Natural Remedies for Sunburn

Most of us have had at least one sunburn in our lifetime. I've had several, sometimes terribly painful ones. Prevention is the best medicine but when it's too late for prevention, try these natural remedies for your sunburn.

Of note, though, if you experience any of these symptoms, see your medical doctor: nausea, chills or fever, if you feel fatigued or faint, if you have extensive patches of blistered, purple or discolored skin or if you have intense itching.

Aromatherapy:

Add 20 drops each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for ten minutes, suggests Judith Jackson, author of Scentual Touch: A Personal Guide to Aromatherapy.

Food Therapy:

John F. Romano, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City, suggests to dip some gauze in whole milk and apply it to sunburned areas for about 20 minutes, repeating this process every two to four hours. Be sure to wash off the milk to avoid having your skin smell sour.

For healing, eat more foods rich in vitamin C, which speeds the healing process for burns, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California.

Herbal Therapy:

Keep an aloe vera plant in your house, and when you have a sunburn, break open a leaf and apply the clear gel inside directly to your tender skin, says Tori Hudson, N.D., a naturopathic physician and professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Apply as often as needed for relief.

Homeopathy:

For a mild sunburn, put 20 drops of Calendula tincture in four ounces of water and bathe the skin with it until the pain goes away, says Mitchell Fleisher, M.D., a family practice physician and homeopath in Colleen, Virginia. If the skin is itchy, prickly and stinging, Dr. Fleisher suggests using a mixture of 20 drops of Urtica urens tincture and four ounces of water to bathe the skin. He says you can also take a 6C or 12C dose of Calendula or Urtica urens every two to three hours as needed. If the skin is swollen and bothered by heat and feels better with an application of cold, he says to try taking a 12C or 30C dose of Apis every two to three hours. All of these remedies are available in many health food stores or can be purchased online.

Hydrotherapy:

A baking soda bath is great for soothing a sunburn, according to Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama. Add one cup of baking soda to a tub filled with lukewarm (94 to 98 degrees F) water and soak for 30 minutes to an hour, using a cup to pour the water over any part of the body that isn't submerged in the bath. Pat dry.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy:

After a sunburn, taking these supplements for a few days can speed healing, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California: 1000 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 international units of vitamin E and 15 milligrams (25,000 international units) of beta-carotene. He says it is also a good idea to get more essential fatty acids such as those in flaxseed oil. Take one to two tablespoons of the liquid form, he says, or follow the manufacturer's label for the suggested dose if you are taking capsules (about three capsules equals one teaspoon of the liquid). Flaxseed oil is available in most health food stores or can be purchased online.

Source: New Choices in Natural Healing: Over 1,800 of the Best Self-Help Remedies from the World of Alternative Medicine, edited by Bill Gottlieb, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention Magazine Health Books.