Sunlight, especially through ultraviolet radiation, can burn our skin. Here is a selection of the best tips to get it back to its normal hue and color of sunburned skin.
Sunburn is more common in the summer but we can have it at any time of the year even in winter due to the ultra-violet rays of the sun and not its heat. Ultraviolet rays cause us to burn our skin and, consequently, it changes its normal color. The sun has been, is, and will be fundamental for life on this planet.
It is, like all stars, an incredibly energetic celestial body that gives us the energy necessary for life on the earth to exist but also sends us electromagnetic radiation that, in excess and without the necessary protection, can cause health problems.
Even when sunburn is not aesthetically pleasing, the most important thing is not to clarify it but to try to hydrate it and take care of it in the best possible way. Only in this way can we be able to alleviate the redness and even the tone.
In fact, sunlight is one of the most dangerous carcinogens that exist, accounting for 90% of the million cases of skin cancers that are diagnosed. It is that ultraviolet light, the radiation more energetic than visible light, is a great enemy for our skin.
If you do not want to use chemicals or drugs or you are not near a pharmacy, there are many home remedies with products that we all have at home that has been used forever, they are very effective and of course totally natural.
So, today’s article, HEALTHY and FITNESS bring a selection of the best tips to lighten the skin when we have sunburned on the basis of expert opinions of dermatologists and prestigious scientific publications.
What Is Sunburn?
Sunburns are lesions of the skin tissues due to the incidence of solar radiation, which causes the death of skin cells. By itself, sunburn does not have long-term problems, unless the exposure is repeated and prolonged over time, but the area of the injury turns red and can become painful. In fact, sunburn usually causes pain to the touch, redness, peeling, and dryness.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, with a total area of about 2 square meters. It is our first defense against the attack of both biological and physical threats, as well as chemical, while it is vital to perceive external stimuli. So we must take care of it, especially from the sun.
Types of sunburn
Although sunburn can be mild, the skin has suffered an attack and needs care. To know what to do, the most important thing is to identify the type and severity of the sunburn.
First-degree burns: They are usually first-degree burns, that is, the mildest, consisting of superficial lesions in the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. They appear as a reddening of the skin, without blisters. They usually appear 6 to 24 hours after exposure. Sometimes they can be accompanied by itching.
On a clinical level, a first-degree sunburn does not require specific treatment, since, as we have said, there are no serious short-term or long-term health damages beyond these mainly aesthetic problems. These types of burns can leave dark patches, so knowing how to lighten sunburned skin will be very helpful.
Superficial second-degree burn: Produces fluid-filled blisters with reddish edges and is very painful. They can appear immediately or within a few hours of sun exposure. Typically, it takes 10-15 days to heal and can leave scars and marks.
Deep second-degree burns: They form pale blisters that generate mild pain, due to the destruction of nerve endings. Their healing is slow, 30 days or more, and they leave scars. In this case, if symptoms of heatstroke appear or the burned area is larger than the palm of your hand, you should see a doctor.
What Can You Do On Sunburn?
If you have been burned by the sun, what has happened to you is that you are experiencing a first-degree skin burn from exposure to solar radiation. Your skin is probably peeling, it hurts slightly or moderately and its color and tone have changed, generally towards a reddish hue.
But do not suffer. We are going to see the best remedies to lighten the skin in a case of sunburn so that it recovers, as soon as possible and within the physiological possibilities, its normal appearance. Here are the best tips for lightening sunburned skin.
1. Hydrate A Lot
Without a doubt, this is the most important piece of advice, because, without it, none of the others will do. Before a burn and to lighten the skin, you have to hydrate yourself on the outside and inside. 30% of the skin is water and to promote its repair, it is essential that it has enough water. It is for this reason that, you must drink plenty of water or fluid before going out in the sun. In addition to drinking enough water, we must apply moisturizers to the skin. In this sense, it is important that you look for a cream that is easily absorbed and soft to your cream.
2. Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a powerful antioxidant essential for wound healing and stimulation of skin regeneration. It also promotes the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums, helping to absorb iron from the diet and support tissues to remain in good condition.
So it goes without saying that, when faced with sunburn, it is essential to include foods rich in this vitamin, although if there are allergy problems you can always resort to supplements. Be that as it may, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, spinach, potatoes, and cabbage are the main sources of this vitamin.
3. Apply Aloe Vera on The Skin
Aloe vera is one of the most popular medicinal plants. It is a succulent plant that helps repair skin lesions. Its juice, as well as the preparations that you can get in para-pharmacies, stimulate the regeneration of areas of the skin inflamed by burns. You can try it, taking into account that each person is different. That is, it does not always have the same effects.
4. Avoid Exposing Yourself to More Sunlight
Just as when in a soccer match the player is injured he must move away from the football fields, you have to do the same with the sun. While you are recovering from the burn, it is very important that you do not expose yourself to more solar radiation. Burning an area that is already burned will only make the problem bigger and these remedies are less and less effective.
5. Take an Oatmeal Bath
Yes, it may sound strange, but it is one of the remedies that seem to have the most positive effects on people who have tried it. Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory substances that stimulate the recovery of the skin while respecting its natural products. Prepare a warm bath and put rolled oats in the water. Stay there for about 20 minutes while your skin takes advantage of the oatmeal’s repairing elements.
6. Use Gentle Scrubs
The use of sunburn scrubs remains controversial. On the one hand, it is true that exfoliation helps to cleanse the skin of dead cells and promote its regeneration. But on the other hand, if it is too intense, we can damage the injured area even more. It is better to advise that you know your skin and know what is good for you. Of course, always try gentle exfoliates, as burned skin is more sensitive.
7. Apply Cold Compresses
The cold helps, thanks to the decrease in temperature, reduce inflammation. Hence, applying compresses with cold water (there are those who do it with milk) is a good remedy to relieve redness and pain associated with inflammatory processes after a burn. Leave the compress for a quarter of an hour and you will notice the improvement.
8. Use Creams with Vitamins and Antioxidants
Creams rich in vitamins and antioxidants are a great tool to give the skin externally and more directly the “ingredients” it needs to regenerate. Thus, you can consult with your pharmacist which is the best creams that you can apply on your skin in case of sunburn. These will help you speed up your recovery.
9. Apply Lemon Juice on the Skin
Lemon juice has depigmenting properties. Therefore when applied to the skin it is one of the best substances to promote its lightening after sunburn. Now, you must bear in mind that, the acidity of the lemon juice does not damage your skin. You have to dilute it in a glass with water. Also, remember that the juice in contact with the sun can stain the skin (have the opposite effect), so it must be done at night or when you have no plan to leave the house.
10. Prepare an Infusion of Chamomile
The Chamaemelum nobile, also known as chamomile is a herbaceous plant whose medicinal use dates back to the time of the Old Age. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it very useful for, preparing ointments, creams, or infusions that are applied directly to the skin, reducing sunburn lesions. In addition, it is useful to unify the tone and color of the skin.
11. Make a Mixture of Ground Oats
As we have said, oatmeal is a fantastic product for treating burns, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to preparing a bath with its flakes, you can also make, with a blender, a preparation of ground oats and lemon juice until you have a paste that looks like a mask. Apply it on your skin and enjoy its interesting whitening capacity to restore normal skin color.
12. Apply Papaya Puree on the Skin
Papaya is a fruit that contains papain, an enzyme, which has interesting skin lightening properties when applied to the skin. Thus, applying a papaya puree on the burned area can help you make the sunburns disappear more quickly. With 10 minutes of leaving the mask is more than enough.
13. Put Egg White on the Skin
We finish with this advice. Egg white is useful for its high protein content. When applied to the skin, in addition to hydrating and stimulating skin regeneration, lightening areas that have been burned by the sun. Mix three egg whites and apply the preparation for a quarter of an hour to benefit from its properties.
Now it is important to emphasize that, in the case of more serious burns, nothing that you have read in this article will help you. In case of deep second-degree burn that forms painful blister on the skin and accompanied with symptoms of heatstroke, you should see your doctor.
