The sun is shining, the sweat is pouring down as soon as you step outside, and the beach has become your home away from home, meaning only one thing — it’s summer in Florida!
Unfortunately, even lifelong Floridians get burned to a crisp occasionally when they forget to reapply sunscreen, use insufficient SPF, or skip it altogether. If this has happened to you, you may wonder about some natural remedies you can use at home to take away the sting of your painful sunburn. Read on to learn some of our favorite tried-and-true methods.
Try These When You’re Red-y to Feel Better
Be gentle with your skin as it recovers from sunburn. One way to immediately make your scorched skin feel better is to apply a cold compress to the affected areas. Over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen can also help fight inflammation.
Wear loose clothing and drink plenty of water. And don’t forget to moisturize! But only use fragrance-free lotions so as not to irritate your skin further.
Aloe…Is It Re-leaf You’re Looking For?
The gel produced by the aloe vera plant has long been used to treat sunburn. The plant can be broken off and applied directly to your skin. Alternatively, you can buy 100% aloe vera gel or aloe mixed with lidocaine for added pain relief.
Brews to Fight the Boo-Boos
Another home remedy for sunburn is to brew a tea without spices, such as black or green tea. Once it has cooled, the tea bag can be applied to your closed eyes, where the tannic acid in the tea helps to soothe the surrounding skin.
Feeling Better is E-asy
Vitamin E is also helpful for fighting the painful irritation of sunburn. In oil form, Vitamin E can be rubbed on peeling skin to soothe. Taking an oral supplement daily also works well to help your skin remoisturize itself.
Water You Waiting For?
One of the best things you can do for your inflamed skin is taking a cool bath with oatmeal, which has skin-calming properties. It may seem counterproductive to your bath, but you should also avoid soaps and perfumed body washes while your skin is burnt. Some people also swear by adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to cool bath water to help balance your skin’s pH.
Ward’s Helps You Turn the Burn Around
You don’t have to suffer through summer sunburn. When you’re feeling the burning, itchiness, and heat of red, raw skin, Ward’s Supermarket has the plants, natural supplements, and body care you need to heal fast. Stop by our store today to stock up on your sunburn-fighting essentials, and your relief will be made in the shade!
