As stay-at-home orders loosen up, many of us are finally beginning to venture outside—just in time for summer and a scorching sun. Which is to say that an afternoon basking in the rays, whether on a secluded shoreline or in an under-the-radar pocket of a public park, maybe as much of a shock to our bodies as it will be to our psyches.
Of course, doubling down on sunscreen is the gold-standard approach, but even the best-laid protection plans have been known to go awry—maybe you forgot to re-apply SPF every two hours, or your favorite surf rash guard went missing from your beach tote. Whatever the reason, a painful burn is a powerful reminder not to let your efforts fall short again.
As for how to help your skin recuperate from the negative effects of overexposure? Taking a swift, three-pronged approach can help minimize redness, swelling, and long-term damage.
Below, the best sunburn remedies to keep in your back pocket in the sizzling months ahead.
Pop an Aspirin – Sunburn Remedies
The first priority: Take an aspirin, or any other over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, as soon as possible. This will take the heat off your skin, and also ease the discomfort of a burn, says dermatologist Lisa Airan, M.D. “Go for the highest dose every four to six hours for the first 24 hours,” she advises. Next, apply cold compresses soaked in whole milk. “The fat and proteins in milk work really well to soothe irritation,” says Elizabeth K. Hale, M.D., dermatologist and senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation.
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Also Read: Say Goodbye To Your Summer Woes: 9 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Skin Tan
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize: Once the skin has cooled a bit, moisturize the area—obsessively. “There’s good data to suggest that supple skin recovers faster from trauma,” Sunburn Remedies Sunburn Remedies Sunburn Remedies Sunburn Remedies
