The summer sun is not always kind. It is necessary to lie a little under it on the beach, and you can easily get a sunburn of the skin. Redness, stinging, soreness, and even blisters are unpleasant consequences from excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. How to quickly help the affected skin and relieve unpleasant symptoms? There are folk remedies for sunburn and medications. In this article we will tell you all about the methods of treating a burn and first aid to the victim.
Symptoms depend on the photosensitivity of the human dermis and the intensity of exposure to UV rays.
With a burn (solar erythema), the following symptoms may occur:
The victim may also experience symptoms of sunstroke:
- Increase in body temperature.
- Chills, fever.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Dizziness, headache.
- Dehydration.
- General malaise.
- Fainting.
Degrees of sunburn:
Second degree sunburn - blisters appear 1 degree– the skin is red, there are no blisters.
2 degree- redness is accompanied by blisters and feeling unwell.
3 degree- more than 50% of the skin is damaged, blisters are present, the condition may be accompanied by fever, loss of consciousness.
4 degree- along with extensive damage to the epidermis, dehydration develops, which can lead to heart and kidney failure. In some, especially severe cases, death occurs.
Why are sunburns dangerous?
Excessive exposure to UV rays on the epidermis can cause serious injury. The consequences of a sunburn, if the necessary measures are not taken in time, can lead to skin damage, scars, long healing wounds, erosions, cracks.
Solar radiation stimulates the formation of all kinds of age spots, moles, nevi on the skin. Any benign neoplasm has a risk of degenerating into a malignant one. In people who tan a lot, the skin ages much faster.
Intense tanning can also cause chronic photodermatosis, an allergy to the sun. The disease manifests itself in the form of various reactions from ultraviolet exposure: rashes, hives, itching, spots on the body, peeling.
Dermatologists warn that the more often a person gets sunburned, the more likely they are to develop skin cancers.
Now consider how and how to treat sunburn.
What to do if you get sunburn?
Regardless of the degree of a person's sunburn and what the symptoms are, it is necessary to provide first aid, which includes three main actions. Let's consider them below.
1. Moisture replenishment
Click on the picture to enlarge The sun literally evaporates moisture from the body. "Burned" need to drink as much pure water as possible to replenish the balance of fluid in the body. If the victim is hypotonic, heatstroke can cause their blood pressure to drop even further. In this case, it is recommended to give the burned person strong sweet tea or coffee along with water.
2. Body cooling
First aid for sunburn involves lowering the temperature of the top layer of the skin. Usually, after a burn, it becomes very hot, and the victim experiences a fever. Lower the temperature by taking a cool shower or bath. The water should not be too cold. You can take water procedures to improve well-being several times a day. Wiping the skin after a shower is not necessary, you should let it dry naturally.
3. Pain relief
A person who has received erythema can be tormented by symptoms similar to a cold: body aches, headache, chills. Painkillers will help relieve these ailments, as well as reduce the soreness of the dermis: Analgin, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Ibuklin, Nurofen.
Important! If a person has received the necessary first aid for a sunburn, but his condition does not improve, call an ambulance! Due to dehydration, the work of some internal organs can be disrupted.
You should also immediately contact the clinic for 3 and 4 degree burns.
When the first measures are taken, treatment of the affected epidermis should be started.
How to treat sunburn
So, let's consider what to do with a sunburn, how and with what help to quickly reanimate the skin.
Drug treatment (ointments, gels, creams, aerosols)
In the pharmacy, you can find quite a lot of drugs that restore the burnt layer of the epidermis and minimize the negative effects of sunburn.
Hydrocortisone
Hormone-containing ointment, quickly relieves swelling, swelling, itching, 
reduces soreness of the dermis. The agent is applied in a thin layer to the affected area of the body 2-3 times a day.
Apply it with caution and no more than 5-6 days in a row. The drug has many contraindications, which you should definitely familiarize yourself with before using it.
Solution Carotolin
Very effective natural remedy for sunburn. The oil solution is made from rose hips, rich in components that quickly regenerate the skin, helping to restore it even after the most severe burns. The drug has anti-inflammatory properties and protects damaged tissues from infection. It also has moisturizing and softening properties.
The skin is smeared with Carotolin 3-5 times a day, until complete recovery. Contraindications for the remedy are minimal: hypervitaminosis A, hypersensitivity to the components.
Linetol
The drug is available in the form of an oily liquid and ointment. This is another very effective remedy, than it is recommended to smear sunburn even in severe cases. Linetol is made on the basis of linseed oil rich in fatty acids. Promotes rapid restoration of the epidermis, regenerates damaged cells, nourishes, moisturizes, relieves pain. Oil / ointment is applied 2-4 times a day.
Ointment Elovera
The product consists of aloe vera extract and vitamin E. Accelerates tissue trophism, healing of damage, moisturizes the skin, helps with swelling, itching, and flaking. The ointment should not be used in children under 18 years of age, otherwise contraindications are minimal. The drug is smeared on the skin 2-5 times a day with a thin layer.
Cream Bepanthen
The main active ingredient of the cream is dexpanthenol. The component heals, regenerates epidermal cells, relieves redness, irritation, reduces pain, burning, swelling.
Bepanthen is used for sunburn 2-4 times a day. How many days to smear the remedy depends on how badly the body is damaged. The cream has practically no contraindications and it can be used by children. There are also similar preparations with the same composition: D-panthenol, Pantenstin, Dexpanthenol, Panthenol spray. In general, this is the best and most popular remedy for sunburn, available in almost all pharmacies.
Aerosol Olazol
Spray based on sea buckthorn oil has antiseptic and analgesic properties. Olazol accelerates wound healing, prevents the spread of bacteria. This sunburn spray is recommended for blisters, erosions, and other weeping wounds.
The aerosol is applied to the ulcer area 2 to 5 times a day. Do not use in kidney disease, nursing mothers and during pregnancy.
Solcoseryl
The drug is available in the form of ointment and gel. It can cure severe, blistering sunburns, hard-to-heal wounds. The components that make up the product improve tissue trophism, accelerate healing processes, and prevent the penetration of infections into the affected areas. Ointment or gel is smeared with a thin layer 2-4 times a day.
Skin recovery after the use of Solcoseryl occurs much faster, the likelihood of post-burn scars and age spots decreases.
Sinaflan
This is a corticosteroid (hormonal) ointment that can relieve many of the symptoms of dermatological lesions. Treat burns with Sinaflan with caution and no more than the specified period.
Despite the many contraindications that such drugs have, it is sometimes necessary to use hormonal ointments in order to quickly alleviate the severe effects of erythema.
Psilo Balm
Treatment of sunburn with balm is effective only if it is 1 degree without blisters. This is a good remedy for itching, redness, peeling. With severe sunburn, the medicine may not give the desired effect.
The balm is applied to the body 2-4 times a day until the symptoms disappear completely.
Floceta gel
Also available in spray form. The medicine contains chamomile and calendula extract, antiseptic and bactericidal components. Effectively relieves itching after sunburn, burning, redness, soreness. Heals weeping wounds, promotes the regeneration of the epidermis. The gel (spray) can be applied to the skin up to 5 times per knock.
Radevit
The composition of the drug contains retinol and α-tocopherol acetate - powerful regenerating substances. Radevit is available in the form of an ointment. Helps with burns, dermatosis and other damage to the skin. Use the drug 2-3 times a day.
Folk methods of treatment
It is not always possible to visit a pharmacy and buy the necessary medicines. In such situations, the treatment of sunburn with folk remedies comes to the rescue.
Aloe
The leaves of the home plant aloe contain healing juice. It treats ulcers, eczema, dermatitis, burns. Many people use it for problematic facial skin.
Aloe from sunburn is used as follows: squeeze the juice from the leaves, and with the help of a cotton or gauze swab apply it to the affected area of the body up to 6 times a day. You don't need to rinse the juice. Healing comes very quickly.
Kalanchoe
The plant has the same properties as aloe. Apply it in the same way - lubricating the painful, burned areas of the skin with juice.
Potato masks
You got a sunburn away from "civilization", what to do if there are no medicines or any special cosmetics at hand? An ordinary potato will save you, which is sure to be found nearby.
Raw potatoes are rubbed on a grater and gruel is applied to the burn. The vegetable helps to relieve unpleasant symptoms and promotes the healing of the epidermis.
Herbal lotions
Tinctures and decoctions of herbs are an affordable and effective remedy for treating sunburn at home.
Chamomile, oak bark, sage, string, mint, calendula - these plants will help heal burnt areas of the body.
Tinctures and decoctions of herbs - an excellent folk remedy for the treatment of sunburn Herbs can be brewed individually and mixed with each other. For 1 cup of boiling water take 1 tbsp. l. dry grass. The infusion is kept for 3 hours, then filtered. Soak a swab in the liquid and wipe the erythema with it every half an hour. As the healing progresses, the intervals shorten. If the burn is severe, you can make a lotion by applying gauze soaked in herbal decoction for half an hour to an hour.
Sauerkraut juice
If there is sauerkraut in the house, its juice will help reduce the unpleasant effects of excessive sunburn. Cabbage relieves skin itching, relieves swelling, helps return the body to normal color, eliminating redness. Juice smear the damaged area up to 5 times a day.
Oils
Olive, sea buckthorn, almond, peach, linseed, rose, pumpkin - all these oils have excellent healing, moisturizing, antiseptic properties. The skin is lubricated with a thin layer of any of the oils listed above, several times a day.
What to do with a sunburn on the face?
Facial skin is more delicate and sensitive. In addition, she is constantly in sight. What if the ultraviolet burned the face, how to quickly eliminate the symptoms? Consider the most effective remedies and recipes on how to cure sunburn on the face.
Medicines
Not all drugs can be used on this part of the body.
To eliminate a burn with redness on the face from the sun and not harm the body, you can use the following drugs:
- Bepanthen
- Linetol
- Carotelin solution
- Radevit
- Elover ointment.
It is better not to use hormonal ointments for such sensitive areas, only if they are not prescribed by a doctor.
If sunburn occurs on the face, treatment can be done on the basis of folk recipes.
Oatmeal mask
It is advisable to grind the oatmeal in a blender to make it more convenient to apply the mask. A handful of flakes are steamed with boiling water for 20 minutes, then applied to the face for 25-30 minutes. The mask is washed off with cool water, after which the skin is moisturized with a cream.
cucumber mask
A very effective folk remedy is a cucumber mask. The cucumber is rubbed on a fine grater and applied to the face for 20-30 minutes. The mask relieves soreness, redness, swelling, heals the epidermis.
Green tea
If a sunburn of the face or body occurs, treatment can be carried out with ordinary green tea leaves. Tea has anti-inflammatory properties, activates cell regeneration, and has antibacterial properties.
Stronger green tea is brewed (1 tbsp per glass) and when it cools down, wipe your face with it every hour.
How to Heal Sunburn Blisters Quickly
What to do with a sunburn at home if blisters appear? Such a lesion of the body belongs to type 2, 3. Bubbles create strong discomfort, and sometimes scare with their appearance. If there is no way to go to the hospital, you can help yourself or a loved one on your own.
Steps to take to get rid of sunburn blisters quickly Sunburn blisters need to be pierced to speed up the healing of the skin.
You will need:
- antiseptic
- Syringe
- Hydrogen peroxide.
Treat your hands and the affected area with an antiseptic. Remove the needle from the syringe and gently pierce the bladder with it. Squeeze out the liquid, collecting it with a cotton swab. Press the bubble against the skin, treat it again with an antiseptic and let the opened blister dry a little. After a while (an hour or two), you can treat the skin with a medicinal preparation.
It is not worth cutting blisters on your own, this is done in a hospital setting, otherwise there is a high risk of developing a secondary infection.
How to quickly remove swelling?
Severe swelling of the legs, face, body after a sunburn can occur during an allergic reaction to ultraviolet light. In such a situation, it is necessary to take an antihistamine drug (Suprastin, Zodak, Claritin, Gismanal, Zirtek).
Zodak for quick relief of swelling Swelling of the skin with a sunburn will help to remove the bath or lotion with a string. If the body is severely swollen, it is better to call an ambulance, since swelling of the internal organs may occur during the histamine reaction.
How to cure a sunburn in a child?
The child received a sunburn of the skin, what to smear, because not all drugs can be used for children?
Ointments (gels, creams) that children can:
- Bepanten and its analogues
- Cream Rescuer
- la cree
You can also treat the child's skin with herbal infusions, oils, green tea.
How long do UV burns last?
If a sunburn was received and first aid was provided, then healing will be faster. It is impossible to give exact dates, it all depends on the degree of tanning, skin structure, the health of the victim, and methods of treatment.
On average, within 3-4 days it is possible to reduce all pain, redness. Full tissue regeneration can take from 7 to 30 days.
While the sunburn passes, in no case should you again expose your body to ultraviolet rays. If more than 10 days have passed and the weeping wounds do not heal, consult a doctor.
These were the most effective methods on how to get rid of sunburn and restore the skin. Remember that tanning is healthy and safe only in moderation.