You're on vacation, lying on the beach... The sun is shining... You've forgotten to use sun cream, and now you're feeling just too lazy to do anything about it... Yes, that's the recipe for the painful, itchy, smarting redness we call sunburn. And as if that isn't bad enough, the worst part has yet to come: tonight you will try to sleep in a bed where the sheets feel like sandpaper every time you move. But here's the good news... I know of more than one home remedy for sunburn that really works too. 1. Cool the burned area using a towel that has been soaked in cold water, or better still, an icepack. This in itself will help, but then you should also cover the affected parts with aloe vera. Be sure to cool the sunburn before applying cream, otherwise you will trap in the heat and the burning will continue. To help alleviate any swelling, take an aspirin. 2. A sunburned face can be relieved by applying a simple mixture that most homes will have in the kitchen. Take two teaspoons of tomato juice and four tablespoons of buttermilk and mix them together. Apply the mixture all over the affected parts of your face, leave on for at least half an hour, and then wash off. 3. Olive oil mixed in equal parts with vinegar, while a somewhat smelly mixture, will help your sunburn. Apply it about an hour before showering to remove it. 4. A paste made up of equal proportions of turmeric, barley and yoghurt will relieve sunburn if applied generously to where it hurts. You should of course wash it off again after an hour or so. 5. A final simple home remedy for sunburn is to first apply ice to the reddened areas, then gently rub with fresh cucumber slices. Of course, not exposing your skin to the sun for hours on end works great too... The important thing to remember in treating sunburn is to first try to cool the area. Use ice if you can, but a cold, wet towel will work almost as well. When the burned area has been cooled, then apply whichever home remedy for sunburn you prefer -- they all work fine -- and simply wait until it does its job. That's it! Enjoy a sunny, but pain-free summer. |
