What helps sunburn pain?

[klmno]

E and I both have sunburn- neither of us had been out in the sun for more than a few mins in the past few years. Now I am hurting (my legs) and his back and shoulders and chest are going to be hurting by tomorrow. All I have is regular lotion for dry skin, with aloe I think. I don't think I can make it back out to the store today but maybe can run by tomorrow. Does lotion really help the pain or does it make it soak in more?

 

[keista]

Aloe lotion will definitely help. If you've got vitamin E capsules, pop some of them open and mix it with that lotion. rub in tonight, should feel a bit better by morning.

I was told that vinegar works also. Tried it once, but I think I did it wrong - just opened a bottle and poured it over myself in the shower. I almost suffocated due to the fumes!

 

[hearts and roses]

Aloe, Solarcaine spray, white vinegar, Tylenol or advil. Ouch!

 

[TeDo]

We swear by a product called Ocean Potion Instant Burn Relief. It's a gel that contains aloe vera and lidocaine. We get it at WalMart and it works wonders. Put it on right away and it never hurts again (unless we're dumb enough to get another burn).

 

[klmno]

E found a bottle of lotion that I didn't realize we had- it has cocoa butter and vitamin E in it and we have caked it on pretty good. We'll do that again before going to bed tonight but I have a feeling I'll be stopping at the store tomorrow- we're so pale right now I'm sure we'll need more sunburn relief before this summer is over. I had forgotton all about solarcaine but, TeDo- that product you're talking about sounds good, too! It was only around 80 today so it was easy to forget about potential sunburn- my fault- I kicked myself in the rear after realizing "WTH was I thinking- we can't spend 4 hours on the beach in shorts/T-shirt or him in swim trunks as pale as we are and not get burned". LOL!

I have white vinegar but it must be a psychiatric thing with me- I keep thinking it would burn and make it dry out more. Do you dilute this any or just blot on straight vinegar?

 

[keista]

Quick internet search says to use a spray bottle to mist it on and let dry - do not rub.

It sounds like it would sting, but it actually helps balance the ph of the skin. I was also told this works on dry CRACKED winter hands. Anyway, just make sure you are not in a small enclosed space when you put it on.

 

[witzend]

Take some advil, it brings down inflamation. Cool compresses help, too. And get lots and lots of extra water!

 

[Hound dog]

Soak in a tub of water as cool as you can stand it. Or place cold wet cloths on the areas affected.

DON"T use regular lotion even if it has Aloe in it. The grease in the lotion will hold in the heat. You want that heat OUT. Apply the aloe (just aloe, I'm pretty sure you can get it that way) after the cold wet soaks.

A sunburn isn't any different than any other burn. You're first thing is to get rid of the heat, then help the healing. You have to be very careful whatever you're putting on it isn't going to hold in the heat.

Hope it feels better soon.

Hugs

 

[muttmeister]

Cool oatmeal baths, white vinegar, Solarcaine spray

 

[InsaneCdn]

Cool bath... with baking soda.
Cold packs/cloths on the worst spots.... yes, you HAVE to get the heat out. It can take hours or days...
And then PURE aloe vera gel.

Are you blistering? or just red and sore?
Blistering means it's a serious burn, and you will probably need to avoid the sun altogether for the rest of the summer at least, to give the skin time to heal.
Red and sore will peel, which will still leave you with sun sensitivity, but can be managed with high-SPF lotion once it's all healed.

 

[DammitJanet]

Living in the south all my life have lived with sunburns. Aloe works best if you can get the one mixed with the lidocaine. Keep it in the fridge at all times. Also sour cream works well. Yes one time I was stupid enough to fall asleep on the beach in a two piece when younger. Ouch. I put an old sheet on my bed and covered myself in sour cream. Vinegar does work well too.

 

[busywend]

You guys won't believe me, but I swear if you really want to just get rid of sunburn pain instantly? Go soak in a hot tub. Hurt like a **tch when you first get in, ever inch of you that is burned. But, when you get out. NO MORE PAIN. Period. For the entire time you are sunburned...no pain.

It really does work.

 

[susiestar]

Hope it is gone by now. We use a product called BurnJel Plus. It is $5.97 at Walmart and is amazing. It has the aloe and lidocaine from the ocean potion, but also has other things to help you heal. it is AMAZING and great for more than burns. My kids get very painful acne and this heals it faster than ANY other product we have found. Tried it on acne because of the lidocaine because it is so painful for the kdis. It works better than rx acne stuff that we have tried, and is much cheaper!

It is in the first aid section of Walmart, the aisle with calamine, etc....

Solarcaine is also helpful if you don't have burnjel.

 

[klmno]

Well, to be honest about it, nothing OTC seemed to be helping then I remembered that I maight have saved a little bit of that rx'd ointment that was given to me a year ago when I spilled scalding liquid on my neck so we squeezed 3 applications out of that- over a 2 day period and then the blisters were gone and E has been peeling ever since. But he's not in any pain- that stuff worked miracles! He has asked if we can get an aloe plant though. He said he'd try to keep it alive since I don't have a green thumb- and I explained that an aloe is about the easiest thing to keep alive. LOL!

 

[Star*]

I think time - and you need to answer Insanes questions.

The three levels of burn are 1st (sunburn) -reddening and irritation of the skin
2nd (blistering of the epidermis) and
3rd - charing and blackening of the skin ....

If you have just the first? It will be worse when the sun goes down. However -sprays and topical ointments may not be the answer. If you have any blistering you need to be seen by a doctor so there is no secondary infection which can be VERY bad or get very bad. If you do have blisters? Do not pop them and DO NOT put butter, or oil on the skin. Dress with loose bandages and get thee to the doctor.

If it is just sunburn? Even water is going to hurt on your skin so you may want to avoid a shower for a few days - but do apply cool cloths, and aloe like Keista suggested to keep the skin hydrated. Also solacain or any of the cain =sprays. Yup it's going to hurt going on but feel good for a little bit.

When I lived in FL - got a sunburn? The first thing I'd do is get in a shower of cool water? Dump white vinegar on my skin and wash it off with cool water. Have no idea to tell you how it works or hydrates the skin but it took the sun-go down sting out of most of the burn. Then I'd put aloe NOT body lotion on it. Clear aloe -

Hope you feel better - but if it blisters? that's second degree - get to the doctor.