We all know the sun can be extremely unforgiving at times however it is still easy to overdo it! Whether it may be not reapplying your protecting agent enough, not using one strong enough for your skin or, god forbid, not using one at all… we’ve all been burnt. In stead of dwelling on the painful fact that what was meant to be a tan has gone the other way, here are some simple ways to combat the burn in order to be back to normal as soon as possible.
Just like with any other health problem, the remedies that will have the strongest long term effects are the ones that repair your body from the inside out. This being said there are foods that can be eaten to fight the damage done to your skin. Though it may not be the best for your breath, garlic will do your skin wonders- sunburn or not! Garlic contains allicin, a compound with a lot of positive healing properties. It is also an antioxidant. This should be one of the easiest steps to take to recovering from your burn as it is so easy to put into almost any meal.
It’s no big secret that aloe vera is well known for treating burnt skin, however this is usually in a gel form and is applied as a lotion would be. Another great way to use this highly nutritional plant is to drink aloe vera juice. It is great for healing damaged skin cells and will help eliminate the ageing effects UV rays have on your skin.
Another great drink that will do you wonders and should be part of your diet anyway is green tea. In severely sun damaged skin, you will have some broken capillary veins. Green tea has been proven to actually repair these. Other than this, it will reduce the redness of your burn after just a few helpings. It has even been proven to block DNA damage as a result of sun damage.
Now that you are already working your way back to health for the long term inside out, here are some quick fixes you can treat your actual skin with. Putting honey in contact with your skin in the form of homemade masks or simply by itself already acts as an instant pick me up. Pay more attention to the sweet treat more than you usually do if you’re sunburnt though as it is big on the antibacterial and healing agents. The antibacterial properties will ensure your damaged skin will remain uninfected when raw. The healing agents will speed up the renewal of skin cells, and therefore the turnover of new, healthy skin. It doesn’t stop there, honey will also improve the appearance of the burn as anti-inflammatory properties it possesses will counteract the redness.
For an aid more to soothe the burn, potatoes will do the trick. The starchy compounds will not only make your skin feel more supple but it will also rid you of the skin. Chop a cold potato up and rub it over your skin, if your burn needs a bit more attention, grate it and apply it to the skin leaving it for several minutes.
Another one to help with the discomfort of the sting is white vinegar. A great natural alternative to constantly popping painkillers while the sting is still there, its anti-inflammitory properties will rid your skin of the sting for about 20 minutes. However this is not one to use on raw/ blistered burns as it will only sting more resulting in further irritation and redness.
With the beach holiday season currently in full swing, hopefully some of these remedies will come in handy if you are unlucky enough to fall victim to the sun! They are all cost effective and you are bound to already have at least a few in your house already. Happy sunbathing!
