by Laura Magureanu

Created on: May 11, 2011   Last Updated: May 12, 2011

A day spent at the beach can end up in terrible pain, because of the severe sunburns that may occur, if proper methods of avoiding the harmful action of the sun are not taken. Although prevention is better than any cure, if it happened to you, severe sunburn can be treated. Here are some ideas on how to treat a severe sunburn, without experiencing consequences, such as scarring.

Symptoms of severe sunburn

Even if you had a blast after spending an entire day in the sun, soon after coming home, some nasty symptoms may start to appear. Prolonged exposure to sun can result in severe sunburn, which is accompanied by redness of the skin that was overexposed to UVs, blisters on some areas, pain, fever, and chills. If you notice all these symptoms of at least some of them, it means that you are suffering the consequences of severe sunburn.

How to treat a severe sunburn using oral treatments

Health care professionals recommend taking Advil, or any other medicine that contains ibuprofen, in order to alleviate the symptoms, that can be very painful, in case of severe sunburn. It is also recommended to drink plenty of water. Because the high fever will cause dehydration, and the skin becomes dry, the body needs proper hydration in order to keep itself in good working order. If you are an adult, you can also take aspirin, but this medicine is not recommended for youngsters under 18 years of age. In case of severe sunburn on face and neck, oral steroids can be prescribed to alleviate the pain.

What creams to use in case of severe sunburn

If your skin does not present blisters and open cracks, you can use 1.0% hydrocortisone cream to make the pain and swelling subdue. Oatmeal based bath products can also help soothe the pain you will be experiencing. Hydrating the skin from the outside is also very important. Use a chamomile or aloe vera cream, but only if you do not have open blisters. When learning how to treat a severe sunburn, you need to know that an antibiotic cream is the better choice for open wounds, then moisturizing ones.

Other methods to treat severe sunburn

Take cooler baths or showers, to decrease pain intensity, and avoid using soap, as it can make your skin even drier. Cool compresses, kept in the refrigerator, will help you with dealing with the pain sensation, as well. Avoid peeling the skin that is hanging loose, as this nasty habit can lead to scars. Try to sleep naked, or wear your pajamas inside out to avoid rubbing your skin against the harder seams. Last, but not least, avoid sun exposure until your skin is completely healed.

This is how to treat a severe sunburn, if you have exposed yourself too much to the action of UVs.

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