Sunburn help!!?

Question

I went to the beach, with sunscreen, and i still got a sunburn. Its all over my upper back, arms and thighs....

i have heard many things about mustard for treating sunburn....is it okay...is it not okay.....??

also hot or cold showers....?......i have heard hot showers are both good and bad....

or just anything else that would help that would be great!! :)

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 green tea or mustard or toothpaste or sunscreen or semen or vaseline or tomatoes or vanilla extract or yogurt or sour cream or egg white or lavender oil or cocoa butter or salt or tea bags or potato or shaving cream or olive oil or baking soda or banana peel or petroleum jelly or whipped cream or avocado or bacon grease or corn starch or tumeric or lemon juice or curd- not until the skin is fully healed!

alcohol might help with the pain but it is a serious risk as it will dehydrate you - so don't drink any. ibuprofen or aspirin will help but larger burns are often accompanied by stomach ulcers, so tylenol/panadol is best for pain if you are gonna tough it out. drink plenty of water or energy drinks that don't have caffeine (gatorade)

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). wash the burn 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.

cling wrap alone is ok if you can't get hold of any paraffin. it also acts as a protective artificial skin - helping retain moisture and protect from further damage and pain. cling wrap is cheap and clean off the roll. in Australia ambulances often use this when someone has been burnt. - please note that cling wrap isn't always practical, like on your face.

the paraffin imitates the natural oils, creating a seal stopping water leaving the body and reduces pain by protecting sensitised nerves. both of these factors improve healing - good stuff stays in, bad stays out - that is one job of healthy skin. aloe is good coz it remoisturises but that moisture can be quickly lost as the skin can't contain fluids. so put aloe on, and then the paraffin on over the top. 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]

finally if you are really worried go to a hospital that has a burns unit or plastic surgeons. serious sunburn i.e. blisters (and all other burns) should be seen by a burns trained doctor or nurse.

Answer 2

Get Aloe Vera and apply liberally. I also sometimes use Icy Hot to make my skin feel cool.
I would image that a hot shower would be very painful and would suggest taking cold ones.
Unfortunately, there isn't much else you can do until your burn starts to fade or peel, but the good news is that the pain probably won't last more than a day or two.
Also, when you are in the sun, make sure you have a high SPF sunblock and remember to re-apply if you are out for a long time.

Answer 3

You're going to hate it, but take a warm shower, but make it a little bit cooler than you would normally take it. Soaking in the tub would be better so that the water isn't beating down on your burns.

After that, put some alo vera on the sunburn to help quicken the process.

Remember: the heat from the bath will take out most of the burn, the alo will also help out A LOT!

I would leave the mustard alone.

Good luck with that. :)

Answer 4

I haven't heard about the mustard treatment, but I would say cold showers would be most helpful (when you burn yourself you put ice on it, right?!). Also, aloe is supposed to be very good for treating sunburn. Keep it moisturized too, and maybe you need a higher SPF the next time you go out. Hope you feel better...sunburns are so painful!

Answer 5

You need pure Aloe Vera gel, Nivea cream (not lotion) and 2 old T-shirts and shorts that will cover your thighs. Be careful of showering. I would just use a bottle, plastic soup container & just pour lukewarm water to rinse off any grits, and very gently pat dry.

Before you go to bed, with the help of someone, slather Aloe Vera gel on your back, legs, arms, thighs, everywhere you have a sunburn and gently wear a T-shirt (in this case with sleeves), and shorts or leggings that you can sleep in. Don't rub the Aloe Vera in, just slather. And go to bed.

The next morning, you skin will have dry out all the blisters that may have developed on that angry red skin. Again, be gentle with your skin, rinse as before with pouring water over you and pat dry. Now before bed this time, take the Nivea cream (buy a big jar) and slather all over the same areas as the night before with Aloe Vera gel and use the long sleeve tee and leggings (a different pair - unless you washed & dried them first) and go to sleep.

The next day, you will find that your skin has recovered, and even with the strongest sunscreen, you must apply multiple times if you intend to be out in the sun. Once just doesn't do it. I used this method when I went out on a windsurfing lesson and didn't apply any sunscreen. The best time to apply is when you get out of the showers before you go out....all over like body lotion.

Answer 6

When I get sunburned I take a hot shower not super hot but just enough to be tolerable and I stand there for about 15 minutes or so and I also use Solarcane spray I think it helps but that is just my openion but give it a try but as far as if it is bad I don't think so because I heard about 10 years ago and ever since when I get a sunburn that is what I do and I am just fine...hope you feel better good luck I feel for you....

Answer 7

Take neither a hot or cold shower, but a warm one, even a bath would probably be better. Get some kind of lotion aloe is the best. Stay out of the sun. Don't scratch or peel at it, and just take it easy. Eat some fruit and drink lots of water.

Answer 8

Drink a lot of water and put aloe gel on it. The more aloe in the gel, the better. Not much else will help.

Your skin is damaged, so be careful with it. Take brief, cool showers - you don't want to dry your skin out any more, which hot water tends to do.

Answer 9

There is a miracle drug called Aloe vera! I put some of this on my baby's face, because it hurt and it was apple red! She cried but overnight, the next morning her face was a light pink! It will help greatly. Good luck, I never did like sunburn, until I got the after tan!

Answer 10

I have been sunburnt many times and the only thing that seems to soothe the burn is noxema face wash. I put the tub in the fridge to let it get cold and just load it on my skin. I gently rinse it off with a wet towel and apply again if needed. It takes the heat out of your skin. I have tried aloe vinegar and many other remedies and this is the only thing that helps me... hope it helps and pass it along