Summer is here, and for many that means enjoying more outdoor activities. While it’s important to remember sun safety, from time-to-time sunburns are bound to happen. Covenant Health would like to promote sun safety and offer some useful remedies for dealing with sunburns. Darla Porter, R.N., M.S.N., F.N.P.-C., Covenant nurse practitioner, offers some helpful tips on how to soothe your sunburn and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
The goal is to cool and cleanse your sunburn. Tropical creams containing aloe vera, cocoa butter or lidocaine provide the best relief when applied to the sunburn. Vinegar works great to get the sting out. Wash your sunburn with a Hibiclens or Betadine antiseptic skin cleanser to prevent infection. Placing peeled cucumber slices directly on the sunburn provides a cooling effect for delicate areas such as the face and neck. For mild pain associated with sunburns, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or non-steroidal inflammatory pain relievers such as Aleve or Advil can be helpful. It is important to drink plenty of water (six to eight glasses a day) to prevent headaches and fatigue. If your sunburn is causing dizziness, fever, chills, nausea, headaches, swelling, purple blotches, excessive itching, visual difficulties or fluid-filled blisters, you should seek medical attention. Stay out of the sun until your sunburn is completely healed to avoid any further skin damage. If your sunburn is not healing, contact your health care provider.
Covenant Health recognizes that exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays is the leading cause of skin cancer in the U.S. and urges everyone to protect their skin. To prevent sunburns, apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, and avoid being exposed to the sun between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.