{"id":146911,"date":"2021-01-04T19:10:01","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T16:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T08:33:35","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T05:33:35","slug":"how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"#How to treat sunburn pain, according to skin experts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40f3506072f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40f3506072f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts\/#First_the_bad_news\" >First, the bad news<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts\/#Step_1_Prevent_further_damage_and_assess_your_burn\" >Step 1: Prevent further damage and assess your burn<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts\/#Step_2_Ease_the_suffering\" >Step 2: Ease the suffering<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2021\/howtotreatsu.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By the time you get to skin peeling, or \u2018desquamation\u2019, your sunburn is almost completely healed. Credit:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Skin_peeling.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rjelves\/Wikimedia Commons<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC BY-SA<\/a><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So you&#8217;re one of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.org.au\/media-releases\/2020\/kids-of-the-80s-and-90s-failing-the-slip-slop-slap-ometer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">21% of Australians<\/a>&nbsp;who got sunburnt last weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While we should be avoiding sunburn, it&#8217;s sometimes easier said than done in the Australian sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What can you do once you realize you&#8217;re turning into a temporary lobster?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_the_bad_news\"><\/span>First, the bad news<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&#8217;re sunburnt, you can&#8217;t undo the damage to your DNA and\u00a0skin\u00a0structures, and you can&#8217;t speed up skin healing. You can only treat the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sunburn is a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicalkey.com.au\/#!\/content\/playContent\/1-s2.0-S0733863514000175?returnurl=https:%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0733863514000175%3Fshowall%3Dtrue&amp;referrer=https:%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F24891049%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">radiation burn<\/a>&nbsp;caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, causing extensive damage to the DNA in your skin. When your skin&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3709783\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DNA monitoring and repair system<\/a>&nbsp;judges there&#8217;s too much damage to fix, it flags the cells for destruction and calls in the immune system to finish the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The immune cells and extra fluid squeezing into the skin cause the swelling, redness, heat and pain we know as sunburn. Blisters develop when whole sheets of cells die and lift away, and fluid fills in the space below. Later, dry peeling results when large sheets of dead cells peel off to make way for fresh ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, while your skin does its thing, you can manage the symptoms and make yourself more comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Prevent_further_damage_and_assess_your_burn\"><\/span>Step 1: Prevent further damage and assess your burn<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, get out of the sun until the redness and pain have subsided, even if this takes several days. The full effects of a sunburn can take&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">up to three days<\/a>&nbsp;to develop, and further UV exposure will only compound the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2021\/1-howtotreatsu.jpg\" alt=\"How to treat sunburn pain, according to skin experts\" title=\"Swollen sunburn means you need to see a doctor. Credit: Uddey\/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Swollen sunburn means you need to see a doctor. Credit: Uddey\/Wiki<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> Commons, CC BY-SA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, assess whether to seek medical help.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dermnetnz.org\/topics\/sunburn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Severe cases<\/a>&nbsp;can involve&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK534837\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">second-degree burns<\/a>, which disrupt the lower layer of skin, the dermis, and stop the skin from regulating fluid loss effectively. If you have a second-degree burn across a large area of you body, complications can include electrolyte imbalances due to large amounts of fluid loss, or shock, also due to extreme fluid loss. Secondary infections are also possible since the upper layer of skin is no longer acting as a tough barrier to germs. You should definitely&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">see a doctor<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthdirect.gov.au\/sunburn#doctor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">if you<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>have large areas of blistered skin, especially on the face<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>have severe swelling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>can&#8217;t manage the pain with over-the-counter painkillers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>experience fevers, chills, nausea, dizziness or confusion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blistered sunburn in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rch.org.au\/kidsinfo\/fact_sheets\/Sun_safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">children<\/a>&nbsp;needs immediate attention from your GP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Ease_the_suffering\"><\/span>Step 2: Ease the suffering<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with a thermal burn,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stjohnvic.com.au\/news\/first-aid-for-sunburn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">water<\/a>&nbsp;is your friend. Drink plenty to correct any dehydration from being in the sun too long and replenish the fluid being drawn into your skin.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/everyday-care\/injured-skin\/burns\/treat-sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cool baths, showers<\/a>&nbsp;or damp cloths ease the sensation of heat and can be used as often as you like throughout the day. Avoid putting ice on a sunburn, as this can make matters&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rch.org.au\/kidsinfo\/fact_sheets\/Burns_prevention_and_first_aid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worse<\/a>&nbsp;by causing&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC428524\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">intense vasoconstriction<\/a>, where blood vessels narrow sharply and cut off local blood supply to already damaged skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moisturizing lotions can also help soothe by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">keeping moisture in<\/a>, but avoid skin-numbing creams unless prescribed by your doctor. Any water-based moisturizer should do, including aloe vera gel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite its popularity as a home remedy, there&#8217;s surprisingly little research on aloe vera for sunburn specifically. There&#8217;s promising data for its use in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/ten.teb.2020.0236\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wound healing<\/a>, but many studies investigated aloe extracts taken orally, rather than gel on the skin. In any case, a commercial aloe vera gel won&#8217;t do you any harm if you find it soothing. However, gel straight from the plant in your garden comes with a risk of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7197909\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">soil-borne<\/a>&nbsp;infections in skin that&#8217;s already damaged (warning: gruesome pictures in that link).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol can take the sting out of your sunburn and help you rest more comfortably. If your skin is very itchy, try an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/sunburn\/diagnosis-treatment\/drc-20355928\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">antihistamine<\/a>.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/everyday-care\/injured-skin\/burns\/treat-sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">US<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stanfordchildrens.org\/en\/topic\/default?id=sunburn-and-children-90-P01929\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guidelines<\/a>&nbsp;also often suggest low-dose (0.5-1%) hydrocortisone cream; there&#8217;s not much evidence for its effectiveness, but it also won&#8217;t hurt you to try it for a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have blisters,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/sunburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">try not to pop them<\/a>&nbsp;as that exposes the damaged skin underneath to infection; cover them up with a wound dressing if you&#8217;re tempted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While none of these remedies will fix the damage in the way antibiotics fix an infection, they will make you more comfortable while your skin gets on with healing itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2021\/2-howtotreatsu.jpg\" alt=\"How to treat sunburn pain, according to skin experts\" title=\"Did you forget to put sunscreen on a section of your body? Credit: Charlie Brewer\/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Did you forget to put sunscreen on a section of your body? Credit: Charlie Brewer\/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Step 3: Make a plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While you&#8217;re stuck inside, pinpoint how you got burnt and how you might prevent it next time. Most sunburn h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ens when you did not expect to be outdoors for long, or when you thought sunburn was unlikely because the weather was cool, windy or cloudy. UV radiation is still present in these conditions, but you don&#8217;t have the benefit of feeling hot to remind you to get out of the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are a few familiar scenarios:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>got burnt when you unexpectedly had to park 10 minutes&#8217; walk away? Apply sunscreen as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/1753-6405.12873\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">part of your daily routine<\/a>\u00a0whenever the UV index will be 3 or over. This will protect you from these sneaky sunburns and also from sub-sunburn\u00a0levels of UV damage. Don&#8217;t worry\u2014there&#8217;s no evidence wearing sunscreen every day will make you\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30945275\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vitamin D deficient<\/a>\u00a0or cause a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ffashionfrenzy.com\/blogs\/health-beauty-skincare\/the-role-of-sunscreen-in-preventing-premature-aging\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">toxic<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tga.gov.au\/literature-review-safety-titanium-dioxide-and-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-sunscreens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">build-up<\/a>\u00a0of chemicals in your body<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>arrived at the cricket and realized you left your hat or sunscreen at home? Many venues offer free sunscreen, so ask at the check-in or the health and safety officer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>coming in from the beach, garden or bike ride just a bit too late? Sunscreen\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/hpja.301\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">won&#8217;t protect you all day<\/a>, so make sun-protective clothes part of your regular attire\u2014a rashie, long-sleeved shirt, or UV-protective armguards and leggings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>got to the park BBQ when all the shady spots were taken? Arrange your next outing to avoid the most UV-intense middle of the day. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sunsmart.com.au\/tools\/interactive-tools\/free-sunsmart-app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SunSmart app<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bom.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bureau of Meteorology<\/a>\u00a0weather report will tell you the UV forecast and when you need sun protection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>forgot to reapply sunscreen? Set an alarm on your phone next time to remind you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more you practice this kind of thinking, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/ejsp.674\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">easier it will become<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Provided by\u00a0The Conversation\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article is republished from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Conversation<\/a>&nbsp;under a Creative Commons license. Read the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-to-treat-sunburn-pain-according-to-skin-experts-150070\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google News<\/a><\/span> too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Science <\/span><\/a>category<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2021-01-sunburn-pain-skin-experts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So you&#8217;re one of the&nbsp;21% of Australians&nbsp;who got sunburnt last weekend. While we should be avoiding sunburn, it&#8217;s sometimes easier said than done in the Australian sun. What can you do once you realize you&#8217;re turning into a temporary lobster? First, the bad news Once you&#8217;re sunburnt, you can&#8217;t undo the damage to your DNA&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":146912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2021\/howtotreatsu.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[154203],"class_list":["post-146911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee","tag-sunburn-pain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}