Home Treatments if You Get Sunburned

Home remedies may provide some relief from a mild sunburn. Remember a sun burn is a like any other burn from heat in which the cells become damaged. Be gentle and try not to further irritate the area.

Use cool cloths on sunburned areas, you should gently pat to allow the heat to disperse from the cloth after it absorbs the heat from the sun burn. You can try to take frequent cool showers or baths also.

Apply soothing lotions that contain aloe vera to sunburned areas. Topical steroids (such as 1% hydrocortisone cream) may also help with sunburn pain and swelling. Note: Do not use the cream on children younger than age 2 unless your doctor tells you to. Do not use in the rectal or vaginal area in children younger than age 12 unless your doctor tells you to.

There is little you can do to stop skin from peeling after a strong sunburn-it is part of the healing process. However application of a good natural or organic lotion may help because it will increase the antioxidants in the sunburned area and speed up the cell rejuvenation process. In addition lotion may help relieve the itching once the skin has started to peel.

A sunburn can cause a mild fever and a headache. Lie down in a cool, quiet room to relieve the headache. A headache may be caused by dehydration, so drinking fluids may help.

Other natural home treatments, such as essential oils like lavender, geranium, or calendula, may help relieve your sunburn symptoms.

You can try a nonprescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain, asprin is great for lessening the effects of a burn if taken soon enough.

• Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol for pain and fever
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for swelling from the burn
• Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin for pain and fever
• Aspirin (also a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as Bayer for pain, fever and to thin the blood which will help reduce the burn

Talk to your child’s doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine

Treating your Baby for Sunburn

Understanding your baby’s skin and the sun can help you prevent a sunburn. First its important to note the best treatment is prevention. A sunburn is the result of overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A baby’s skin is very thin and delicate, so despite your best precautions, a sunburn can happen – and it may take only ten to 15 minutes of exposure to cause one. Your baby can even get burned on a cloudy or cool day because it’s not the visible light or the heat from the sun that burns but the invisible UV radiation. Sunburns can be painful and can also cause more serious problems such as dehydration and fever.If you suspect your baby might have been overexposed to the sun, you may not notice a sunburn immediately. The redness and pain of a mild first-degree burn can take several hours to appear. A more severe second-degree sunburn can cause red, tender, swollen, or blistered skin that’s hot to the touch. It’s extremely unlikely that a baby would get a third-degree burn – the worst kind – from sun exposure. If you see blisters contact your pediatrician.

If the sunburn is mild, soak a cloth diaper or clean washcloth in cool water, wring it out, and gently place it on the sunburned area for ten to 15 minutes a few times a day (make sure your child doesn’t get chilled). You could also bathe your baby in a mixture of cool water and baking soda to help cool the skin and reduce redness. Follow either treatment with a gentle application of water-based moisturizer. Also, give your baby plenty of fluids – breast milk, formula, or, for an older baby, water – to prevent dehydration.

For more sever cases consult a doctor. The doctor may prescribe topical steroid ointments or creams, an infant non-aspirin pain reliever, or draining and dressing of blisters.