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Sunburn--yeah, we've all had it. First- or second-degree burns that hurt like hell.
Whatever your passion--biking, hiking, rock-climbing, snowboarding, surfing--unless you're super diligent with sunscreen applications in all types of weather, you will be burnt. Remember, about 80% of UV rays pass through clouds, and reflections from water, metal, sand, or snow can double the amount of UV rays you absorb. You try to protect yourself, but sometimes you sweat, get wet, or forget, and you burn once again! Here are some tips to help you through:
For instant relief from sunburn pain, apply cool water compresses to burns.
Apply Aloe vera gel every hour until pain is gone (for a child, two to three times a day). Aloe speeds healing and moisturizes your skin--and it soothes chapped lips too. Make sure it doesn't contain mineral oil, paraffin wax, alcohol or coloring. Alternatively, spray chilled Aloe vera juice over burns up to five times a day.
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JILL SIMONSEN is a qualified naturopath and medical herbalist with a love of life, a passion for travel, and a reverence for nature. She believes in stimulating the body's innate capacity to heal itself via a range of natural therapies, including optimal nutrition, energizing exercise and herbal medicine. Through her freelance writing she hopes to lovingly guide others towards a healthier lifestyle. Jill has a private practice in Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Add ten drops of Lavender oil to a lukewarm bath and soak for an hour. Or add to this a basin of water and squeeze a sponge just above the skin so the liquid can gently run over--and soothe--burns. Lavender is analgesic, antiseptic, antibacterial, and will prevent infection in blistered, broken skin. Like Aloe vera gel, Lavender oil is used in some hospital burn units. Keep it in your first aid kit.
No Lavender oil? Then stir one cup of apple cider vinegar into a basin of water and sponge over burns; or you can use cooled Chamomile or black tea; or dissolve one pound (450gms) of baking soda into a full cool bath and soak.
For small patches of sunburn, such as on the face, place thin slices of chilled tomatoes on burns. Admittedly, you won't look cool, but it works!
Calendula or Comfrey cream will also soothe sunburn pain and speed healing.
Once sunburn has cooled down and your skin has begun to heal, open a vitamin E oil capsule and apply to the burns (and lips) three to four times a day. This will also promote healing and help to prevent scarring if the skin has blistered.
Eat high protein foods, raw fruits and vegetables, and take a multivitamin and mineral supplement twice daily to supply needed nutrients for skin repair. Potassium is especially important (as it is lost through sunburn) so eat vegetables, apricots, avocado, banana, citrus, dates, raisins, figs, and nuts.
Drink plenty of water, as sunburn dehydrates your body.
Sunburn won't reach it's peak for two to three days, so try to avoid any further sun exposure until your burns have healed.
Wishing you excellent health, unforgettable adventures and unlimited thrills.
Catch you next month!
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