Damage Limitation

There’s nothing worse than raw, sore, sunburn and it can cause long-term damage to your skin as well.  Prevention is the best cure, but if you get caught out, the best thing to do it to move into the shade and calm the area with nourishing vitamin E or aloe vera-based after-sun lotion to soothe and moisturise.  Bear these points in mind:

Sunburn is very damaging to the skin and is a leading cause of skin cancer.

The fair-skinned are far more at risk of sunburn and should use sun protection at all times.

It can take two to six hours for the sunburn to develop, causing redness, pain and sometimes blistering and peeling.

Calm the affected area with a cold compress, or a cool bath or shower and avoid the sun until all redness has healed.  Slices of cucumber are also very soothing, applied directly to the skin.

Gently dabbing calomine lotion on the affected area will soothe and cool, helping to prevent infection which could be caused by breaking the skin during scratching.

Severe burns can be treated with burn ointment, take painkillers for the soreness.

If your sunburn is extreme, seek medical advice.