17 Natural Remedies for Sunburn

Sunburn is the perfect case of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That being said you’ll still get burned from time to time, no matter how diligent you are. It’s also a great example of an ailment you can treat at home, without needing a bunch of special creams.
On top of that, home remedies for minor sunburns are generally easy to whip up, and usually cost little to nothing. Also, forget racing to get a tan, the long term effects just aren’t worth it.
Be patient; protect yourself from harmful rays, and rest assured knowing that when you get older you’ll radiate a healthy glow that can’t be beat, no matter what color your skin is.
1. Potato paste
If you’ve found yourself with searing hot red skin, root up a few potatoes. Potatoes have been known as a pain reliever throughout the years, working particularly well on minor skin irritations and soothing scratches, bites, and burns, as well as possibly reducing inflammation. Some people feel that the juice of the potato works the best, while others feel just slices are sufficient. Try both, and see which one is the best remedy for your sunburn.
You will need…
  • 2 potatoes
  • A grater, blender, or knife
  • Cotton balls, cotton pads, facial tissue, or gauze
Directions
Wash and scrub your potatoes thoroughly, and then either grate them over a bowl or cut them up and put them in a blender. There is no need to remove the peels. If you’re using a blender, give them a whirl until they’ve become quite liquid. If they seem too dry, you can add a small amount of water.
Pour out the mixture, soak cotton balls thoroughly in it, and apply to sunburn. An easier perhaps more effective method would be to soak gauze and lay it over the burn. If you’re using a grater, grate the potatoes over a bowl and apply the pulp, trying to get as much juice as possible. You can also try simply slicing the potatoes, and lying the slices directly on your burn.
2. Cool milk compress
A cool milk compress is one of the quickest, simplest and low-cost ways to treat sunburn. It doesn’t get much easier than just heading to the refrigerator for relief-and easy is good when treating anything. The initial coolness of the milk will ease the heat, while it also creates a layer of protein to protect your skin, help it heal, and further soothe discomfort.
You will need…
  • Gauze or a clean, soft, washcloth
  • Chilled milk
Directions
Pour a bowl of milk high enough so that you can thoroughly soak your compress in it. When the gauze or washcloth is saturated, let the excess liquid drain off. Drape across your burn, pressing gently so that it stays in place, and leave it on for as long as needed. If the milk in the bowl becomes room temperature chill it before re-dunking your compress.
3. Cornstarch/baking soda for fighting burns
Cornstarch, with its cool, silky texture, is a good way to naturally soothe your sunburn. Like milk, it is one of those things that you probably have lying around your house regardless of whether or not you planned on sizzling out in the sun. If you don’t have cornstarch, try some baking soda for quick relief. Both can diminish the pain and lessen the blazing red appearance of the burn.
You will need
  • Cornstarch or baking soda
  • Cool water
Directions
How much cornstarch or baking soda you need will vary depending on how big of an area you want to cover. Whichever one you are using add cool water-not cold- little by little until it has reached a paste-like consistency. Smear the paste gently over your burn and leave on until the heat or pain has let up some. Rinse off completely.
4. Drink up
Sunburn is a burn. It sounds like stating the obvious, but we often don’t think about the fact that we really, truly, seared our skin. As with any other thing that burns your skin is dried out, and your body is probably dehydrated too. Keep a tall glass or bottle of ice cold water on hand at all times to make sure you’re keeping yourself full of H20, which is necessary to heal your damaged skin.

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