Sunburn relief is often a pressing need in the hot summer months, when it is easy to get severely burned without noticing it. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to deal with the pain, itching, and soreness of a sunburn, and many of these techniques will also speed the healing process. Sunburn relief can also help to recondition the skin, so that you will not develop leathery or papery skin in the wake of a sunburn. Ice packs or cold washcloths can help ease the heat, moisturizers can help with itching, and warm, gently exfoliating baths can help loosen and remove dead skin.
To ease the heat associated with a sunburn, ice packs and cold washcloths can be very helpful. If a sunburn has started to itch, a cold washcloth can be sprinkled with an astringent like tea tree oil or witch hazel and then used as a compress to bring down the level of itching. Cold compresses and ice packs can be used off and on throughout the day on a sunburn, and some people even find it helpful to stick a soft garment in the freezer for a few hours before bed so that the garment can be worn over the sunburned area to keep it cool.
Sunburns also tend to get extremely dry, which can make them even itchier. Relief from a moisturizer, calamine lotion, or aloe vera is often instantaneous, and it can be a good idea to carry around a container of lotion to periodically touch up a sunburn during the day. If the itching becomes unbearable, slapping the sunburn will help relieve the itching without scraping away at the tender skin. You can also find cooling sprays for sunburn relief at many drug stores.
When a sunburn starts to heal and peel, lukewarm baths with oatmeal, cornstarch, or baking soda can help ease the itching. The warm water will also loosen the dead skin on the top of the sunburn, making it easy to gently remove the flaky skin with an exfoliating cloth. Make sure not to scrub too deeply while exfoliating, as you do not want to damage the skin and cause scarring. A sunburn can also be dry brushed with boar-bristle skin brush to remove dead skin.
While a sunburn is healing, it is important to avoid additional sun exposure, which can increase the damage. Using a skin lotion for sunburn relief which includes SPF protection can be a good idea, and it is also smart to wear loose, long-sleeved garments and sunhats to protect the sunburned site. Once a sunburn has entirely healed, the skin is usually still very tender, and you may want to use extra-strong sunblock to prevent the burn from recurring.
Prevention for sunburns in general is also very advisable to people who are tired of looking for sunburn relief every summer. Strong sunscreen should be frequently applied to protect against sunburns, and accompanied with long, loose clothing and sun hats. Sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun are also strongly recommended, especially for people with light eye colors like blue and green.