Sometimes, even if you already applied sunblock lotions with strong SPF, you still wound up with the reddish and itchy skin on your back, arms, and neck. There is nothing you can do to reverse the damage, but there are several sunburn remedies that can help soothe your skin and treat the burns. For severe sunburn conditions, you may need to have a medical dermatology expert treat your skin. 

The best thing to do is to prevent sunburn since it increases your risk of skin cancer. One way you can prevent sunburn is to eat the right diet, ensuring you get plenty of protective antioxidants and healthy fats.

To get relief from sunburn, you don’t need to run to the drugstore.

Coconut Oil Cooling Lotion

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Coconut Oil, solid
• 1/2 cup Aloe Gel
• 15 drops Pure Lavender Essential Oil
• 15 drops Pure Peppermint Essential Oil

Preparation:

Place solid coconut oil, aloe gel, and essential oils in a mixing bowl. Use either a hand mixer and mix on medium high for about 5-8 minutes until you see the that the coconut oil is turning white and forming peaks. . It will turn your aloe vera slightly cloudy. Scoop into a container or jar and it is ready to use.

DIY Natural Sunburn Relief

Ingredients:

• Coconut Oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Wash Cloth

Preparation:

Wet the wash cloth with cold water until it is completely damp. Pour some ACV onto the damp wash cloth. Use the wash cloth to apply the ACV to the affected burn. The vinegar helps balance PH levels across your skin, which helps promote fast healing. Let it dry for just a couple of minutes. Spread Coconut Oil all over the affected area and go to bed. This will heal and hydrate your skin overnight.

Baking Soda Lotion

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda
• ¼ cup water (optional)

Preparation:

It contains antiseptic properties that can relieve the itchiness that is associated with sunburns. Mix a cup of baking soda in your cold water bath and let it soak for 20 minutes. After your bath, pat your skin dry with a towel. You could even make a paste by mixing three teaspoons of baking soda with one-fourth cup of water. Apply it to the affected areas of your skin. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash off with cold water. You could try this remedy once every morning until your sunburn heals. It helps soothe skin inflammation, irritation, and itchiness caused by sunburn. It has a cooling effect on the skin due to its alkaline nature.

Cucumbers

This cooling vegetable can also fight sunburn. Cucumbers are actually made up of about 95% water, so they literally have a cooling and hydrating effect on your body. Cucumbers can decrease your inflammation and swelling when used topically or directly on the skin by blocking pro-inflammatory enzymes. These are the same enzymes that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin block to alleviate pain.

Yogurt

Yogurt contains fats, proteins and pH that can soothe the inflammation and redness of the sunburned skin. All you have to do is apply yogurt to the affected skin area and then rinse off using cold water. Pat dry the skin gently and avoid rubbing it. It has natural cooling properties that provide relief from the heat and irritation caused by sunburn. As a rich source of lactic acid – an alpha-hydroxy acid, yogurt can reduce premature aging caused by excessive sun exposure. You can use a milk to. Mix 1 cup milk, 4 cups of water, and ice cubes in a bowl. Soak a clean cloth or towel in the bowl and then press it on the affected skin. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat after 2 to 4 hours.

Potatoes

The starchy properties of potato have the ability to absorb the excess heat from your skin while also alleviating the stinging pain caused by sunburn. For an immediate sunburn treatment, just follow the procedures below. Peel a potato and gently rub it on the affected areas of your skin for 10 minutes. You could also mash up a cold potato and apply the paste on your irritated and sunburn skin. Take a cold shower. Do this once every day for several days until the sunburn is treated. The starchy properties of potato have the ability to absorb the excess heat from your skin while also alleviating the stinging pain caused by sunburn.

Black Tea

Brew up a cup or two of black tea! After it has steeped, let the tea completely cool. Use a washrag to dab it on the sunburned areas of your skin. Black tea contains tannins that can reduce inflammation and protect the skin from the UV damage of the sun. You can even add mint for a more cooling effect. It can also help restore the pH balance of the skin.

Stay Hydrated

When you suffer from sunburn, your skin and body is severely dehydrated. The body is made up of mostly water. Your insides tend to dry out when you experience excessive UV exposure, you can counterbalance this by hydrating. You need to rehydrate and drink lots of water to replace the lost fluids. If your body is hydrated, it would help heal your sunburn much faster.

You can use the following precautions in addition to the home remedies and other treatments.

• Take frequent showers and bath
• Drink enough fluids throughout the day to avoid headache caused by dehydration
• Lie down in cool room to lower the pain
• Apply soothing lotions such as aloe vera gel
• Use cool cloths on the sunburn affected skin
• Spray diluted apple cider vinegar on the affected area for cooling and pain relief

Your outer sunburned skin will gradually be peeled off and be replaced by the new skin. Do not force peeling, let it take it’s own course.