how do i get ride of sunburn?

Question

i have an event in like 4 days and i have a terrable sunburn on my face!!! i dont have any aloe can anyone help me?

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 or lavender oil or cocoa butter or salt or tea 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- 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

I did a lot of research on this as I had a sunburn a few days ago. I'm trying to think of something that you have in your house that might help. Nothing can make it fade, except time but there are a few things that can make it feel better.

Vinegar - seems to be a popular choice (I found it to be soothing)
Baking soda - make a paste and put it on your burn
Tea bags - make tea and put it in the fridge and use the cool bags as compresses
Cucumbers - can take the sting out

Answer 3

Aloe won't help that much anyway. Get some regular (orange or black pekoe) tea bags, get them WET and COLD and rub them gently all over your face. Repeat every 30-60 minutes until you feel much less pain. The tannins will both help stop the pain and will 'tan' you so you won't look so 'red in the face' at your event. Next time, put on a good sunscreen and wear a hat to keep the sun off of your face ... and your whole body. You'll look 'healthier' when you are older, and you won't get skin cancer from over-exposure to the sun!

Answer 4

If you just got the sunburn, then get some aloe quick. Take some green tea extract or drink a ton of green tea. Other than that, really not a whole lot you can do as it will last for a while as there are still chemical reactions occuring beneath the skin keeping it red. Green tea (ECGC) is the strongest anti-oxidant that can help to reduce these chemical reactions.

Answer 5

The most important thing about healing sunburn is to keep the skin moisturized. Aloe is best but you can use any lotion on hand. (Try unscented ones first to avoid irritation)

Answer 6

You can't get "rid" of sunburn exactly but put some lotion on your face to keep it hydrated, make sure when you go outside for the next few days to put on sunblock. Drink lots of water.

Answer 7

There's nothing you can do to get rid of sunburn once you have it. The skin will heal itself in its own time. Meanwhile, avoid the sun (obviously). As for your event, if the burn hasn't faded by then, you can camoflauge it with make-up.

Answer 8

Nice cold wash clothes on your face every now and then. STAY OUT OF THE SUN EVEN A LITTLE. and try and get your hand on aloe it works wonders!

Answer 9

Owie! I used to get sunburn a lot and peel afterwards.

Aloe gel is your best bet, and can be obtained in a lot of stores. If you can't get to a store, try vinegar.

Answer 10

You can't get rid of a sunburn. Moisturize your skin and wait for it to fade.