I’m Sun Burned… Now What?

Sunburn can leave your skin looking as red as a lobster and in some serious pain. If you forgot to apply at least 1 oz. of sunscreen this time around, we’ve got some tips on how to care for your sunburnt skin.

Before we recommend how you can treat your sunburn, you should know why your skin gets sunburn. Sunburn is caused by the sun’s UV radiation, including UVA and UVB rays, which damage the skin’s DNA. The result is redness, swelling and pain. DNA damage can result in the destruction of skin cells, which is why the skin peels after a bad sunburn. Mutated DNA can also result from UV radiation, which can lead to skin cancer.

The key to treating sunburn is to cool down your skin. A cooling shower will help relieve some of the heat, but the right products are essential. Aloe Vera is one of the best ingredients to help soothe your skin. The gel inside the succulent leaves of the aloe plant provide a soothing relief for the skin, help to promote cell growth, and have anti-inflammatory properties – exactly what the doctor ordered for hot, damaged, and inflamed skin! The most important ingredient for sunburn though is Thermus Thermophilus. This deep sea microorganism helps repair damaged DNA by UV light and prevents a process called lipid peroxidation. Our Hydra Soleil Deep Relief Tea Gel contains both ingredients along with Green Tea extract and Cucumber to help inflammation, and Hyaluronic Acid to help heal and repair sunburn.

Applying a rich cream like our Vita Cura® Triple Action Body Soufflé will also help relieve and repair the skin. Natural ingredients like Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed Oil, and Mafura Oil help to moisturize the skin, while Carrot Oil helps to rebuild the skin barrier. African Mafura Oil in this cream is also is rich in essential fatty acids, helps encourage the regeneration of skin cells, and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

The biggest lesson to learn from sunburn – don’t let it happen again! Apply sunscreen and avoid the avoidable! Sun exposure can lead to hyperpigmentation and worse.

Do you have any sunburn remedies? Tell us in the comments below!