Tips Against Sunburn

Those who strive for sun-kissed skin at all costs are often taught otherwise: A moment of inattention and the skin begins to itch, burn, and glow in various shades of red. To do something good for your skin by then, here are the best tips against sunburn.

Recognizing Danger | Cooling | Moisture

Preventing Rather Than Healing

Let's start from the beginning: It is essential to properly apply sunscreen before sunbathing and use an appropriate sun protection factor. However, if you notice that a sunburn is starting to develop on your skin, it's best to leave the sun immediately. Protect affected areas by putting on a shirt, finding a shaded spot, or-better yet-a sheltered indoors area.

Because nothing is worse than lying in the sun with a sunburn and exposing yourself to further burns. Once skin damage occurs, the body can't employ its natural repair mechanisms to heal the affected areas. But even if your skin is already burned, all hope is not lost. Proper aftercare is crucial. Generally speaking: If it's a first-degree sunburn-meaning reddened skin, a tight feeling, and itching-there's no need for adults to visit a doctor. The best-known tips for first-degree sunburn are probably familiar to you: cool the skin and ensure sufficient moisture, meaning drink plenty of water and use lotion!

It's a different story with young children, or with second or third-degree burns where the skin blisters and threatens to burst, or if you experience typical symptoms like nausea, headaches, fever, and chills. In these cases mentioned, it's better to visit a doctor right away.

Cooling the skin is extremely important. Not only does the cooling effect relieve pain, it also reduces inflammation. But caution: Cooling does not mean freezing! Good options include linen cloths soaked in cold water, placed on affected skin areas. Avoid cold packs, ice cubes, and any other items that have been in the freezer for a long time-these can, as absurd as it sounds, cause frostbite.

If such frostbite occurs, the body's natural defense mechanisms are weakened, and the healing process slows down. However, there are differing opinions on the use of compresses with quark or yogurt. While they provide a pleasant cooling effect that initially alleviates pain, they do not have anti-inflammatory properties. Quite the opposite: If a higher degree burn is present, there's a risk that bacteria in dairy products could cause infections on the human body. So it's best to stay away from mom's old home remedies.

If you enjoy cooling wraps, you might also try apple cider vinegar. It contains organic acids that help the skin's acid mantle during regeneration. If only small areas of your skin are burned, you can also gently dab the affected areas with a cotton ball. For this, a ratio of one to two tablespoons of vinegar to one liter of water works best.

The same applies to green tea and products that contain green tea extracts. If you opt for a tea-soaked wrap, leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. The easier option is to use after-sun lotions based on this tea variety. What effect does green tea promise? The tea leaves are rich in tannins and polyphenols, which have a calming effect on your skin. Redness is reduced and cell damage is minimized.

The second golden rule still stands: keep the body hydrated. The burn causes the skin to lose a significant amount of fluid, which the body must quickly absorb again.

It's best to drink plenty of water, iced tea, or fruit juice spritzers to restore the fluid lost after sunbathing. This not only stimulates your circulation, but it also helps kickstart the skin's regeneration process.

Providing the burned areas with thermal water spray benefits your skin as well. It relieves feelings of tension, and as some of you may know, thermal sprays contain valuable minerals that have anti-inflammatory effects.

Guru Tip: If you don't have thermal water on hand, you can mix three to four drops of lavender oil with cold mineral water and spray it on the skin. Lavender also promises an antibacterial effect.

After-sun lotions should always be preferred over regular body lotions and creams, as normal products can cause heat build-up. After-sun products cool and supply the skin with sufficient moisture. I highly recommend gels or lotions enriched with aloe vera. The gel derived from the leaves of the desert plant aloe vera consists of 90% water. Additionally, the plant contains many other beneficial ingredients, including minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, which positively impact skin regeneration: The skin is not only soothed and supplied with sufficient moisture, but aloe vera also stimulates the growth of new cells.

In addition to the aforementioned sunburn tips, I have one more simple yet valuable tip: If you store your after-sun product in the refrigerator, you can enjoy an even stronger cooling effect.

I hope my sunburn tips have been helpful. However, this doesn't mean you can now expose your skin to UV rays even more. Always think of your health and try to protect your skin before the unpleasant consequences of sunburn occur. A sunscreen with an appropriate sun protection factor, proper clothing, and finding a shady spot occasionally can all help, just like avoiding strong midday sun between 12 PM and 2 PM. If you follow these tips, nothing will stand in the way of enjoying a relaxing sunbath on vacation. Are you still looking for your summer holiday?