terrible sunburn! help!?

Question

i got a really bad sunburn on my legs, back, chest and stomach about five days ago. i put aloe vera on it and most of it has healed, but i noticed some minor blistering/peeling on my stomach and chest (close to where my bathing suit lined my skin) and i popped/pealed the majority of the dead skin off, even though i know that was a bad idea. i put aloe vera on it immediately after and it burned like crazy, so i washed it off with cold water. i just put neosporin on it because i'm scared i'll get an infection. it still stings and it's pretty red, though there's no puss (yet). i'm hoping that the neosporin will soothe it and help it heal quicker, but i don't think it's necessary at this point to see a doctor....or is it? i'm also scared that it will scar. this has happened to me once before, and it never scarred or got infected. but it didn't hurt this bad. what should i do?

Answer 1

cold water is the best first aid when you burn yourself - 20 minutes under the tap is ideal. NEVER ice or vinegar or milk or butter or mustard or toothpaste or sunscreen or semen or vaseline or tomatoes or vanilla extract or yogurt or sour cream or egg white - not until it is fully healed!

i would advise that you cover the burnt area with sterile paraffin wax or aqueous cream bp. (check the links below and see if you can find a local equivalent)

cover the burnt area in paraffin wax after cleaning and removing any burst blisters - these are just sites of infection and will take longer to heal. wash and reapply every 4-6 hours - cover with cling wrap if you wish to cover with clothes - this will stop your clothes getting covered with paraffin and maintains the burn.

paraffin creates a seal stopping water leaving the body and reduces pain as it protects sensitised nerves. the paraffin imitates the natural oils secreted by the skin. skin cells are better able to multiply and regenerate with this treatment. pain is also helped. make sure you buy plenty of this paraffin - as the burn heals switch to aqueous cream bp.(aqueous cream has a bunch of paraffin in it plus some moisturisers - look out for stuff that also contains sorbolene or glycerine as these help also). following this regime definitely will help your sunburn heal faster and peel less. aloe is good coz it remoisturises but that moisture can be quickly lost as the skin can't contain fluids- this is a function of healthy skin.

so put aloe on the paraffin on over the top as long as there is no broken skin this works great. if there is broken skin leave out the aloe - just paraffin

http://www.doorone.com.au/xGS-Aqueous_Cream~NS-1~linkin_id-8009837

http://www.pharmacyonline.com.au/david-craig-paraffin-400g-p-1831.html

hope this helps - let me know how you go and what similar brands/alternatives are available in your area

email if you still have questions - send photos
[e-mail]

Answer 2

OOps--shouldn't have popped those blisters! I know it's tempting isn't it? Kinda like you just can't resist popping the air pockets on bubble wrap but that liquid under the blisters is there for a reason! It's protecting the skin under neath. That's why it stings more when you put aloe vera on it. If you use aloe products from the store they have other ingredients in them (like alcohol) that will sting. The best aloe is right from the plant. Break off a piece and slice it open and place the aloe skin side up and the oozy side against the affected area just as you would a band-aid and just leave the 'aloe band-aid ' on until it dries up.

For scarring- try Vitamin E. Again the best way is not the creams at the store because they have other ingredients added. My personal favorite is buy a jar of vitamin E pills, you know-- those little gold footballs! They are vitamin E liquid in a soft gel capsule . Break them open by a pin or needle prick and apply to the effected area. It's an oil, so it will be greasy. But don't use it until the blisters have healed where new skin is starting to grow. You shouldn't put oil on a burn.

Answer 3

There are products you can buy OTC (usually found in the suncare isle/section at stores). I've used aleo vera gel after sun care (you can buy it w/ lidocaine in it to numb the pain), which usually works well for 1st degree sunbuns (when the skin is red but not blistered). Cool compresses can also help &/or soaking in Aveeno Oatmeal bath.

If the sunburn is 2nd degee (blisters), & depending on the extent of the burn, then you may need to see a doctor, who can provide Silvadene cream to the burn & give you a prescription for it. Silvadene cream is very effective but you can only get it w/ a prescription. One complication of a 2nd degree burn, is infection, so they should not be taken lightly. Silvadene is made w/ silver, which is also an antibiotic.

It sounds you may need to see a doctor. Obviously I don't know for sure, & I'm not one (a doctor), & I've not seen the burned area, so use your own judgement. Urgent Care (or some place similar) is a good place to go if you cannot get a doctor appt. Try not to let the blisters break if you can help it, as that's how infection can occur (not to mention the pain), & intact skin is the body's defense against infection. If they have broken, & there's large areas of exposed skin, it probably needs to be covered w/ a sterile dressing (& as I mentioned, some Silvadene cream).

I've also used Vitamin E (OTC) on mild (small area of skin) 2 degree sunburn for my daughter (after blisters broke to keep the skin from drying out/cracking & Vit E promotes healing as well).

A bad sunburn can be very painful & a learning experience so that it won't happen again. Good luck

Answer 4

USE SUN SCREEN DAILY WHETHER YOU PLAN TO BE OUTSIDE OR NOT!!! THAT IS CRUCIAL THIS DAY AND AGE!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!

NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET SUNBURNED AGAIN!!!!

You might want to try Mary Kay after sun gel. It soothes and cools.

Seriously if I was your mama I would spank your butt!! You would have blisters on that too!!!!

OK My experience with sunscreen this year----- IT IS NOT WORKING!!! This is a frightening fact!

My mom used sunscrenn BEFORE she went out in the sun and she burned horrible bad!! I lube my kids up top to bottom even under their cloting----they still burn!! I am limiting their time in the sun and making damn sure they are protected. I don't know if there is a product that is put into the sunscreen that all the different companies are making that comes from the same place like if there is a defect in the certain product or if the sun is just really bad due to the ozone layer and all that stuff or what! But really it is terrifying to me!!!

Make sure that you buy sunscreen that has BOTH UVA and UVB protection in it and buy the stuff with the highest number you can get or even stuff used for babies.

I did buy one that is called Hawaiian Tropic OZONE Sunblock UVA/UVB Protection. It smeels good is not greasy and seems to work better than the rest. I would steer clear of the spray on stuff-yes it is easy but does not work.

Just some info for you UVA protects you from the aging effects of the sun hence the A in UVA.

UVB protects you from the the burning effects of the sun hence the B in UVB.

Also when you put sunscreen on make really really sure you get it around the area where the clothing rides against the body the edge of the clothing item. You will always burn worse there because the sun reflects off the clothes and back onto your skin.

No I am not a DR. I am speaking from experience and to all of you with children put the sunscreen on them every day. Send it with them to daycare and make sure it is getting used!!

If you do not wear it every day and protect yourself from it you WILL have premature aging, uneven skin tone, permanent redness and skin damage and worst of all skin cancer!!!!

So wear it!!!! I am so mad at you and I feel so sorry for you at the same time!!!

OH AND BY THE WAY GO TO YOUR DR. SOON AS YOU CAN GET IN!!!!

BE SUN SMART!!! THE SUN DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU!!!!

Answer 5

i literally just did the exact same thing, but on my back. i retardedly peeled the skin off a sunburn i got five days ago and that was about three hours ago. the stinging has gone down a lot. changing positions really hurt for a while, but it will calm down soon. i had the same experience with aloe. i went in a shower with tepid water then slowly lowered the temperature to where i felt comfortable. people always say these things will scar, but i highly doubt it. just DO NOT peel any more. seriously. i realized this way too late. you dont need to see a doctor. neosporin is a good idea.

Answer 6

Any kind of blistering denotes a second degree burn. You should go to the doctor so that they can give you a topical antibiotic so that you will not get an infection.

Answer 7

try Cool Aloe I.C.E by Hawaiian Tropic. It's kind of a blue-green color with bubbles and looks like hair gel and is usually with the sunscreen. That's what i had to get my bf when he got seriously sunburned at work. It worked for him.

Answer 8

id say what your doing is what you should be, the redness and pain will go away, whatever you do dont put lotion on the peeling part to make your skin smooth, it also burn like crazy

Answer 9

take a bath in oatmeal stuff it always works for me if i feel like that/ if it doesn't see a doctor

Answer 10

go to a doctor as soon as possible maybe they can help you good luck