How to treat sunburn
Do not apply any oil based or petroleum based products (including oil based moisturisers) as this can trap the heat within your skin, causing more damage
How to treat sunburn. How to treat sunburn.
Maybe you spent the day at the beach splashing in the water or your were laying by the pool trying to tan (but like me just ended up burning). Or even worse, maybe you went out for the day and didn’t wear sunscreen (please for the love of skin wear sunscreen when in the sun). And now you are desperately trying to not look like a tomato.
While your main course of action is to stay out of the sun and give your skin time to heal, there are some things you can (and should absolutely not do) to help your skin.
What happens when you get sunburnt
When your skin is unprotected in the sun (aka you don’t wear sunscreen or forget to reapply), the UV rays start to damage our skin cells. When our skin has prolonged exposure, these cells may become damaged beyond repair. When this happens, our blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow to bring immune cells to the area. These work to heal the skin in many different ways. This is why our skin becomes red, swollen and inflamed when sunburnt.
Important Facts
- Signs of sunburn can appear within 11 minutes
- The skin will turn red 2-6 hours after being burnt
- Sunburn develops for 24 to 72 hours after being burnt
What you should not do
What you should do
Reminder if you are feeling unwell or your sunburn is sever seek medical advice