7 Home Remedies to Relieve a Sunburn
People who like to say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure are smug jerks, especially when it comes to sunburns. While they were eating spoonfuls of tomato paste, canned flamingo, and fish oil, nibbling on grape seeds, using portable vitamin D test kits, and smearing green tea all over their bodies, sure, they didn’t get burned, but were they really living? Because you sure were. You were out there in the sun, just basking in it, arms outstretched to accept its vibrant rays like it was a commercial for a venereal disease medication. You may have gotten a little baked, a little too much color, but it was well worth it… right?
Well, now you’ve gotta deal with this sunburn business. It’s red, it hurts, it’s veritably unhealthy, and you’re about to start peeling. What do you do? How can you soothe the flaming epidermis? How can you halt, or perhaps even reverse the damage before it gets out of hand?
Recent research has apparently found the culprit responsible for a sunburn’s pain: an inflammatory molecule called CXCL5. CXCL5 is a chemokine, a protein that recruits inflammatory immune cells to damaged tissue. In sunburned tissue, researchers found that CXCL5 was present in large quantities. Later, they found that as sunburned rats healed, an antibody began specifically targeting and reducing CXCL5 levels. This reduced pain. As of now, there exists no known home remedy (or pharmaceutical remedy) for triggering CXCL5 antibodies – if that’s even something we want to mess around with, since pain exists for a reason – but there are many home remedies for dealing with the pain.
Yes, home remedies for sunburns are plentiful, but few have anything to back them up but hearsay and anecdote. Anecdote can be incredibly useful (I’ve included some of the more interesting ones below), but let’s also take a look to see which remedies, if any, have supporting evidence.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is the classic remedy. You get a bad sunburn and almost anyone’s initial response is “Apply some aloe.” Is this advice warranted? Well, the actual aloe vera plant has over two millennia of history as a medicine across many traditional cultures spanning multiple regions, including China, India, Latin America, Japan, Russia, and Africa. Modern research has confirmed its effects on blood lipids, glucose tolerance, wound healing (has been shown to slow and speed up healing rates in different studies), and first- and second-degree burn recovery, but, strangely enough, not on sunburn. It neither prevents nor heals sunburns. That said, it does appear to soothe the pain associated with sunburns, so go ahead and apply away.
Kukui Nut Oil
The kukui tree was introduced to the Hawaiian islands roughly 1,500 years ago by early Polynesian explorers. It was henceforth and hitherto employed by the islands’ inhabitants in both medical and nonmedical arenas, in particular the oil from the kukui nut. Kukui nut oil was used as fuel, as a laxative, as a topical joint pain and arthritis reliever, and, most famously, as a reliever of skin conditions – including sunburn. The oil’s efficacy has never been “proven,” but I think 1,500 years of steady use (PDF) by a sunbaked population with extensive sunburn experience elevates kukui nut oil bey0nd mere anecdote.
Topical Vitamin E
Another popular remedy is to break open capsules of vitamin E and rub it into the affected area of the skin. Does it work? Perhaps so. One study on hairless mice exposed to UVB found that applying a common vitamin E supplement (tocopherol acetate) to the skin immediately after exposure lessened the sun damage. Even applying the vitamin E eight hours after exposure helped, but the effect was reduced the longer they waited.
Topical Black Tea
Last week, I mentioned how the polyphenols in tea leaves can improve your skin’s resistance to UV radiation when they’re ingested, but it appears that topical tea application can soothe and perhaps speed up the healing of sunburns. For a detailed tutorial on how to do it, check out this great article on Instructables (complete with detailed pictures). I’ve also heard good things about sharing a cool bath with several tea bags, and I’ve got a friend who saves all her used tea bags for topical application during the summer months. She’ll soak them for ten seconds in cool water, and then just slap them on to the burn.
Milk
You don’t have to be a lacto-paleo to embrace the topical benefits of dairy, according to one dermatologist. She recommends applying cool (“not cold”) milk to your sunburns, using gauze or clean cloth, and claims that “the milk will create a protein film that helps ease the discomfort.” I would imagine grass-fed, raw milk from Jersey cows with A2 casein would work best (I never saw a sunburnt Masai!), but it probably isn’t required.
Vinegar
One part vinegar to one part water, mixed together in a spray bottle and applied directly to the sunburn is supposed to be an effective sunburn relief treatment. A few glugs added to a cool bath is another common one. Unfortunately, I could find no supporting research for this one, but it appeared on enough “sunburn home remedy” lists that I figured there may be something to it. Anyone try it out themselves?
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can seemingly do it all. Numerous readers use it as sunblock, and just as many use it to soothe already established burns. I recall Bear Grylls smearing smashed coconut all over his face and arms to prevent and soothe sunburn during an episode of Man v. Wild, so perhaps there’s something to it.
I wish there were more definitive answers for this one, but I fear that smug “an ounce of prevention” jerk may be right this time.
What are your tried and true home remedies for a bad sunburn? I’m consistently impressed with the advice and insights you guys dole out in the comment section and in emails, so let’s hear what you’ve got. What works? What doesn’t? Let me know, and thanks for reading!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
Vinegar and water do indeed work as a remedy. Using the 1:1 mixture in cold water and laying towels soaked in the mixture across the burned area will provide relief in short order.
Arnica Gel (arnica montana) works wonders for sunburn. It draws the redness away from the skin, reduces swelling and pain. Also, I use coconut oil, exclusively the LivPurely brand after a day at the beach to keep my skin and hair hydrated and soft.
I would like to add something I didn’t see, but it’s loosely based on the vinegar idea. I had a co-worker who suffered a bad burn much worse than a sun-burn. He applied mustard to the area, which of course contains vinegar. The thicker base of the mustard stuck to the wounded area, kept the skin cooler and did the trick.
If you don’t mind smelling like a corn dog, this could be your solution.
Very surprised to not see Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) on the list. It has been used by Aboriginal Australians for 10,000+ years for all sorts of skin aliments and cuts.
It is incredible on sunburn. After stupidly suffering 2nd degree sunburn, tea tree healed my skin quickly. I have been using it since 1996.
I have a bad history of sunburn. Thankfully, as I’ve gotten older it’s gotten better (as have the sunblocks.) I know this isn’t a home remedy, but the only thing that really works for me is lidocaine. I buy the aloe vera gel w/ lidocaine in it (I think solacaine is one brand) and I apply it frequently.
With deepest respect dudes, the problem isn’t the sunburn. The problem is the damaging UVA rays that are slowly turning you to leather. Without a way to block those, the short-term small sunburn is the least of your issues. UVA alters DNA and destroys collagen. A few studies suggest it harms your immune system as well. I wear sunscreen primarily so I don’t look like an old couch by age 45. I have no desire to be primal but with waggling jowls around my collarbones.
Unless you consider UVA, this discussion is seriously incomplete. Best wishes to you all!
Long story short. We had heated a draw bar for a plow to a white color. It was down to a bright red when the person welding had removed his gloves and was trying to get out from between the bars. He reached over too far and you could hear the almost white hot steel squeal on the entirety of the inside of his hand along with a huge puff of smoke. Things happened quickly after that and the huge aloe plant in the shop immediately had a very large, thick leaf split and put on that hand in just seconds after the injury. Instead of a third degree burn that looked and felt like one and took weeks to heal, the hand was much better the next day and actually had no large blistering, something that would always happen in those circumstances. This has happened since to various people and it never fails to do unbelievable wonders for the burn. The leaf was very large and thick and wrapping it so the liquid stayed on it all night seemed to help more than anything I ever witnessed. Needless to say nearly everyone I know who has a steel working shop has a large aloe plant. It always works. I had a 3rd degree burn from my furnace exploding in my face and only had an aloe product in a pump jar. While it helped with the pain, I still had the hide on my face blacken and bleed a day later. Nothing but the real plant works as well as anything, and I’ve tried them all. If you have a large plant, keep the other half of the leaf you don’t use in a ziploc and change to that side after 3-4 hours. Do this regularly and a burn will be so much less you won’t ever be caught without fresh aloe again like I did last winter after my life had left our big aloe plant on the breezeway one night during low 20′s temp that killed it. No other thing listed has worked for me as well as aloe although vit. E is also a good runner up.
I’m curious, once you do get sun-burned, is that damage permanent? What I mean is, if you get sunburned multiple times over your lifetime does the damage accumulate?
I have read that taking aspirin before the sunburn sets in can short-circuit the inflammatory response.
I have since tried this on several occasions and it does seem to prevent it from progressing.
applying yoghurt instead of milk is easier and it really helps a great deal. used it this summer and u could quickly see improvements.
I use olive oil, which I also use daily on my face and body. For mild burns I put it on before I go to bed and the next day the redness is gone. For lobster-red burns I put it on at least twice a day. I have not peeled at all since using olive oil.
In Arkansas we have a common weed called plantain. An old herb book said that boiling the leaves of the plantain, then soaking a soft cloth in the cooled liquid and applying it to the burn reduces the pain and redness. Seems like a lot of work, but it was the only option to me one summer when I got really red, and it really worked! After that I made extra and kept it in the fridge.
Coconut oil all the way – before, during & after sunning!
Combine with aloe vera for burns.
I got burned last year just 24 hours before I had a romantic weekend planned with my girlfriend! How wonderful right! She suggested the hottest shower or bath I could stand!! I thought that was nuts, but I gave it a try. I filled the tub with VERY hot water. I slowly….. got in. It was soooo frekin painful!!!! The pain stopped after 5 mins or so. I stayed in it for a few hours. The next day I had no pain!!! Nice!! I did add a tsp of tea tree oil just because it was by the tub. Not sure which help the best but it worked for me!
I second the Arnica gel. It may not speed the healing up too much but it absolutely reduces pain and some redness as it is considered an analgesic. It’s also amazing for bruises, muscle pain, prevents calcification in hematomas, and even helped me to significantly reduce healing time a stress fracture.
Another vote for vinegar. My English mum always told me to spray a sunburn with vinegar to make the redness disappear faster. I don’t burn often, but if I do I marinate myself in vinegar, and feel much better – cools my skin, and I don’t seem to peel.
I used coconut oil as a sunblock once…never again. I’ve read countless books and websites promoting it, but all it took for me was a day at the beach to discover that oil of any kind burns your skin! My body was literally cooking in the hot sun! Worst burn I ever had. Ironically, I used coconut oil to heal the burn and I didn’t peel!
I tried all these remedies: the raw aloe Vera plant, aloe Vera spray tea, warm bath and then tea bath and also the milk ( which makes you smell sort of moldy) and then I tried the vinegar and it was amazing, my skin still burned a bit but was much much less!!! Amazing
Vinegar!!! Grew up in the FL sun, Mom always gave us vinegar baths when we stayed out too long. It always took the sting out immediately and we slept well the entire night and still felt good in the morning to go out and play again!
My tried and true sunburn relief method is internal, not external. I drink some liquid chlorophyll mixed with water. Depending on the severity of the burn, you can drink a little (? maybe a teaspoon? of chlorophyll in about 6 ounces of water?) every couple of hours or just a few times a day. I am lazy and have only done it a straight 2 days in a row, so I don’t know if there is a reason to take it for longer or not. But it has never failed to relieve my skin, and my kids’ as well.
I still do what Mum used to do: When sunburned, a cool, 20 minute bath with 4-8 tea bags comforts and soothes. Also makes the burn look less red, since using tea bags in the bath gives you a temporary fake tan.
This wont help sooth the pain but it will help prevent you from peeling. If you don’t have any of the products mentioned in the article take a hot shower. I’m going to be honest, it kinda hurts but I don’t end up peeling.
Green Tea is very healing for the skin. It can speed healing of burns and heal uv damage. You could put make your own green tea bath , or you could buy a pre packaged one somewhere like greenteabaths.com
My best friend in Tucson, Az. says Barbasol Shaving Cream is the best aid for a sunburn. It worked for me
As far as home remedies go – (i very rarely get burned, as i’m not a sun worshipper – thus even though i’m 55 most think i’m in my late 30s.. just saying). Any ways, for my family: To pull the heat of the burn out we’ve used Baking Soda poultice spread out over the area. When that ‘hardens’, i then spray a light mist of Apple Cider Vinegar over the area. We repeat this procedure and most of the time after an hour or so, no more pain. (you might get a crunchy feeling from the Baking Soda, but it is worth it.)
i had severe sunburn in the face i was in dubai i went 10 min in the hot sun it is severe burn in my face this i was facing a promblem more than 5 to 6 yrs. pls help me any home remedy medicine.
Aloe I found generally works well, but I don’t like the smell or feel of it dry on my skin. I always found and, no word of a lie! A hot shower takes away the worst of the burn, not the redness but the heat most bad sunburns generate. My mum always said it “draws out the heat” and that cold showers only provided a temporary relief, but in the end make the burn seem worse. As for those who peel easy? Rub corn flower over it if it itches, it actually soothes the itch! My aunt showed me that one when she got tired of watching me use the walls corner as a back scratcher lol
I made the mistake last year of trying to get some color early in the season, and basically went from my winter, normally pale white complexion to something more closely resembling a strawberry. It’s a mistake I seem to make frequently. So I started compiling all the remedies that were listed on every sunburn website and came up with a cure that seemed to lessen the amount of time I was hurting and also the severity. Rather than bathe with teabags I put several of them in a bowl with cool water, a small splash of apple cider vinegar and a few crushed up aspirin in the bowl and I had my mix. Then I soaked a large towel in it, wrapped the towel around myself like a cape and belly flopped into a bed covered in towels. The result? A do it yourself home compress that surprisingly helped a great deal. It was easy to apply which meant I was able to apply it more frequently (as opposed to running a bath every time I wanted to try to alleviate my pain) and while the towel was on I was almost pain free, and the pain took much longer to return than with a simple aloe vera treatment. This year I’m glad I have a new remedy, but all the same I think I’ll be sticking with the sunscreen.