How to Treat a Sunburn

Millions of you failed me this weekend. You got too much sun and not enough sunscreen. The result: a sunburn. It’s OK. It happens to the best of us. Now what do you do? Here are 7 tips to treat a sunburn.

A sunburn is an actual radiation burn of your skin. The ultraviolet light from the sun damaged the DNA of your skin cells, triggering these cells to die (which is a good thing since you don’t want mutated cells hanging around, causing trouble). The dead cells trigger release of pro-inflammatory signals called cytokines that lead to redness, swelling, and pain. The dead cells will slough off in a few days leading to peeling and often uncomfortable itching.

Here are seven ways to treat a sunburn if you get home and see a bright red you in the mirror:

Post written by Jeffrey Benabio, MD. You might also like:

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Photo credit: Keith Lewis

Comments

15 Responses to “How to Treat a Sunburn”

  1. michelle on May 28th, 2008 4:38 am

    i do enjoy what you’re doing on this site…thanks for sharing…..

  2. Dean Moyer on May 29th, 2008 6:43 am

    I’ve had great results from using Aloe Vera for sunburn. Seems to help the burn heal faster and the pain relief is almost immediate. Not sure what if any affect is has on the skin from a dermatology standpoint, but I’ve never had an adverse reaction to it.

    Best stuff I’ve found is the 99% pure gels you can get at health food stores.

  3. This Week’s Blog Carnivals » Rebuild Your Back on May 29th, 2008 12:31 pm

    [...] How to Treat a Sunburn [...]

  4. Dr. Benabio on May 30th, 2008 4:00 am

    Michelle-
    Thank you!

    Dean-
    Aloe Vera is anti-inflammatory. Many people use it for skin conditions just like this. Thanks for adding this.

  5. How to Get Rid of Sunburn - FutureDerm.com on June 5th, 2008 3:44 pm

    [...] the Hot Showers, lay off for a while.  Hot showers can be irritating for a sunburn, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio of The Derm Blog.  Instead, Dr. Benabio recommends showering or bathing with lukewarm water and Aveeno Colloidal [...]

  6. How to Get Rid of Sunburn « FutureDerm.WordPress.com on June 6th, 2008 4:59 pm

    [...] of the Hot Showers, lay off for a while. Hot showers can be irritating for a sunburn, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio of The Derm Blog. Instead, Dr. Benabio recommends showering or bathing with lukewarm water and Aveeno Colloidal [...]

  7. Me he quemado al sol ¿y ahora qué? on June 11th, 2008 12:43 am

    [...] | The Derm Blog trackback ¿Recomendarías este post? Más noticias sobre: Consejos de belleza Tags: [...]

  8. Dawn on June 12th, 2008 2:42 am

    I love aloe, too. Although we try hard NOT to get burned, sometimes we do. We keep aloe in the fridge, in a few different preparations (gel, spray, etc). The coldness of the getl helps with the burn pain, too.

  9. Fit Fare - » 5 Things You Need to Know About Wearing Suncscreen on June 23rd, 2008 5:45 am

    [...] If you slip up and get a nasty sunburn, don’t panic. Just read this: How to Treat a Sunburn. [...]

  10. Mark Salinas on June 26th, 2008 12:11 pm

    My wife is obsessed with prevention and skin care. She makes constant visits to the dermatologist etc. etc. I like the site and will certainly pass it on to my wife and others.

  11. Lori on July 3rd, 2008 2:57 am

    I’ve got the sunburn. . .I need to know now the best way to get my skin back to an even tone. I just got sunburn on my knees and shins and I look like a freak. I can’t wear shorts now. Any suggestions? Thank you.

  12. Solution for a sunburn! - Page 2 - Discuss Cooking Community on July 14th, 2008 1:02 am

    [...] because I have been treating sunburns with lukewarm oatmeal baths for years. I came across this blog by a dermatologist about treating sunburns. Here’s a quote from his blog, "Avoid hot showers. Instead, take a [...]

  13. diyhealthkit.com » Blog Archive » Vacation on July 28th, 2008 1:23 am

    [...] the sunburn (surprisingly helpful actually) and Susan the Food Blogga’s dermatologist husband recommends Advil among other things, to reduce the inflammation. I’ve taught the girls to count to 4 as well [...]

  14. Delicious Days » Vacation on July 28th, 2008 2:06 am

    [...] the sunburn (surprisingly helpful actually) and Susan the Food Blogga’s dermatologist husband recommends Advil among other things, to reduce the inflammation. I’ve taught the girls to count to 4 as well [...]

  15. Christina on July 30th, 2008 5:55 am

    I found this site really helpful. My boyfriend has really pale skin and gets sunburned every year without fail. I’m going to pass this information onto him. Thank you

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