How to treat a Sunburn
How to keep your family from getting sunburned and what to do if it happens anyway. These are my best tips and tricks for how to prevent and treat a sunburn.
I’ve been a family practice PA (physician assistant) for over 10 years and I’ve seen some pretty bad sun burns in that time. I’m also fair skinned and grew up in a beach town. I spent my elementary school summers in the pool. In high school and college, summers were spent on a life guard chair. Early adulthood when I wasn’t at work I was on a boat. Unfortunately, I know a thing or two about getting burned. Here are my best tips for avoiding and treating sun burns.
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Step #1 – Don’t get burned in the first place
Obvious, right … the best thing you can do about sunburns is to prevent them in the first place. Here’s how
- Find a Daily Facial Moisturizer with at least SPF of 15. Most brands will have versions that contain sunscreen.
- Apply Sunscreen 10-15 minutes before sun exposure and before getting wet. Zinc Oxide sunscreens may be more expensive but are generally preferred for safety, effectiveness and environmental impact. If you’re swimming in the ocean or natural areas consider getting reef safe sunscreens. Some sunscreens may be damaging to reefs and are starting to be outlawed in some areas. The most concerning chemicals are oxybenzone and octinoxate. Generally aim for SPF of 30 or higher for long days in the sun.
- Use a Hat and light covering clothing with a high SPF. This is the best way to protect the kids. Swim shirts and a sun hat can make a huge difference between a fun day in the sun and a miserable 2 days later.
- Wear Sunglasses – your eyes need protection too and they don’t have to be expensive. Make sure your glasses block 100% of both UVA and UVB.
- Re – Apply Sunscreen often about every 2 hours. I like to use a sunscreen powder for face re-applications when playing sports (it’s less sticky and fits easier in my purse). My favorite sunscreen powder is Color Science. It works well and lasts a really long time. The one I carry in my purse is 2 years old and I still have some left.
- Avoid the strongest sunlight – usually 10am-2pm. The beach can be much more pleasant before 10 and after 2 anyway and much less crowded.
- If you are have recent sun exposure than limit your exposure the following days. Getting burned when you already have a sunburn is miserable.
So You Still got Burned – That’s a big ball of fire out there
You did the best you could but still got burned or you did nothing at all and are dealing with the consequences. Here’s the best ways to decrease your discomfort and side effects. These will also work for children (unless noted). The recommendations are for mild to moderate burns (redness, pain, may be some peeling in a couple of days, no large blisters and not feeling sick).
Step #2
Consider taking Motrin, Ibuprofen or Aleve. It will help with pain and decrease the swelling.
Step #3
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate – burns will make you dehydrated quickly. Drink water and mix in a few electrolyte drinks like power-aids or gator-aids.
Step #4
Take a cool bath – NOT A HOT ONE – COOL. The first thing you want to do with any burn is to cool it down. You absolutely should not use warm or hot water. I’ve heard many people recommend taking a hot shower – No, No, No. Why would you want to burn a burn? You can also take a cool shower or use cool compresses (cool wet wash cloths).
Photo by Cecilia Medina on Unsplash
Step #5
Add vinegar (white or apple cider) to the bath tub. I usually use about 1 cup mixed in with bath tub water. You can also apply a diluted solution directly to the skin. Most people use a cool wet wash cloth for this. Do not apply undiluted vinegar or it could irritate the skin and make it worse. I have used vinegar baths with really good success. The apple cider may smell better than the white but the effectiveness should be similar.
or
Add Oatmeal to the bathtub. An oatmeal bath can be very soothing to a burn. Add about 1 cup of mashed oats directly to the bath.
Step #6
Don’t use soap and don’t shave until the burn improves. Soap will dry out your skin and irritate your skin. Shaving will too. You can use a light moisturizer soap for underarms if you’re really stinky and you can use shampoo and conditioner just try to keep it mostly off of your skin.
Step #7
Apply moisturizer. Immediately after your bath/shower apply a moisturizer. Ones containing Aloe Vera are generally the most recommended for sun burns. If you’re having a lot of pain you may want to use one with Lidocaine (not usually recommended for kids and can cause allergic reactions). Don’t use ointments like Vaseline or Aquophor – creams only. I have heard of people having good success with coconut oil but I usually avoid oils with burns.
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Get this stuff – Solar Recovery Spray – just go ahead and buy it now. I have probably used 15-20 different products over the years and nothing works as well for us as this product. We carry it with us any time we have the risk of having too much sun exposure. I use it on the entire family and it has a great smell. We first started this spray as a recommendation when my daughter got too much sun on vacation and now we’re hooked. It is now very rare that a burn lasts more than a day in our house. We generously spray and almost always the redness is gone next day. Our skin doesn’t get that crunchy burnt feel and it’s very uncommon for us to have any peeling skin.
Step #8
For more severe burns you can consider applying over the counter hydrocortisone cream up to 3 times a day for 2 days. to help with swelling and pain.
Step #9
You tried all of the above but you still get blisters – don’t pop them or remove them. The skin from the blisters help protect the exposed skin underneath. If you are having significant discomfort from the blisters or they are rubbing on your clothes you can use a very clean needle and gently drain then but otherwise don’t manipulate them too much.
Step #10
Prevent Infections – consider applying Polysporin cream (not Neosporin – it’s a common topical allergen), Silvedene or other antibiotic cream to any open areas or blisters.
Step #11
When to see the doctor:
- You have redness and increased warmth from blistered areas that may be an infection
- There is pus draining from blisters or there is unusual coloring or crusting.
- The pain is uncontrollable with over the counter medications
- You start vomiting or have significant weakness
- You have a fever
or you see one of these guys (The Skin Cancers):
Basal Cell Carcinoma – Usually appears as a wound that doesn’t heal or an ulcer
Squamous Cell Carcinoma – Usually thick and scaly then ulcerated
Melanoma – This can be one bad dude. Usually it’s dark and irregular. If you have a strange spot – just err on the side of getting it checked out. Think ABCD.
- Asymetric
- Border is Irregular
- Color is Dark
- Diameter is about size of a pencil eraser
- Elevated
You see how I snuck in that skin cancer note, huh. Sunburns aren’t pretty, they hurt and they cause wrinkles – aaaakk. Most worrisome of all they increase the risk of skin cancer. It’s not a bad idea to check your skin every 3-6 months in the mirror. If you see a new or strange spot get it checked out. If you have a family history of Melanoma consider seeing a dermatologist yearly. Sun damage prevention is important.
Again – if the cancer word doesn’t scare you the WRINKLES work might. When it comes to sunburns prevention is the key but if that’s not enough these steps will help take the pain out of the burn and could save your skin.
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