How to get rid of sunburn

What to do now

1. 1Get out of the sun, preferably indoors. Start caring for the burn as soon as you notice it, rather than waiting for redness to develop.
2. 2Cool the skin with a cool shower, bath or clean, damp towel. Repeat cool baths or showers to relieve discomfort. Do not use ice or ice packs. Take care not to let a baby or young child get too cold.
3. 3Gently pat yourself dry, then apply moisturizer while the skin is still damp. An aloe vera or soy moisturizer can soothe the skin. Apply again whenever you feel discomfort.
4. 4Drink extra water and avoid alcohol. Sunburn draws fluid toward the skin's surface, so replacing fluids helps prevent dehydration.
5. 5For pain, consider paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. Follow the medicine's recommended dose. A pharmacist can help you choose an appropriate option for your age, other medicines and medical conditions.
6. 6Wear loose cotton clothing and keep the burned area covered from direct sunlight until it has fully healed.

What should you put on sunburn?

An unperfumed moisturizer is a valid choice, even if the aftersun shelf would prefer a longer shopping list. Aftersun cream or spray is another option. Calamine lotion or a colloidal oatmeal bath can also relieve discomfort. These are alternatives, not a bathroom committee that needs every seat filled.23

Avoid products containing benzocaine or lidocaine: these numbing ingredients can cause allergic reactions and make the burn worse. Do not put butter, petroleum jelly or oily products over ordinary sunburned skin. For blisters, get advice about dressings and whether a protective ointment is appropriate rather than treating them like dry skin.24

Leave blisters and peeling skin alone

Do not pop blisters, scratch peeling skin or pull loose skin away. Blisters protect the skin underneath while it heals; bursting them increases the risk of infection. Avoid repeatedly touching the burn. If pain remains uncontrolled with ordinary painkillers, seek medical advice instead of exceeding the recommended dose. Do not give aspirin to children.345

How long does sunburn take to heal?

Sunburn can take hours to appear, and its full effect can take 24 hours or longer. Pain is often worst within the first 6 to 48 hours. Peeling commonly starts several days later. A superficial burn affects only the outer skin layer; some take 7 to 14 days to heal. Redness is less obvious on brown or black skin, so pay attention to heat, soreness and tenderness too.346

When to get medical help

Get urgent medical advice for blistering or swelling, fever, chills, severe pain, dizziness, nausea, headache or muscle cramps. A baby or young child with sunburn also needs urgent advice. Seek immediate medical care for faintness, rapid breathing, extreme thirst, no urine output, or painful eyes that are sensitive to light. These symptoms can accompany dehydration or serious heat illness. Yellow or green discharge from a burn needs urgent assessment for infection.346

Prevent another burn while you heal

Use shade and protective clothing. On exposed skin, use broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Some medicines, including certain antibiotics and retinoids, increase sun sensitivity. Check with a pharmacist if you take them. Healing the visible burn does not erase the underlying damage: sunburn increases skin cancer risk.1234