The Best Sunburn Remedies for Your Trip to the Beach

Although you often remember to pack your sunscreen while preparing for your much-anticipated beach trip (nobody wants skin cancer!), you often forget to pack any sunburn remedies. It may slip your mind because you aren’t expecting to get a sunburn — that’s why you packed the sunblock!

However, SPF isn’t foolproof. There are and will continue to be times that the protectant wears off or you don’t get every spot. And when that happens, burns will be the result.

When this happens, don’t let it ruin your vacation. There are many sunburn remedies for your beach trip that you can turn to, which we have listed below. Most of these items you can even find in your own home!

1. Use Aloe Vera

Photo Credit: itz_princess_safu via Instagram

• The most common ingredient people reach for when a sunburn pops up is aloe vera
• Although this is grown on a plant, it is available in gel and lotion form at most retail stores.
• The best form of aloe vera gel is the variety that includes the ingredient lidocaine.
• Aloe vera gel cools the burning feeling that comes with a sunburn. The anti-inflammatory elements that comprise the plant help to calm the irritated skin and heal the sunburn.

2. Moisturize

Photo Credit: beautycarecode via Instagram

• Keeping the burned area moist and lubricated is beneficial to the healing process of a sunburn.
• During the process of acquiring a sunburn, the sun’s rays and heat dry out the skin. This dehydration further irritates a person’s epidermis.
• A simple way to alleviate the pain associated with irritated skin is through adequate moisturizing.
• A standard home remedy of a basic lotion thoroughly applied to the affected areas provides a great deal of relief.
• It is important to remember to stay away from lotions with high levels of fragrance. A dermatologist will say that high-quality moisturizers will have a better impact on your skin’s comfort level.

3. Take Ibuprofen or Advil

Photo Credit: fast.shipping_ec via Instagram

• Most don’t think to take an oral medication to relieve the pain a sunburn gives off. However, taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen will allow the pain level to decrease and reduce the swelling associated with the burn.
• In addition to ibuprofen, you can add an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to the affected area if your burn is severe.
• If you find that your burn is to the level that you have blisters forming, it is best to get in touch with a medical professional about the best care route.

4. Use Baking Soda

Photo Credit: Aqua Mechanical via Flickr CC2.0

• One way to calm the swelling and soften your burned skin is baking soda in your bathwater.
• Run a lukewarm bath and add in several heaping tablespoons of baking soda.
• Follow it up by soaking for 15-20 minutes.
• Another way to find relief in the bathtub is by adding oats while bathing. The oats will soothe your skin while helping you to retain moisture.
• It is imperative to remember not to scrub or exfoliate your skin while your sunburn is healing. This act will only further irritate your skin and prolong sunburn recovery.

Additional options are:

• Apple cider vinegar
• Lavender essential oil
• Chamomile essential oil

5. Moisturize with Coconut Oil

Photo Credit: teefahs_coconut via Instagram

• As your sunburn starts to heal, it is essential to remember to stay out of the sun and to continue to moisturize.
• An excellent alternative to lotion is coconut oil.
• Applying coconut oil-like lotion will allow you to retain your skin’s natural moisture and aid in healing your sunburn.
• However, when coconut butter is applied, do not go outside. This moisturizer does not protect from ultraviolet rays.

Other options:

• Petroleum jelly
• Witch hazel
• Yogurt

6. Use Tea Bags

Photo Credit: 366solutions via Instagram

• Often when we are in the sun too long, it’s not just our skin that gets burned, but also our face.
• This area can include our eyelids, causing a lot of pain when performing daily functions.
• Wetting tea bags, such as black tea, and placing them on your closed eyelids allows the pain and swelling to subside.
• This technique can also apply to other areas of the face and body for relief.

7. Create Cold Compresses

Photo Credit: samanthadavies1 via Instagram

• When you are suffering from sunburn, your skin feels like it is on fire. However, there are different forms of cold compresses that you can use to create some relief.
• Soaking a washcloth in cold, brewed tea will help cool down the skin.
• Similarly, dunking a rag in cold milk and laying it on the affected area will calm the sting.
• Sunburn sufferers can combine cornstarch with water to create a paste. This paste can then be applied directly to the skin to soothe the area.
• Cucumbers can be chilled and then mashed. You can then apply the mixture to your burned skin, and the vegetable’s natural antioxidants and pain-relieving components will work their magic.

8. Choose Appropriate Clothing

• The wearing of loose clothing that doesn’t stick to your skin will provide the best form of comfort when sunburned.
• Avoiding undergarments if you can, as well as jewelry that will touch sunburned areas, is recommended.
• In addition, drinking copious amounts of water will help quickly rehydrate your skin and put you on a quicker path to recovery.

Conclusion

Avoiding the danger of skin cancer isn’t the only reason to wear sunscreen. The threat of having a sunburn is reason enough! With the excitement associated with a day in the water, sun care is often limited to a quick lather of sunscreen before you’re off and enjoying the waves.

However, SPF isn’t foolproof, especially when it comes to the dangerous UV rays. Sunscreen isn’t guaranteed to last all day, and many times it will need to be reapplied, and you don’t know it. Unfortunately, the result of forgetting this element often leads to sunburn and the pain associated with one.

When this happens, don’t let it ruin your vacation. There are many sunburn remedies for your beach trip that you can turn to, which we have listed in this article. Try out one of these home remedies next time you find yourself a little redder than what you intended!