HELP!! I'm lobster RED....what will help a serious sun burn?
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free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:21 am

Hi all,

I worked yesterday at a block party, but due to high winds (and the fact the city wouldn't let me stake down in the street) I wasn't able to use my tent. This was a last second change. FYI: I normally put SPF between 30-55 on my face.

Yesterday I had on the 55 for my face, but didn't think about my arms or <gasp> feet. The rest of me was covered, but by the time my husband came to pick me up I have two lobster claws (both arms), a red chest in the shape of a cresent around my shirt and some very stylin' 'V' shapes on my feet (the V is white surrounded by red on ALL the piggies) and half way up my shins.

It was so bad last night I was a bit shaky. My face is red (nose and left side), but nowhere near as bad as my arms. I think I'm sunburned and windburned. I was outside from 1100-730 pm. Ouch!! The husband did come back with a chair umbrella (but no sunscreen) but the wind destroyed it within an hour. Confused

Last night, he used part of my aloe plant, but he didn't want to kill it by using it all on my arms. So he used my aloe gel (bottle) and then put some ACV on with cotten balls. It helped, but I ran my kid out of the living room because 'Mommy stinks'.

This morning, I took a cool shower (not by choice) and applied Vaseline. It sunk right into my skin, but I still hurt. Any advice out there?

I am prepared to drive to Tuscon to buy products if I can't get them from the local Walgreens/Target/Walmart. Does Dr. H have anything that would help?

I know I'm going to peel, but I'd like to avoid it or at least try to minimize some damage. I never could find the paste Mabsy mentioned. Anything similar that is sold in the states??

I am pretty sun conscience, so this is rare, but I hurt.....please help me.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:33 am

NO Vaseline...it TRAPS the heat, slows healing...increases the derma damage. Same for Noxema...another common mistake...it feels cool going on, but...

Aloe...purest you can get, spritz yourself with cool water and lay under, near a fan...this keeps you comfortable and lets the skin continue to release heat and have moisture. Cool as you can stand showers.

As your skin heals...when the heat is gone...hydrocortisone to help with the itching and to reduce further damage from scratching delicate "new" skin.

Continue w/ otc pain killers as long as you're uncomfortable...and they help ease the skins inflammation. Wish you fast healing!

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:36 am

that is a shame you cant get the skinfood... they sell it at vitacost.com but I guess by the time it shipped to you it would be too late. Try looking up retailers for Weleda at their US website..

Other members here have mentioned a product called Eutra.. and there was a similar US product called Etra or something, so that might help to stop the peeling too.

My first recommendation would have been exactly what you are doing.. cool showers, aloe (direct from the plant) and acv toner (you could also take a cool bath and put a bit of acv in it).

You could also try a very strong lavender oil solution mixed with some sweet almond oil (or jojoba or kukui)

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:32 am

What about a moisturizing bath like the Aveeno oatmeal one? With lukewarm water?

And then apply ale gel and an oil when you get out.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:44 am

Is there a Whole Foods within driving distance? They sell the Weleda Skin Food for sure. Possibly other local health food stores do as well.

Apple cider vinegar liberally applied straight from the bottle was my mom's home remedy for sunburn when we were kids and I remember it doing the trick pretty well.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:51 am

1 option - http://www.aworldofaromatherapy.com/essential-oils-sunburn.htm

Another Option - Home Remedies for Sunburn
Sunburn is skin burned by exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light.

1. Mix 2 teaspoon tomato juice and 4 tablespoon buttermilk and apply on the face. Leave for 1/2 hour, and wash off.

2. Mix olive oil with equal quantity of vinegar and apply an hour before your bath.

3. Make a paste of Barley, turmeric and yogurt in equal proportions. Apply it over the area of sunburns.

4. A thin paste of sandalwood applied to the sunburn area is beneficial.

5. Good old plain aloe vera will help the healing and have cooling sensation

Hope you feel better soon

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:39 am

First Aid for a sunburned body:

Get a jar of instant unsweetened Nestea and a gallon of aloe juice (you can use the tea alone if that is all that you can get). Pour all of it into a bathtub of tolerably cool water and soak your burn.

Aftercare for sunburn:

Mix approximately equal parts 100% aloe vera gel with an good drugstore emollient cream like Eucerin. Coat your sunburn with it -- really slather it on. Reapply often. Do this for several days to avoid peeling.

- B

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:30 pm

Thank you everyone!!

I'm off to get the vaseline off my arms and mix a batch of my ACV with EVOO. I found a hippie store in Bisbee that stocks Welda. I'm about to give my husband a mission he can't refuse.... thank you.

I have some lotion called Borage Dry Skin Therapy by Shikai for children. I'll mix that with the aloe get and apply until he gets back with the skinfood.

Thank you all for such quick replies!

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:16 pm

Hi as a pale and pasty redhead I did occasionally get burnt despite copious amounts of SPF (doesn't happen now due to excellent photostable spfs we have now!).
One thing I was told to try if you need something NOW is - natural live yoghurt! As pure as you can get it, organic is best and full fat! (no chemicals etc).
Apply straight form the fridge and, it cools, soothes and takes out the heat.
Bit messy but very soothing - I promise.
Please please dont' put on anything petro chemical based (like vaseline or baby oil).
Hope your skin feels better soon.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:58 pm

What I do is cover the burn in a huge layer of Aloe Vera Gel then wrap with cling film to keep the area moist, it works every time.
Then apply ice packs over the top to keep the temperature down.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 2:58 pm

I might be too late but here's Mabsy's post on Weleda Skin Food:

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10502&highlight=weleda+skin+food

She said she really slathered it on and it really helped and prevented peeling.

Like any kind of burn you want to cool the heat in your skin that is damaging tissue and causing the pain.

If you are still in pain and not finding the relief you want, I would suggest applying burn gel (like the drug store stuff you use if you burn yourself on the stove or something). It can really help severe burns so if you have a sunburn I would think it would really help there too.

Good luck and feel better soon! I know what you're going through and it ain't that pleasant.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:33 pm

Copper peptide serum has worked for us in the past. It's very soothing.

When I was a teen I burnt my nose so badly it scabbed, aloe gel worked for me then, all creams I tried just made it burn even worse.

I was so happy when that scab fell off! I often wonder what type of damage that burn did to my nose.

I hope you heal quickly and without much damage!

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:29 pm

Lolli wrote:

When I was a teen I burnt my nose so badly it scabbed, aloe gel worked for me then, all creams I tried just made it burn even worse.

I was so happy when that scab fell off! I often wonder what type of damage that burn did to my nose.

that happened to me too when I was in HS. First I had giant blisters (it looked like my nose was deformed or something). Then my entire nose was a scab and talk about weird looking and feeling. I remember that day b/c I couldn't believe how burnt my nose had gotten considering it was overcast. AND I had sunblock on. And the rest of my face wasn't even that burnt. My sunblock must have rubbed off only on my nose or something.

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:31 pm

Aloe Vera gel is nice and makes a burn feel better for sure. But what you really need to do right away when you see you are sunburned is to stop the irradiation from continuing. Did you know that UV radiation continues "baking" your skin for up to 4 hours post-exposure? Anyhow, the damage is done from the swelling/inflammation of the exposed tissue. It's called erythma, I believe. It can also damage the DNA in your skin cells - thus the "really bad burn =s higher skin cancer risk" equation.

Vitamin E topically helps relieve erythma. Vitamin E capsules work but that might be a lot of capsules to break open and rub on to your skin. I use rice bran oil which is full of vitamin E instead. Much easier to apply. I keep a bottle in my fridge just in case. Better luck next time!

free skin care · Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:58 pm

Good ole cocoa butter keeps me from peeling when I have a sun mishap. I just buy the Queen Helene brand, and I put it everywhere (even my face).

free skin care · Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:06 pm

Avocado Oil is a miracle for damaged/burned skin. I remember Shaklee used to sell an Avocado cream for sunburns, etc, but it's been years since I've bought it, so I don't know if they still make the same stuff...

free skin care · Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:05 pm

BEST thing i've used (this is good for burns from the oven too) is FRESH aloe! I buy a plant, break one of the stems open, and smear the goo on the affected area.

free skin care · Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:39 am

I dab a little lavender oil on small burns and scalds and it seems to help them heal up very quickly - it's one of the few essential oils that can be applied neat to the skin like that. I don't think it would be a good idea on a large area though, but maybe a few drops in a mild aloe gel base would add something to the healing process.

free skin care · Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:23 am

I like to use Jurlique Calendula Cream when I get sunburned. The cream feels thick at first but it goes on very smooth and takes away any feelings of tightness in the skin.

Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:36 am

Sorry I missed this discussion Sad

I highly recommend Weleda SkinFood, it worked wonders for me when I got severly sunburnt earlier this year.

free skin care · Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:08 am

i was skiing in colorado over easter & got hit by some sunburn (but just around my nostrils & chin!)...i used a homeopathic cream made especially for irritated skin conditions called rescue cream by bach remedies.

it contains the same stress-releaving remedy that makes their rescue remedy, but in a cream base. applied 3-4 times a day (in the areas that needed it), the redness went down right away.

free skin care · Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:22 am

Thank you everyone for all the replies!! Very Happy

I wish I had remembered the avocado oil and vit. e!

Follow up: Well, I did use the Welda and the Rescue Cream this last week. My routine was I applied Aloe gel both morning and night. I'd let it dry and then I'd put on the RC,let it soak in and then apply the Welda. I took both creams with me to work and applied often. They seemed to help until I ran out of both creams.

I do think they helped, but my left arm was SOOOO bad. The texture of my skin changed on my shoulder and I thought I'd blister for sure....but I didn't! The Welda was sort of greasy, but it was just what my skin needed. Unfortunately, as soon as I ran out of the creams my arm started to itch something awful. One day without the creams and my arm looked like a snake shedding its skin! Confused

Thank you for all the advice. It was helpful as my right arm has almost no peeling and my face and neck don't look like they will at all.

I like both creams. I liked the RC on my face as it did help, but wasn't overly greasy, but I did use the welda at night for 2-3 nights after I got burned. My face lost the red quickly, but my arms and neck stayed red almost the whole week. By thursday (5 days later) my right arm and most of my left had turned brown and the pain on my left finally left even though the top was still red.

This was the worst burn I can actively remember and its driving my husband batty as I'm even more of a sunscreen natzi than I was before. Cool

The only good thing from the ordeal was I did get in the local paper which was pretty cool. If I hadn't gone, then I might never have been associated with my work plus I've been invited to two more large events that previously weren't interested, but I'm sooooo going to use a tent! Razz

free skin care · Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:28 am

I spoke too soon! Sad

I went to a public indoor pool yesterday and now I'm peeling everwhere but my face! I think the chlorine must have dried me out too much! Ick! I hate that itchy feeling....

I really must have done one heck of a job because when the skin started to peel on my left shoulder the skin UNDER the brown skin is STILL red. I had a lady at the pool tell me to put tea bags on my shoulder to take away the sting and help with the burn. I didn't want to tell her this was a week old burn and it didn't hurt.

It is weird though....since the skin peeled off...my left shoulder DOES look like a new burn! No where near like last week, but still....hmmmm. Is is possible that I damaged the under layers so bad that they are still burned????! Or could it be just the new skin that is just tender? Or could I have reburned it in the 3-4 minute drive to the pool???

You know the sad thing??? Even though I hate being burned....I DID like the deep brown my arms turned after the red...and before I turned into a snake losing its skin. So unheathly, but that California tan mentality from my youth is hard to delete from the memory banks. Laughing

I think I will start to look under the self tanners. I like the Jergens but it isn't as dark as I now would like to get....without looking like George Hamilton, mind you! I want the dark shade now in splotchy marks on my arms and not any organge. The Jergens was getting a little orange at the darker shade after about a week. It was ok for some color, but I will read up on here what you all like. Thanks everyone!

free skin care · Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:53 am

I'm feelin' for you Deanne. I'm thinking that the minute you burnt you were destined to peel but this is just my opinion, I don't know for sure. Maybe someone will know about the new skin. I do think it needs to be protected by clothing for at least a month or so, no sun at all if you can help it. Take care! I remember with some really bad burns myself, not only was it sort of scary not knowing how badly I'd damaged myself but it's also so painful and itchy.

free skin care · Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm

One bad burn is enough to turn you off from tanning for good! I had one really really bad one when I was 17, I haven't stepped foot on a beach without massive amounts of sunscreen since! I've tried the self-tanner route but I could never get it even nor did I ever like the color. I'm resigned to being beautifully fair, with maybe a touch of bronzer now and then.

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