I had very sunburned shoulders and arms from being outside this past week. Tuesday they started to blister and wednesday they were seeping by the end of the day. I had a bowl of Epsoms salt water already made for my hand so I soaked a couple of wash cloths in the water and tucked them under my shirt sleeves for a while. This morning (Thursday) the blisters are all gone and there is only a little peeling now. I had aloe on it but it didn't seem to help as much.
I was going to suggest Aloe Vera. I used to have a big jug of 99% pure aloe juice. It always worked for me. Now, I just cut a piece off the plant.
I like Aloe, the only problem is that you have to reapply it frequently. I have found an herbal spray I really like. From Desert Essence it's called Relief Spray, I got mine at Whole Foods but it can be ordered on line too. Works on the pain of mosquito and spider bites.
My dad once got really really badly sunburnt and his neighbour told him to squish fresh, ripe tomatoes on the burns. Dad did and mum said the relief was almost instant and he used it from time to time when he got badly burnt. (Didn't believe in sunblock when I was a baby obviously. )
I've had luck using apple cider vinegar. Sure, I smell like a pickle for a couple of days. Now I usually don't burn. I may get red, but, by the next day no burn, no heat, no peel, just dark tan.
I usually just use moisturizer like Aveeno or Aloe. When I was young, my Dad always told me to 'put some Noxzema on it'
I forgot about noxzema, but I think (it's been so long since I bought it) it is one of the many cosmetic "things" I am now allergic to, so thats an "out: for me. I'll keep it in mind for my kids though. My dad says the vinegar thing too, but I don't feel like it does anything for me, except makes me smell like vinegar. I have lots of aloe and I do use that, also. And I have never heard of the tomato cure for sunburn, but I am willing to try it, if I need it when the tomatoes are ripe. I have heard of using green sliced tomatoes for poison ivy, though. :-? I wonder if it works. Thanks for all the input. I appreciate it.
Cute stories. I like the tomato thing. Can you eat it afterwards? Like I see in movies, the thin cucumber slices over the eyes... ??? LOL I remember, when I was little and we had this sunburn problems, mom used to put yoghurt or sour cream (can;t remember which) on my shoulders. Not sure if it really helps or it's just the cool sensation.
I have a bottle of something called, "Blue Ice." I think we got it at WalMart. It's a gel and feels cold when it goes on. It does work to cool it though. It works on ant bites, too. dooley
I would not recommend anything with menthol in it for burns of any kind. It does help many other things such as heat rash and fungal infections. Blue Ice and Noxema both have menthol in them. Aloe is very healing for most burns. The tomato perhaps, not sure. Aveeno should be fine. I am not too sure about the vinegar, it is an acid and sounds highly irritating to burns, especially if they have blistered or worse. I have had severe sunburns a few times, and the aloe was not enough, so I went to the all night truck stop [it was so painful it was keeping me awake all night] and got some of that spray you use on scrapes and burns--the name has flown the coop at the moment. It is a topical anesthetic and antiseptic to relieve the pain. Any open burn should have something sterile used on it to prevent infection. It should also have a sterile dressing, perhaps a doctor's care.
This is a very useful topic! I don't burn--just like FBG, I turn brown and then browner. However, my husband does burn (poor Irisher!) so I have several of your remedies on hand--aloe based cream, Neosporin, and cold wash cloths (kept in refrigerator for immediate relief). He mowed the pasture this past weekend and needed all three!
