutes.
Aloe Vera
Did you know that the gel found in this plant has the ability to ease the discomfort your sunburn brings you? Not only can Aloe vera speed the healing process, but it can also moisturise your skin, too!
You can either use the actual plant by splitting it then applying the sap directly onto your skin or you can buy a pure Aloe vera gel.
Honey
According to studies, honey is one of the best remedies to your sunburns—speeding up the healing process, reducing infection, and minimising the pain you’re experiencing.
Here’s a quick trivia: honey has also been used as a burn salve since Ancient Egyptian times.
Oatmeal
When mixed with the bathwater, finely ground oatmeal perfectly works as an anti-inflammatory. Amazing, right?
You can make your own by grinding a cup of instant oatmeal in a blender (you can use a food processor, too) until it has a smooth, excellent consistency. Then pour into the lukewarm bathwater and soak your burns in it for a short while.
Milk
Use a washcloth then soak it in a cool, not cold, milk. After that, apply it on the burned area to create a protein film which can ease your discomfort and reduces the heat in the burn as well.
Cucumber
Not only do cucumbers have natural antioxidants; this fruit has pain-relieving properties, too!
What you can do is chill then mash cucumbers in a blender to create a paste. Then you can apply it directly to the affected sunburned areas after.
What’s good about this cucumber paste is that it can be used on the face as well, perfect for soothing the peeling skin following a sunburn.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar offers hundreds of health benefits, and one of them is curing your sunburns.
All you have to do is add one cup of ACV to a lukewarm bath to help balance the pH of your sunburned skin—alleviating the itchiness and promoting fast healing process.
Witch Hazel
Another excellent natural remedies for your sunburn is witch hazel. To help reduce inflammation and relieve other sunburn symptoms such as pain and itching, apply witch hazel to your skin three or four times a day for 20 minutes.
Ice
One of the natural remedies for sunburn that can be easily found in your kitchen is ice!
Just simply wrap an ice pack or a bag of frozen veggies in a soft towel and apply to the burned areas. Take note, don’t place the ice directly on your skin as it can cause frostbite and thus further damage.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the perfect ways to moisturise your skin once the initial sunburn has finally calmed down. You can apply it as a lotion and spread it on your affected areas or all over your skin.