The suns\u00adhine on holiday was stronger than expected; your skin is red, hot and sensi\u00adtive to touch. What is commonly referred to as sunburn is an acute inflamm\u00ada\u00adtory reac\u00adtion of the skin trig\u00adgered by UV radia\u00adtion. This response often only reaches its peak several hours after expo\u00adsure. Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adtely, the resul\u00adting cell and DNA damage cannot be reversed \u2013 but some home reme\u00addies can provide a little relief.<\/p>\n
Cooling with caution <\/strong><\/p>\n Cool, damp compresses using a cotton cloth or a luke\u00adwarm shower help to soothe the burning sensa\u00adtion and pain. But be careful: do not apply ice or ice packs directly to the skin, as this can lead to cold damage. Also, make sure to drink plenty of fluids, as sunburn causes the body to lose a lot of fluid.<\/p>\n Aloe vera: plau\u00adsible, but little evidence<\/strong><\/p>\n Aloe vera gel is considered a classic remedy for sunburn. However, the scien\u00adtific evidence is limited: whilst a 2023 review found indi\u00adca\u00adtions of acce\u00adle\u00adrated re-epithe\u00adlia\u00adli\u00adsa\u00adtion in thermal burns, robust clinical data on sunburn is largely lacking.<\/p>\n A chilled, fragrance-free and alcohol-free gel can still be soot\u00adhing on intact skin and help calm irri\u00adtated skin. If using fresh gel straight from the leaf, take care to remove as much of the yello\u00adwish plant sap (aloin) from beneath the skin as possible, as this can irri\u00adtate the skin.<\/p>\n It\u2019s best to steer clear of these home remedies<\/strong><\/p>\n