It feels great to have some fun in the sun. But if you’re not careful, you can get burned. Sunburn is a condition caused by prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. If not treated properly and in a timely manner, sunburn can cause peeling or blistering of your skin. It also doubles your risk of developing melanoma, a particularly malignant form of skin cancer.

Read on to learn about some simple home remedies to effectively deal with a sunburn.

Top 6 Home Remedies for Sunburn:

Cool Compress
A cool compress is a handful of ice cubes wrapped in a damp cloth. For immediate relief from the pain and inflammation caused by sunburn, place a cool compress against the affected area. It will cause the tiny blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing the inflammation.

Natural Bath Therapies
There are a number of natural bath therapies which can soothe the pain of sunburn and alleviate related symptoms. Adding apple cider vinegar to your bathtub promotes healing by balancing the pH of the sunburnt skin. Adding a cup of oatmeal, on the other hand, can help with the itchiness caused by a sunburn. Baking soda will help ease the redness and irritation caused by sunburn. Whichever natural bath therapy you opt for, it would be best to avoid adding any soaps or perfumes to the bath water, as these can further dry your already dried and sunburnt skin.

Stay Hydrated
When you are sunburnt, your skin is dry and dehydrated. Replacing lost body fluids by drinking plenty of water , juice and sports drinks, will help your body heal more effectively from sunburn.

Soothe and Moisturise Your Skin
Lotions containing aloe vera would be your best bet when it comes to soothing and moisturizing your skin. Aloe vera has strong anti-inflammatory properties that better help your skin recover from sunburn. It is also a good moisturizer to use when dealing with peeling skin.

Potato Dressing
Peel some potatoes, boil and mash them, and let them cool down. After this, you can apply the potato mash as a dressing to sunburned areas of your skin. The starch in the potatoes draws heat out of the affected areas, thus offering pain relief and speeding up the healing process.

Apply Antioxidants
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can decrease the inflammation caused by sunburn. Thus, it would be a good idea to apply Vitamin E oil to sunburned areas of your skin or to take a regular dose of Vitamin E supplements. Cucumbers are also a good antioxidant option – mash and chill cucumber and apply the paste to affected areas. Both Vitamin E and cucumbers are great for dealing with peeling skin following a sunburn.

In addition to all the aforementioned measures, one simple thing you can do to better facilitate the healing process is to remain indoors or stay in the shade, as far as possible. This will help you avoid further direct exposure to sunlight, thus allowing you time for your skin to properly heal from the sunburn. Above all, remember that sunburn, if not properly treated, puts you at risk of skin cancer. If these home remedies do not alleviate your symptoms, it’s best to consult a doctor and take the necessary medical action.