Dermatologists Share the 1st Thing You Should Do After a Sunburn
Pro tip: Keep aloe in your fridge for instant pain relief.
Whether you prefer to spend your summer days at the beach, by the pool, or on a lake, there’s one common denominator we all can’t go without: sunscreen. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and developing five or more sunburns doubles your melanoma risk. For many, skin cancer can be avoided with regular sunscreen application. And how you treat sunburns can also have a direct impact on your skin cancer risk.
RELATED: Only 25% of Sunscreens Are Safe, New Report Finds—Here Are the 10 Best Options.
The best way to treat a sunburn is by preventing it in the first place. According to a viral TikTok video featuring dermatologist Mamina Turegano, MD, “most people are not using sunscreen correctly.”
What does this mean?
“Apply more sunscreen than you think you need and reapply every two hours,” she advised. Additionally, invest in a scalp sunscreen spray as well as a face sun lotion with a higher SPF.
Try as you may, sometimes sunburns are just inevitable—but if you can catch it early on, that could help with the recovery process.
“It’s the summer, so a lot of people are definitely spending more time out in the sun,” Turegano said in the video. “If you’re noticing a sunburn happening, please just get out of the sun and seek shade. Go inside just so it doesn’t get worse. Chances are the sunburn is going to continue to evolve, so usually it does get worse even if it doesn’t seem like it initially.”
In other cases, a sunburn can be (no pun intended) a slow burn—meaning, you might not notice it until after you shower or even the following morning.
RELATED: 20 Ways a Sunburn Harms Your Overall Health.
With sunburns, Daniel Sugai, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, says you want to “control redness, dehydration, pain, [and] itching.”
“In the beginning, take a cool shower and drink a lot of water because you’re going to be losing a lot of fluid, and you can become dehydrated quite readily from the burned skin,” he advised in a TikTok video.
It’s normal for your skin to appear very red if you’ve gotten a sunburn, and it’ll likely get worse before it gets better. To help soothe redness and the accompanying burning sensation, opt for a sun gel or moisturizer that contains aloe.
“[There’s ] a lot of moisture that’s leaving the skin at that point, because what you did is you destroyed your skin barrier,” Sugai explained.
Another common side effect of sunburns is inflammation. To combat this, you can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen. However, be forewarned that this won’t expedite the healing process. NSAIDS will only help alleviate pain.
Sugai also recommends making certain adjustments to your skincare routine during this time. If you have a sunburn, he suggested avoiding formulas that contain the following ingredients:
- Active ingredients
- Retinol
- Vitamin C
- Fragrance
Instead, load up on moisturizer.
“I like moisturizers with niacinamides to help soothe the skin,” he continued. “Ceramides are great for repairing the skin barrier.”
RELATED: 8 Best Mineral Sunscreens for Your Face, According to Dermatologists.
Last, but certainly not least: Don’t pick at your sunburn, especially if it begins to peel or develop blisters.
“If you have pretty intense sunburns, like extensive blisters or if it’s covering a wide surface area, I would seek attention with a dermatologist or another practitioner,” advised Turegano.
On that note, if your sunburn is healing and you have plans that involve the outdoors, prepare and dress accordingly.
“If you’re going to go back outside, please make sure your skin is protected, wear sun-protective clothing, be good about sunscreen, and really, I would just say minimize your time outside as you’re healing,” Turegano concluded.
