Sunburn Relief

If you go outside without adequate sunscreen and protective clothing, you may very well get sunburn. Here’s how to soothe the sting.

Sunburns are preventable, but sometimes the sun does get the best of us.

Luckily, you can take steps to soothe the pain of your burn, and prevent scarring and further damage.

First, cool the burn with water or ice as soon as possible. This reduces the prostaglandin response, limiting damage. Clean the area with a simple soap. Ivory, Neutrogena, Dove or Cetaphil will remove dirt and bacteria.

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Do no pop any blisters! For small blisters, apply a sterile moisturizer like bacitracin twice a day and leave them intact. This serves as the ideal sterile biologic dressing over the skin that’s quickly growing to cover the injury.

QUIZ: How Healthy is Your Skin?

Scarring is always worse if new skin growth becomes hindered. Cover blisters with a fine gauze. The small blisters will dry up and flake off within two weeks.

WATCH VIDEO: A Review of Sunburns

Note: If the burn’s on your hand, face or genitals (no judgment) and is bigger than a nickel, have a doctor look at it. She may treat it with an antibiotic cream, which kills bacteria and keeps the wound moist.