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The Best Treatments for Sunburn, According to Dermatologists

We all know by now that wearing sunscreen every day is crucial. But even the most diligent SPF-wearer can slip up sometimes. Maybe you went in the water too soon after applying, forgot to reapply, left your UV-protective clothes and sun hat at home, or just took a longer beach nap than you planned. Whatever the reason, sunburns can happen even when we try to prevent them — but there are lots of ways to soothe the pain while you wait for one to heal, according to the dermatologists and spa representative we spoke to.

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 Overall best sunburn treatment

Aveeno 1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Relief Cream - There are plenty of over-the-counter remedies for sunburns, but if you’re only going to choose one, the majority of the dermatologists we spoke to recommend hydrocortisone cream. Dr. Dhaval G. Bhanasuli of Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery says that cortisone helps “calm things down quick” after a burn. Dr. Michele Green, a Manhattan-based dermatologist, also recommended hydrocortisone, noting that you can get it either over-the-counter or as a prescription, and that it’s effective for “soothing pain and irritation from a sunburn.” Whether you go OTC or prescription should depend on the severity of the sunburn. “Prescription topical hydrocortisone creams can be very effective in treating sunburns,” says Dr. David Avram of Heights Dermatology and Laser in Brooklyn. “They are potent anti-inflammatory creams that can soothe sunburns rapidly. So if the sunburn is intense see your primary-care physician or dermatologist.” This Aveeno hydrocortisone cream, which other experts previously recommended to us for eczema relief, has oats and aloe (two sunburn-soothing ingredients we’ll come back to), making it an especially good choice.

Articles of Interest

How to Soothe a Bad Sunburn

Experts recommend the best treatments for pain, peeling, blisters and swelling. The experts were divided on whether you should opt for a thick or thin lotion. Dr. Adamson and Dr. Holman recommended creams that contain ingredients like ceramides or petrolatum, which trap in moisture. However, Dr. Lewin cautioned that those thicker lotions could also trap in heat, and advised using a thinner, water-based option instead. Aloe is often touted as a sunburn treatment, and the experts said it’s also a good ingredient to look for because it’s an effective moisturizer, but there’s nothing unique about it when it comes to treating sunburns. Regardless of which kind of moisturizer you choose, the product should be fragrance-free and have a short ingredient list to avoid any potentially irritating additives.

A sunburn treatment that actually works

You should learn how to treat a sunburn. And better yet: how to prevent one, too. Some moisturizers contain occlusives like petroleum jelly (petrolatum) or ceramides, but their use is a heated subject among skin experts. Holman, meanwhile, recommends these products only in the late stages of a sunburn, when the skin has already started to peel.

Beating the Burn Naturally: 16 Home Remedies for Sunburns

Treating a sunburn doesn’t have to mean a trip to the pharmacy, though, here are some effective home remedies and common sense techniques to ease your pain and heal the damage after getting burned.

Do These Common Sunburn Remedies Actually Work?

People have been using honey to treat wounds for hundreds of years. Honey has antibacterial properties, thus allowing injuries to heal without infection. In fact, research has found that honey can protect against 80 different species of microorganisms. Honey also reduces inflammation and moisturizes the dry skin of a sunburn, soothing the pain.

How to Get Rid of a Sunburn Fast, According to Dermatologists

These simple sunburn cures will relieve pain, itching, and redness in no time.

How to Handle Sunburn in Kids

Concise instruction sheet for sunburn in kids.

Sunburn treatment: What works?

If needed, take anti-inflammatory medication, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, according to the label instructions until redness and pain subside. Don't give children or teenagers aspirin. It may cause Reye's syndrome, a rare, but potentially fatal, disease.

Watch How You Can Heal And Cover Up Your Sunburn At The Same Time

There is no shortage of information warning against sun damage or products to prevent it from happening. Still, no matter how cautious you are about skincare, getting a sunburn is a reality of summer. Aloe and other treatments are helpful in making us feel better, but what about looking better? Hearing people tell you over and over again how burned you are can get pretty old. Thanks to this tutorial by Blue Dressed Beauty, you can learn how to heal your sunburn and cover it at the same time.

What Are the Best Home Remedies for Sunburn?

Here’s what to grab from the medicine cabinet, or the kitchen, for relief.

Resources

10 Tips For Treating A Bad Sunburn

You were out on the boat all day, you forgot to reapply sunscreen and before you knew it, you scored a nasty sunburn. Or maybe you were just mowing the lawn for an hour -– maybe it was even cloudy -– and it didn't even cross your mind to put on sunscreen. Now you're scorched.

12 Best After-Sun Lotions, According to Dermatologists

Applying sunscreen is a nonnegotiable when it comes to protecting your skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays, but it’s not the only skin care product to have on hand this summer. In addition to your favorite SPF, dermatologists recommend the best after-sun lotions to help hydrate your skin from sun damage, an overlooked part of sun care.

Aveeno hydrocortisone cream OTC

This Aveeno hydrocortisone cream, which other experts previously recommended to us for eczema relief, has oats and aloe (two sunburn-soothing ingredients we’ll come back to), making it an especially good choice - Hilary Reid

Eucerin Skin Calming Lotion OTC

Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product. It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.