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How to get rid of sunburns on the face fast

Fast solutions to demoralizing facial sunburns.

Sunburns have become more common especially when people go for vacation in hot places. They are frustrating especially when they become chronic and painful.

A sunburn can also cause emotional pain and embarrassment for women when they appear on the face.

Things you should know

Sunburns occur as a result of over-exposure to the sun. The Ultra Violet rays of the sun make the skin produce melanin in high levels. Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its color and protects it from the sun. The pigment protects skin from the sun by producing a tan. The tan is the natural sun blocker in the skin.

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However production of melanin varies from person to person according to their genetics. Therefore if the skin is not able to produce enough melanin as a shield from the sun, the resultant effect is a sunburn.

Tools needed

Steps to treat sunburn on your face fast

1. Cool it off

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Run cool water on the burn for 10-15 minutes. It should not be ice cold. The ice cold temperatures may damage your skin further. It may irritate the burn further. Hot water may also make the skin dry faster. Alternatively you can dip a clean dry cloth in cool water. Rub the cloth gently against the burn.

Cool water will soothe the skin by reducing inflammation.

2. Get out of the sun

Avoid the exposing yourself to the sun after suffering a burn especially for long hours. Dermatologists recommend that you keep out of the sun from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Exposure to the sun will make the skin dry further. Experts warn that sand, chlorine and salt water can aggravate the skin to increase the pain and possible infection.

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3. Apply sunscreen

Apply a broad- spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF (sun protection factor) to prevent the sun from aggravating the burn further. A sunscreen of SPF 30-50 prevents burn-causing UVB (Ultraviolet B) rays and skin cancer causing UVA (Ultraviolet A).

4. Moisturizer

Moisturizers can also come in handy when suffering a sunburn. The moisturizer works by protecting the top layer of the broken skin so as to prevent further infections. Moisturizer also prevents irritation so as to allow the skin to heal itself. The layer that the moisturizer forms on skin traps water in the skin thereby quelling dryness.

5. Aloe Vera

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Aloe is a natural medicine when it comes to skin issues. The herb has vital enzymes such as Auxin and Giberellins that help heal the skin. They help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory properties.

If you do not find Aloe, the following herbs can also help heal the skin from sunburns: Tumeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic and chamomile.

Aloe also has cooling properties that prevent aggravating the sunburn further.

Avoid applying ointments that have alcohol in them since they will only worsen the irritation.

6. Medication

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Over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen will reduce inflammation, swelling and pain after sunburns on the face. Check with your doctor to see if these medications are safe for you

7. Drink a lot of water

When someone is exposed to the sun they tend to get dehydrated. Water rehydrates the already dried up and sunburnt skin. Ensure that your body is regularly hydrated to prevent dryness.

8. Do not touch the blisters

If blisters have formed on your skin, leave them alone. They might be irritating and painful but interfering with them will only lead to further scarring. When you see blisters, dermatologists say that it means you have second degree burns. The experts advise against popping the blisters because it might lead to causing further infection.

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9. Avoid tight clothing like a plague.

Wear loose clothing in order to allow fast healing.

The best method to treat a sunburn is to prevent it before it happens. They say prevention is the best cure. Take necessary measures to avoid sunburn before it its occurrence agonizes you greatly.

You can prevent sunburn by applying sunscreen regularly especially when you go out in the sun. Doctors recommend that you apply sunscreen after every two hours when you are out in the scorching sun. Another effective prevention measure is avoiding too much exposure to the sun.

Treating sunburns should be taken seriously because if left unattended, they may lead to skin cancer.

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