How to remove sunburn on the face

The ultraviolet rays of the sun (UVA and UVB) penetrate the skin causing an inflammatory reaction of the outer layer , called the epidermis, where a pigmented substance known as melanin is located, which gives color to our skin, hair and eyes. In addition, it acts as a filter for the sun’s rays, preventing their passage to the deeper layers of our skin.

This pigment darkens our skin when it is exposed to the sun without protection and depending on each genetics we will have more or less.

People with less melanin are more likely to burn and tan less, but both skin burns and tanning reflect the cellular damage to the skin caused by the sun’s rays. Ultraviolet light can also alter DNA, which can lead to premature aging and skin cancer in the future .

The duration and speed with which a sunburn starts will depend on several factors:

• Type of skin.
• Sun intensity, if you are in higher or lower altitude areas.
• Exposure time to sunlight (between 10 am and 3 pm the sun’s rays are most intense).

Fair-skinned, freckled, and blonde people tend to turn red earlier than dark-skinned people. With a few hours of exposure to the sun, you will notice that your skin will redden, if you persist longer in the open air, this redness will be accentuated, burning the skin already exposed and the full effects of the sunburn will appear in the next 8 to 24 hours.

In case of being a slight burn , with redness and some pain, it can take up to three days to disappear from your face.

If the skin is very swollen, sore, and red , then it will take about a couple of weeks to heal completely . You will also notice that as your skin regenerates, the scaly or peeled areas will become more visible.

The pain, generally, after 48 hours already begins to disappear, but in the case of blistering skin lesions we are already facing a more serious burn that can take more than two weeks to recover and it is advisable in these cases to go to a specialist.

The first thing you should do when you suffer a sunburn on your face is to cover your skin and stay away from the sun , so you will avoid staying longer in sunlight, reducing the damage.

Then, you are going to place cold compresses on your face, you can use ice to cool the water, but never put it directly on the reddened skin or you can also take a quick shower with cold water, without using irritating soaps, as they can make the burn worse.

With the skin of the face previously moistened, you are going to apply a very mild moisturizing lotion , avoiding using those that contain ingredients made from petroleum, since they can trap heat and worsen the skin burn. This lotion should be used daily for the next few days in order to keep the skin hydrated and reduce flaking.

If you are not allergic to any medications or suffer from any disease, you can take anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAIDs or paracetamol to relieve symptoms and improve pain.

There are natural substances that can soothe the burning of the skin, such as essential oils of lavender, chamomile, aloe vera lotions and oats. Some remedies for sunburn on the face that you can use are:

1. Use oatmeal in the shower as it helps reduce inflammation, burning, and itching. Preparing a cool bath using ground oatmeal as soap can have relaxing and hydrating effects on your skin.
2. In a bowl, pour cold water with ice and soak a cloth with this water, you will place it on your face without rubbing it. You will repeat this process several times a day.
3. In case of having the area around the eyes burned, swollen and sensitive, you can submerge two green tea bags in the cold water and place them for a few minutes on the closed eyes. This will help calm the symptoms.
4. To counteract the flaking effects of sunburn on your face, you should not only keep your skin hydrated, but your entire body. Eating hydrating fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cucumber, melon, will keep you always hydrated.
5. After bathing, use moisturizing lotions , this will prevent the skin from drying out. If you put the cream in the fridge before applying it, the soothing effects will be better.
6. The aloe vera gel extracted directly from the plant is one of the best options for relieving sunburn on the face and scars that may arise. You can cut an aloe plant, extract the gel from the leaf, store it in a glass container and keep it refrigerated, ready to use whenever you need it.
7. Avoid exposing yourself to the sun while you have burned skin on your face and if you have to be outdoors, be sure to wear sunscreen and clothing that covers you so as not to worsen the burns.
8. Drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself and help your skin heal faster.
9. Massages or washes with a decoction of calendula flowers are a good remedy for sunburn on the face. This plant refreshes, soothes, hydrates and restores damaged skin. The calendula cream is also a good choice.
10. By containing allantoin, comfrey regenerates burned skin , reduces inflammation and heals. You can perform a massage by applying the liquid obtained from the decoction of the root or get an ointment that has it as an ingredient.

In the following article, you can see more Home remedies for sunburn .

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to remove sunburn on the face , we recommend that you enter our Skin, hair and nails category .