by Steve Christensen

Created on: April 26, 2010   Last Updated: May 26, 2010

Sunburn is as much a part of summer as barbecues and beach parties, but it can occur at other times of the year, too. Sunburn results from exposing one’s unprotected skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light of a particular wavelength – namely UV-B – is responsible for most of the skin damage that arises from exposure to sunlight, but all sources of ultraviolet irradiation (including tanning beds and arc welders) are capable of causing sunburn.

The immediate consequences of overexposure to UV light can be quite painful – and sometimes even life-threatening, particularly for young children. Just like burns that arise from other sources, sunburn’s severity ranges from mild erythema (redness of the skin) and slight discomfort to deep burns with excruciating pain and eventual scarring.

Over the long term, repeated sun exposure – especially that which leads to burning – contributes to accelerated aging of the skin and increases one’s risk for cancer, including dangerous malignant melanomas.

Fortunately, as with many unpleasant experiences in life, sunburn can be avoided with minimal effort. Wearing long-sleeved, lightweight clothing; donning a hat before venturing outdoors; restricting activities to early morning or late afternoon hours when the sun’s rays are less intense; and applying sunblock are all useful ways to prevent sunburn.

We humans are nothing if we’re not hapless, though, so it’s likely that most of us will eventually experience the inconvenience and distress of sunburn. When that happens, it helps to know that there are safe, natural ways to ease our pain and speed healing.

Natural Topical Sunburn Remedies

Like all burns, sunburn feels better if the involved skin is cooled – and the sooner the better. The remedy that is most likely to be readily available is clean, cool water. Liberal drenching shortly after sun exposure not only feels good; cooling may help to limit the eventual severity of the burn. Vinegar is another popular cooling agent, and some herbalists believe it promotes healing, too.

Alcohol baths should be avoided in all age groups due to the potential for toxicity and excessive drying of the skin. Furthermore, agents that contain alcohol (gels, lotions, etc.) should not be applied to broken skin. All cooling methods should be used with caution in infants and toddlers, whose greater relative skin surface area increases their susceptibility to hypothermia.

Aloe vera

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