Sunburn self care | Healthy UNH

How to take care of yourself after sunburn

Although summer is about to end (sigh). We still have a few nice days when it will be hot and sunny all day. Whether you are on the beach, by the lake, in the mountains or even in your own garden; the risk of sunburn is still high. And even if you put on sunscreen and wear a hat, it’s easy to forget that sunscreen can only work well all day if you reapply it regularly. Trust me, I forget to do this all the time.

I recently enjoyed one of the last hot beach days of summer and was slightly sunburned even though I was wearing my SPF and hat. Unfortunately, I forgot to apply again. On the other hand, I know that the sunburn would have been a lot worse if I hadn’t used sunscreen at all. When I got home I felt sluggish, dehydrated, and had a terrible headache. So, if you’ve been feeling the same after spending the last few days of summer in the sun, read these tips below to learn more about sunburn self-care!

• Take a cool shower: When you get home, take a cool shower. This will help soothe your skin while you wash off the sand and sunscreen. It’s an added bonus when you can use a moisturizing shower gel.

• Use aloe vera: Aloe is soothing to the skin and helps with sunburn. The moisturizing effects can also prevent peeling. I always like to keep mine in the fridge, because there’s nothing like cold aloe when you’re sunburned.

• Wear loose clothing: Loose clothing will protect your skin from further irritation. It will also keep you cool and try to settle for something that is made out of a soft material.

• Drink enough: Even if you spend a few hours in the sun, you can become dehydrated very quickly. So make sure you rehydrate with cold water to replace the fluids you lost while having fun in the sun.

Sunburns can be a real nuisance, but after some serious self-care and a few days; You should recover normally. Always remember to see a doctor or see your doctor if you feel sick or fear that you may have more than one mild sunburn!

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