Sunburn is one skin blemish that that is hard to run away from, especially when you are living in a sunny climate.

Most of us spend at least a few minutes every day walking, standing or performing one activity or the other under the sun.

With this, sunburns are bound to appear.

Ladies who apply sunscreen on their skin every day and try as much to wear protective clothing do not worry about sunburns.

However, if you don’t do these, then it is almost impossible to escape sunburns.

The good news is, there is a way out. You can totally get rid of sunburns very quickly and within a short period of time.

Before we go into how to get rid of sunburn, let’s talk about the symptoms.

How do you know you have sunburn?

When you have sunburn, your skin becomes red, and the affected area becomes tender to the touch. For darker skin types, your skin might turn dark or brown.

If it is severe, you might experience pains, swelling or blisters. As it gets worse, you might experience chills, nausea, weakness, fever, etc.

After a few days, your skin will begin to peel and itch as it tries to shed off the sun-damaged skin cells.

If it becomes severe, please visit the doctor for medical care.

Now to the treatment…

How to Treat Sunburn

1. Stop exposing your skin to the sun

This is the number rule to avoid and treat sunburn.

The main cause of sunburn is the skin’s exposure to the sun.

The sun actually does more than burning your skin, it can cause premature aging signs, increases the risk of getting skin cancer and melanoma, etc.

It is very important that you stay out of the sun as much as you can. If you must go under the sun, wear clothes that cover your body. Short and skimpy clothes under the sun are not the best option.

Also, use an umbrella to protect your face and wear a pair of sunglasses too.

You should also try to stay under a shade and not directly under the sun.

These protection tips can help but cannot totally protect you from the sun. Staying away from the sun completely is your best bet.

2. Take a cold bathe

Some sunburn gets inflamed.

Taking a cold bathe helps to cool your skin and soothe your blood vessels that are flared. This reduces inflammation and redness.

Do not use soap because it might irritate your skin further.

After bathing, do not rub the towel on your skin – especially the affected areas. Instead, pat your skin gently with the towel to avoid further irritation.

3. Apply a cold compress

Applying a cold compress has almost the same effect as taking a cold bathe. You could apply an ice pack wrapped in a wet cloth on the affected area.

Leave the cold compressed on the sunburnt part of your skin for about 20 minutes. Do this several times in a day.

Sunburnt skin is very sensitive, so do not put the ice pack directly on your skin. Make sure you wrap it in a washcloth or towel to avoid direct contact with the skin.

4. Apply a moisturizer

Applying a moisturizer helps to cover the top layer of broken skin. It also protects your skin from irritations or infections, until the skin totally heals up.

Also, a moisturizer soothes your skin and calms down any irritating feeling.

5. Put on only loose clothing

Until the sunburn is healed, do not wear tight clothes.

Wear light fabrics and make sure that they are loose. You do not want any friction on your skin at all. This can further inflame the sunburn.

Wearing loose clothing keeps your body cool and prevents friction.

Also, avoid itchy {what’s an itchy material?!} or rough materials. A light cotton material will do.

6. Try out home remedies

There are several home remedies that can help relieve the sunburn and make it heal fast. Some of them include

• Aloe vera

Aloe vera is very effective in treating sunburn.

It has anti-inflammatory properties that prevent the sunburn from getting inflamed. It also helps to soothe the sunburn and aids cell regeneration, which makes your skin heal faster.

Just scoop the gel out of an aloe vera plant and apply on your skin. Leave for 20 minutes before washing off.

You should do this three times a day.

• Yogurt

Yogurt has a cooling effect which is great for your sunburnt skin.

It soothes sunburns and calms red skin.

It also contains probiotics. These help to the restore the protective layer of your skin.

Just like aloe vera, apply on your skin and let it sit for 20 minutes before washing it off.

• Oatmeal

Oatmeal contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to calm inflamed skin and prevent further inflammation. It also helps to soothe itchy skin.

All you need to do is: pour few teaspoons of oatmeal into warm water, let the mix cool off, then apply on your skin.

Leave it on your skin for 20 minutes before washing off.

7. Wear sunscreen

While treating your skin, make sure to wear sunscreen.

Sunscreen protects your skin from ultraviolet rays of the sun.

When stepping out of the house, apply your sunscreen. And if you will be out for long, keep on applying your sunscreen every few hours.

This keeps your skin totally protected.

Get a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has at least SPF 30 or more.

There are two kinds of ultraviolet rays, and both can be very damaging to your skin. A broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF (sun protection formula) keeps you protected from both ultraviolet rays.

This way, the sunburn you are trying to treat does not get worse. Neither will new ones appear.

For more information about sunscreens; what they do, how to use them and how to pick the right one for your skin, click on this article: How to Buy The Right Sunscreen In Nigeria

8. See a doctor

If the symptoms become severe, see a doctor. To relieve the pain, pain relief medications will be prescribed to you.

For blisters and itching, a cream will be prescribed. Don’t ask your neighbor or friend for help. See a doctor.

In conclusion,

Sunburns can be quite irritating and can cause great discomfort. You do not have to go through such discomfort for a long time.

Read the tips I have given above carefully and follow them. In no time, those sunburns will heal up and your stttkin will be back to normal.