Summertime is magical but it can be painful if you are not diligent with REAPPLYING SUNSCREEN! Most of us are guilty of this and here is how we can get some relief from those awful sunburns!

For immediate relief place a cool compress to sunburned skin.

Take a cool shower or bath to cool your sunburned skin. Here are some natural bath therapies to soothe sunburn pain and other symptoms:
-Add one cup of apple cider vinegar to a bath to help balance the pH (acid or alkalinity) of sunburned skin, and promote healing.
-Soak in an oatmeal bath. This is especially helpful for itchy sunburned skin.
-Add some lavender or chamomile essential oil to the bath to help relieve some of the stinging and pain.
-Add 2 cups of baking soda to the bath to help ease irritation and redness from sunburn.
-Avoid soap or perfumes in the bath water as these can be drying on already dry and sunburned skin.

Use lotions that contain Aloe Vera to soothe and moisturize sunburnt skin. Some aloe products contain lidocaine, an anesthetic that can help relieve sunburn pain. Aloe Vera is also a good moisturizer for peeling skin.

Drink lots of water. Your skin is dry and dehydrated. Replacing lost body fluids will help your skin heal from sunburn more quickly.

Take OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) to help relieve sunburn pain and inflammation.

Apply cool, not cold, milk with a clean cloth to your sunburned skin. The milk will create a protein film that helps ease sunburn discomfort. Like milk, yogurt applied to sunburned skin also can be soothing

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and can help decrease inflammation caused by sunburn. Use Vitamin E oil on the skin, or take a regular dose of the supplement. Vitamin E oil also can be rubbed onto peeling skin

Apply freshly brewed tea after it has cooled to sunburnt skin using a clean cloth. The tannic acid in black tea reportedly helps draw heat from sunburned skin, and also aids in restoring the pH balance. Add mint to the tea for a more cooling effect. Apply teabags soaked in cold water to sunburned eyelids to soothe the burn and reduce inflammation.

Cucumbers have natural antioxidant and analgesic properties. Chill cucumbers, then mash in a blender to create a paste, and apply to affected sunburned areas including the face. Cucumber also can be soothing for peeling skin following a sunburn. Boil and mash some peeled potatoes, let cool, and apply as a dressing to sunburned areas. It is believed that the starch in the potatoes helps draw out heat, which can reduce pain and speed healing. Cornstarch also can be mixed with water to form a paste that can be applied to skin to help soothe the sunburn.

Summer is a time for fun in the sun! With all of these remedies we still strongly recommed layers and sunscreen, apply and REAPPLY!

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