While none of us want to get sunburned, sometimes it happens, so let's look at how we can minimize the damage and speed up healing.
First thing is to get the burn cooled off. Cold water is the easiest to access, a cool shower or a towel draped over the burn is effective, but those can be painful! Best to be prepared by having aloe gel on hand. We keep our aloe gel in the fridge so it has an immediate cooling sensation when applied. While you cannot buy 100% pure aloe because it needs a small amount of stabilizer, you can get 99% pure. Personally we love Lily of the Desert aloe gel.
A mixture of peppermint and lavender essential oils can be applied to further soothe and reduce inflammation. Mix a few drops of both in apple cider vinegar and spritz on OR check out this amazing spray by The Eczema Mist, which has aloe, peppermint, and lavender formulated to soothe inflamed skin with the bonus of leaving you smelling Ah-mazing. We absolutely love this spray! While it is originally formulated for eczema relief, we have found that it is a top notch post workout spritz, daily refreshing toner, and fabulous for post sun care for your skin. My daughter uses it daily as a toner, she loves how it makes her skin look and feel.
Of course, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink plenty of water or herbal teas such as green tea, black tea, or chamomile. As a bonus you can also use any of these as a soothing compress as well. Seep the tea bag and drink the tea, putting the tea bag into the fridge to cool and then placing the bag over the burn once it is chilled. Water is your primary player in flushing out what your body no longer needs to expedite healing and allowing for healthy hydrated skin to rebuild in damaged areas.
Fatty omega acids are also an important building block in healthy skin. Coming in a variety of forms, Omega 3, 6, or 9's, variety to create balance is key. We need all of them to build health, too much of one is never a good thing. Your best food sources for omega 3's are fish such as salmon, sardines, or skipjack tuna, healthy oils like: hemp seed oil, tea seed oil, or chia and flax seeds. Olive oil, nuts, avocados, sesame oil are your source of omega 9's.
We tend to get plenty of omega 6's in our daily diet from meat (organic, pasture raised grass-fed is best), eggs (pasture-raised), and dairy products (ghee or butter), along with unhealthier oils such as safflower, corn, and soybean oil found in so many processed foods.
Healthy fats work double duty in skin care, they contain compounds that are anti-inflammatory, thus helping prevent skin from burning. Plus they are the building blocks of your cell walls and are needed to help repair skin quickly and create the healthy glowing skin we all desire. Not all omega supplements are created equal, and unless you know that you have chosen a quality product, they are often adulterated with less than ideal oils and toxins may be present. Choose very wisely when it comes to omega fatty acid supplements. For me and my family I choose this supplement. Other great companies are Nordic Naturals or Twin Labs BioAlaskan Omegas.
Try the salmon dinner recipe for a boost in healthy fats and add a few berries and dark leafy greens on the side for added all natural skin protection.
Using properly balanced skincare is essential as well. Our skin is naturally acidic meaning it prefers a pH between 4.5 to 5.5. Most skincare products are higher in pH and do not support your skins natural barrier. You can always test the pH level of products you already have with pH strips, or rely on high quality skincare lines from the Spa Dr or Annmarie skin care. Both companies are committed to full transparency with the ingredients they use, did you know that up to 2% of an ingredient can be added to a product without having to disclose it? Since much of what goes on our skin is absorbed into our body we must choose carefully!
This post contains affiliate links. Clicking through them and making a purchase could result in a commission for me. Thank you for helping support my family!