Treatments for sunburn
If you have sunburn, you should do the following:
- Get out of the sun and preferably go indoors.
- Avoid further sun exposure until the sunburn heals.
- Cool the skin with a damp cloth or towel, or take a cool bath.
- Apply moisturizer or aftersun cream, such as aloe vera.
- Use over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and reduce swelling.
- Apply hydrocortisone [5] cream to reduce inflammation and itching.
- Drink extra water to help prevent dehydration [6].
- Avoid touching or breaking small blisters to reduce the risk of infection. Blisters protect the skin.
- Do not scratch, pick at, or remove peeling skin.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing while the skin heals.
In cases of severe sunburn, your doctor may recommend oral steroids to help decrease inflammation. For severe dehydration or heat stress, they may prescribe intravenous fluids. While it may seem like a temporary disorder, sunburn caused by skin receiving too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, can cause long-lasting damage to the skin. This damage makes you more susceptible to skin cancer, making it critical to protect the skin from the sun.