Sunburn Soothers!

  Amber Belt, ND

Who else LOVES spending time in the sun? I know I do!

Who else HATES when they get a sunburn? Yeah, me too.

A sunburn, generally, is a first degree burn and the way that you handle it will probably depend on how much of your body has been burned. A first degree burn will leave the skin red, dry, irritated, and painful. Generally, these can be managed with first aid strategies at home.

Here are five tips to help you recover from a sunburn:

1. Get hydration on board, making sure that electrolytes are part of the equation. Redmond Re-Lyte are my favorite electrolytes. You can also use my Homemade Electrolyte Formula!

2. Apply topical skin soothers (vulnerary herbs). Topical aloe gel is great, but did you know that prickly pear pads are powerful vulneraries? You can slice a prickly pear pad in half lengthwise and apply to the sunburned area and they are becoming more available at grocery stores!

3. Take an herbal bath. Bathwater can be infused with skin soothing herbs such as calendula, chamomile, comfrey, oats, and plantain. These herbs can also be made into a poultice and applied to a specific burned area.

4. Homeopathic remedies like Belladonna, Apis Mellifica, and Sulphur can be helpful! I have found that Belladonna helps sunburns that are very red and hot, that Apis helps sunburns that feels stingy and burning, and that Sulphur helps itchy sunburns. Many of these remedies are found in Sage Sirona’s First Aid Kits.

5. Don’t make things worse! Heavy lotions, tight clothes, and other things that keep heat trapped close to the skin will make a sunburned person more miserable.

While none of us like being sunburned, that’s no reason to avoid the sun! Sun exposure has many, many health benefits. 

Keep in mind, too, that conventional sunscreens are almost always toxic. If you’re looking for a non-toxic sunscreen, a product like Sierra Madre Sun Cream is a good choice.

Bookmark or print this page so that you can refer back to it if you or your child gets a sunburn. Easy access to information is important when you’re in a first aid situation!

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