Sun Burn

[lady-janine]

does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can put on sunburnt arms and face please? very swollen, red, blistered, sore and itchy.

thanks.

[Tilly2]

Have you got an Aloe Vera plant or any Aloe Vera cream?

[murraymints]

Apart from usual after Sun...plain yoghurt....

[lady-janine]

thanks tilly and minty. will try both of those - at separate times using calamine lotion at the moment. walking around looking like one of the undead.

[murraymints]

You must wear a hat with a wide brim long sleeves and lashings of cream when in the garden, even if it's not that hot...I have learned my lesson...

[Tilly2]

Yes, flakey calamine lotion is not a good look, l-j. Stay indoors today.

[Buenchico]

From the NHS website:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Sunburn/Pages/Treatment.aspx

[lady-janine]

have been staying in for the past few days but is still very sore. usually find factor 20 is enough to keep it at bay. was not sunny the other day and was only outside, mostly in shade, for about 2 hours. I never go and work outside in sun. certainly never sit in the sun, far too dangerous.

thanks for suggestions.

[lady-janine]

thanks for the link chris.

[murraymints]

I never use less than 50 spf...

[lady-janine]

we very rarely get snow or frost here minty so do things outside 12 months of the year and so have toughened skin. this is first time for problem.

[Tilly2]

I have a 'condition' called polymorphic light eruption, which means that I have to keep totally covered up in even the weakest sunshine. I would love to wear short sleved things and cropped trousers or shorts but I can't.

[murraymints]

It's the wind burn I find the worst !! Also put Vaseline on lips....look like I'm going to the north pole or swimming channel !! Lol..

[murraymints]

Poor you tilly....come live in Scotland ...don't see the yellow thing much !!

[lady-janine]

am used to the wind. plenty of that. comes straight off sea on three sides of the garden. can do a lot of damage when you are high up.

[lady-janine]

tilly - you poor little soul. what a shame for you. sorry to hear that.

[Tilly2]

Thank you both. It doesn't disrupt my life too much. I just have to be really careful.

[heathfield]

Every home should have an Aloe Vera plant growing on the kitchen windowsill. It has almost magical qualities when it comes to any kind of burn, including sunburn. Applying the gel from inside the leaf to the burn will bring quick relief, and even shrink blisters and allow the skin to grow back normally. Chris's NHS link mentions moisturisers containing Aloe Vera, but these usually contain a very small proportion, and thus they are nowhere near effective as the straight stuff from the plant.

[anneasquith]

old fashioned,,,,,,,,,,,,,,vaseline.

[heathfield]

Old-fashioned Vaseline can be used on a burn to prevent bugs from passing into the damaged skin and causing infection. It doesn't otherwise aid in the healing process. Aloe Vera heals.

[lady-janine]

thanks heathfield. I have got an allo vera in the utility room and it gets used for all sorts of things. trying it sunburn on face and it seems to be being effective. my lips and round the eyes are very sore areas so have not put anything there. just waiting for that to heal.

kitchen is north facing and too cold for anything to survive - including my cooking.