This weekend tons of people will forget to put on sunscreen and they will burn up just like the fireworks you will see in the sky. Be smart....if you are going to enjoy the beauty of the sun...prepare your body and don't forget sunscreen, a nice sun hat, sun glasses and cool cotton clothing!
If for any silly reason you happen to get burned, and this does happen even to the best of us...here are some home health remedies to help.
1. Pickles: Doesn't matter what kind, dill or sweet both work! Svetlana Kogan, M.D., board certified internist and founder of The Doctors at Trump Place recommends applying thin slices of pickles for about 15 minutes and repeating every few hours as necessary.
2. Strawberries: We probably all know how delicious strawberry daiquiris are, but did you know that they soothe aching, sunburned skin? Strawberries are cooling in nature and generate body fluids which are helpful after too much fun in the sun, says Kristen N. Burris, acupuncturist and herbalist. Make a paste from mashed strawberries and apply to burned skin.
3. Cucumbers: We all remember many of movies showing cucumbers being used on eyelids to reduce puffiness so realizing they would work on sunburn is pretty much a no brainer. Slice cucumbers into thin rounds and place over red sunburned area for twenty minutes.
4. Oatmeal: We know oatmeal is great for breakfast and a nutritious food to add to our diets but it's nutritious for your skin, too! Dr. Alexiades-Armenakas notes, "This has been used in baths to help soothe atopic dermatitis (eczema) and poison ivy." For proper sunburn relief, she recommends the Aveeno oatmeal bath packets which should be put into a bath of warm but not too hot water for about 15 minutes.
5. Green Tea: So make yourself a cup of tea, and once cooled the tea can be applied to sunburned skin to reduce the redness," says Dr. Alexiades-Armenakas. "This is scientifically proven. Or, you can place green tea in the refrigerator, put it into a spray bottle and spray it onto sun burnt skin." She also mentions that after black tea bags are cooled, they're an excellent antidote to reduce sunburned eye puffiness. Simply apply to the eyes for 20 minutes.
6. Potatoes: If your skin has been overexposed to the sun, Dr. Burris recommends applying a poultice of smashed, raw potato (including the skin) to the hot, burned area of your skin. She notes, "Potato reduces inflammation and has antibiotic properties healing burns and preventing infection."
7. Eggs: Some doctors say to stay away other health nut say eat up the protein but for your skin--it's great! When they're boiled, scrambled or fried, eggs are also good for the skin. Eric Braverman, M.D., founder of PATH Medical, says eggs tighten your skin. "A little bit of egg treatment helps with inflammation." Burris adds, "Crack an organic egg, discarding the egg white and yolk. Carefully remove the skin membrane from the shell and apply the sticky side to your burned skin. Allow the egg skin to dry on your burn and do not get it wet for two days. Eventually the egg will dissolve and your burns will be healed."
8. Corn Strach: Dr. Erika Schwartz, M.D., Cinergy Health Medical Director, recommends applying corn starch powder as if it's powder you would use on a baby's diaper rash, only this time it's applied to the sunburned skin. "Dust it like powder and cover [the burn], leave it on until you shower." She recommends leaving it on for 24 to 48 hours.
9. Lettuce: Let-us have some relief! "Take a head of lettuce, boil it in water, discard the leaves, and let the juice sit in the refrigerator," explains Dr. Schwartz. Next, she recommends applying the juice to cotton balls and dabbling it on to the burn and reapplying every few hours as necessary. "Vitamin C has great antioxidants and it fights free radicals."
So most of us have one or more of these natural remedies in their kitchens, so hopefully you won't ever need them but if you get burned a bit....try them out! Remember if you have a bad sunburn contact your doctor or get to the ER--you could also experience sun poisoning.
Be careful, enjoy the sun and celebrate the 4th in a fabulous and safe way!!
~Ally
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