Sunburn treatment
- Hydrocortisone cream. Apply with a hydrocortisone cream over the area affected. Hydrocortisone has anti-inflammatory properties and is available over-the-counter.
- Cold compress. Apply a cool compress over the affected areas to reduce the sunburn pains.
- Mild skin products. For the time being, switch to gentler skin products such as a mild, soothing moisturizer. Avoid using products that contain fragrance or are potentially irritating while your skin is healing. Ensure your face cleansers are mild and won't further dry out the skin.
- Don't exfoliate. Skip the exfoliator altogether, exfoliating your skin will worsen the burns. Allow time for the peelings to heal and redness to disappear first.
- Don't pick. Leave your peelings or burns alone and give them the chance to heal.
Preventing sunburn
No treatment is better than prevention, of course. Avoid being baked:
- Fake tan. If you want a tan, fake it with self-tanners or spray tans, or seek a professional tanning treatment from the beauty salon.
- Suncreen. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen whenever you're going to be out in the hot sun for long hours.
