Sunburn
Spring is here and summer is coming and already I got sunburned. I was pulling weeds in my vegetable garden for hours on a beautiful windy sunny day, not even thinking about the suns rays beating down on my back and shoulders. So here are some tips on ways to stay comfortable while dealing with the horrible excruciating pain that comes with that awful burn.
Instructions
1. The first thing you should know is that the sunburn won't hit its peak on your skin for 24 to 48 hours. In other words, if you just came inside and you think your sunburned, wait until tomorrow. It gets worse. When you shower, don't take as hot of a shower as you usually would. Not only will the hot water be painful on the burned skin but hot water tends to dry out the skin too and the key with sunburns is moisturizing, not drying out. Trust me, dry skin is tight and painful skin. After showering immediately put on moisturizing lotion. I used a type that promised to moisturize for 24 hours and still i used it twice a day, the more often the better.
2. Aloe Vera Gel or the green stuff in the bottle is a great cooling and soothing gel for sunburns. To make it even cooler I put it in the fridge and got it good and cold before putting it on. Normally that would be painfully cold, but on burned skin it was fantasticly cool, just what I needed. I also used cold packs from the freezer but I found that the heat from the sunburn quickly warmed them up. A cold soft washcloth was also a great soother. I used the wet washcloth under the seatbelt to make driving easier, nobody wants the seatbelt rubbing on their burned shoulder.
3. If at all possible, it may be more comfortable to wear the clothes you got burned in because they will fit the burn lines and won't hurt as much. I did find clothes to be the greatest inconvenience. It was hard to get them on and off and to find the right fit that didn't touch burned skin. I recommend soft clothes that aren't tight, loose fitting and since you will generate enough warmth with the burn, you probably don't need jackets which usually aggravate the burn.
As far as sleeping, lay a dry towel down on the bed and then lay a damp towel on top of the dry one. The dampness will help to fall asleep.
When your burn starts to peel, don't pull on the skin, resist the urge. Just keep moisturizing, that is the best thing to do.
Tags: burned skin