Seek emergency care if you feel nauseated, dehydrated, dizzy or faint after sun exposure. Confusion or seizures are also emergency signs. Get urgent medical advice for blistered or swollen skin, fever, chills, headache, muscle cramps, or sunburn in a baby or young child.234

What to do now

  1. 1Get out of the sun, preferably indoors. Start soothing the burn as soon as you notice it rather than waiting until bedtime.
  2. 2Cool the skin with a short cool bath or shower, using gentle water pressure. For a smaller area, gently lay a clean, cool, damp washcloth over the burn until the skin feels cooler. Do not use ice or ice packs.
  3. 3Gently pat yourself dry, leaving the skin slightly damp. Apply an unperfumed moisturizer, or a moisturizer containing aloe vera or soy. Reapply whenever discomfort returns and frequently during the first few days.
  4. 4Drink extra water because sunburn draws fluid toward the skin and away from the rest of the body. Avoid alcohol while recovering.
  5. 5For pain, consider paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, following the package leaflet. Do not give aspirin to children. Ask a pharmacist or doctor if you have questions about which pain medicine to use.
12345

A cool, damp washcloth can soothe pain and itching, despite having no skincare branding whatsoever. Repeat cooling as needed, but keep baths and showers short because prolonged soaking can dry the skin.23

What should you put on it?

An aftersun product and an ordinary unperfumed moisturizer are both options, so the word "aftersun" does not get exclusive rights to the job. Aloe vera gel can feel soothing, but it does not speed healing and can sometimes irritate skin. Choose a gel without added fragrance or irritants, and stop using it if it irritates.234

Calamine lotion or a colloidal oatmeal bath can help with discomfort. Hydrocortisone cream is sometimes used for itching, but its benefit for treating sunburn is uncertain; cooling and moisturizing are the simpler starting point.16

What to avoid while it heals

Avoid butter, heavy oily products and petroleum jelly on a fresh sunburn. Do not use numbing products containing benzocaine or lidocaine, which can cause allergic reactions and worsen the burn. Leave peeling skin alone rather than scratching or pulling it off.45

Do not pop blisters: they protect healing skin from infection. Gently clean blistered areas with mild soap and water, and cover ruptured blisters with a moist, sterile dressing. Large areas of blistering or severe pain need medical assessment, not just another layer of cream.136

Loose, soft clothing reduces friction, which is a better contribution than a fitted outfit can make right now. Keep burned skin covered from direct sunlight until it has fully healed. For uncovered skin, use a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.124

How quickly will it get better?

Cooling can bring relief quickly, but pain can be worst 6 to 48 hours after exposure. A mild sunburn usually improves within a few days to a week; a deeper, blistering burn can take weeks. Peeling often starts several days later. On brown or black skin, redness can be hard to see, so pay attention to warmth, soreness and tenderness too.457

Get medical advice if the burn is not improving, or if you develop pus, yellow crusts or worsening pain. Some medicines, including doxycycline and retinoids, increase sun sensitivity; check with your pharmacist if you burn unusually easily while taking a medicine.237

Where this answer comes from

  1. 1How to treat sunburnaad.org
  2. 2Sunburn Relief: 8 Remedies To Soothe Skinhealth.clevelandclinic.org
  3. 3Sunburn and sun protection - treatments and prevention including sunscreenhealthdirect.gov.au
  4. 4Sunburnnhs.uk
  5. 5Sunburn: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopediamedlineplus.gov
  6. 6Sunburndermnetnz.org
  7. 7Sunburn: Symptoms & Treatmentmy.clevelandclinic.org