5 Remedies to Relieve Your Sunburn

As spring break comes to an end, a lot of people (myself included) are looking back on the week wishing they had put on more sunscreen while outside. But since it's a little too late to change the past, try some of these tricks to help get rid of your sunburn fast!

Sunburns are a pain, everyone can attest to that, but they don't have to ruin your life if you end up with one (or look as red as a lobster from head to toe). The real key to relieving a sunburn quickly is to act quickly, so try these tricks out if you need a little help:

• Aloe - Yes, this is probably the most common remedy for curing sunburns, but for good reason. When applied to the sunburned areas of your body, the aloe will not only reduce the pain but create a cooling sensation as well. And the best part about aloe is that you can you use it as frequently as you want, but the sooner you use it the more it will help.
• Water - Drink it. Drink lots of it. It will help re-hydrate you and your skin if you drink extra water!
• Soaks - There are tons of different remedies for things you can put in your bath to help with the redness and burn. Personally, I usually go for the oatmeal bath because it's pretty easy to find individual packages of bath oats for this purpose. Make sure to use lukewarm water though, if it's too hot or too cold it won't be very beneficial for your burn.
• Tea - Now this one sounds a little strange, but it's incredibly helpful. After you soak in a bath make a pitcher of tea, but use a few extra tea bags to make sure it's strong. Grab a washcloth or small towel that you don't mind getting stained and use it to pat the tea onto your burn. You'll be surprised how much the redness will go away, especially if you do more than one layer. And then just let it dry on your skin and wash it off in the shower the next morning!
• Baking Soda - This stuff is miraculous for sunburns. Just make it a little pasty by mixing just a tad of water in with it and spread the paste over your burn. Let the paste stiffen for several minutes (the longer the better) and then pat it off with a lukewarm towel or wash it off in a lukewarm shower. This will completely eliminate the pain of your sunburn.

So if you're anything like me and need a little help dealing with your sunburn, try some of these tips. But don't forget, the best way to relieve a sunburn is to prevent yourself from getting them. Always remember to wear sunscreen all over, even if you don't think you'll get burned.