by Linda Ann Nickerson

Created on: February 27, 2007   Last Updated: June 27, 2009

Cool It: Ten Tips for Treating Sunburn

You just enjoyed a lovely day at the beach, or out on the water. Three or four hours later, your skin feels hot and tight. Your body feels stiff, and you appear to be glowing. Perhaps without realizing it, you now have a bright red sunburn.

How can you obtain comfort from sore and scorching sunburn? Try these ten tips for treating sunburn.

Sunburn Treatment: Take a Cold Bath, Shower or Swim.

A cool bath, shower, or swim can offer significant temporary sunburn relief as well. Avoid using soap, body wash, bubble bath or shampoo on sunburned body parts, as these products can dry the tender skin. Adding baking soda or Epsom salts to bathwater may help.

Sunburn Treatment: Apply an Analgesic Cream.

Sunburn treatment creams are available at drugstores, surf shops, grocery stores, beachside boutiques and even discount department stores. Originally, Solarcaine and Bactine were the main choices, but now many additional options may be found for sunburn treatment and relief.

Most over-the-counter topical sunburn treatment creams and sprays contain either lidocaine or aloe vera. Any such products may provide temporary relief from sunburn pain.

Sunburn Treatment: Use a Moisturizer.

A key to treating sunburned skin is to apply moisturizers generously and frequently. Moisturizing skin creams and non-greasy skin lotions can soothe the pain of sunburn and prevent sunburned skin from peeling. Creams or gels containing aloe vera usually offer the most comfort.

Do not apply butter, grease or oil-based products to painful sunburn, as these items will seal the heat into your sunburned skin and cause it to continue to burn.

Usually, fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic lotions are safest for sunburn treatment, although any gentle skin lotion may be tried.

Sunburn Treatment: Grab a Cold Compress.

Cold compresses can provide significant relief for sunburned body parts. An ice-pack, a cold washcloth, or even a bag of frozen peas or corn can turn off the heat of sunburn and provide comfort. Be sure to wrap your ice pack or cold bag in a soft cloth or towel before applying it to sunburned skin.

Sunburn Treatment: Douse Skin with Dairy.

Some medical professionals actually advise sunburn patients to apply cold skim milk directly to sunburned skin, believing the milk protein can coat and soothe damaged sunburned skin. (Skim milk is preferred, because it does not contain fats, which can seal burns

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