SUNBURNS-
Sunburns should of course be avoided where possible --
Prevention is your best bet. Do outdoor activities before 10:00 a.m. or after 2:00 p.m., when the ultraviolet rays are less intense. And remember to wear a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher. Reapply sunscreen every time you towel off and every hour.
Mild sunburn can cause redness, pain, and slight swelling for about three to seven days. Skin may peel and be itchy.
The redness of a sunburn is caused by clogged and swollen capillaries that supply blood to the skin. Severe burns, caused by the ultraviolet rays in sunlight, can damage blood vessels and destroy elastic fibers in the skin, causing it to sag and wrinkle. Excessive sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer, the most common of all cancers.
See a doctor immediately if there are signs of shock or heat exhaustion, such as:
-dizziness
-rapid pulse
-rapid breathing
-nausea, fever, or chills
-severe skin blisters
-extreme thirst, diminished/no urine output
An Essential Oil Sunscreen:
- 4 Drops Geranium
- 4 drops Lavender
- 1 tsp. Carrier Oil (Grapeseed, Olive, etc.)
Tip: Eating Squash helps prevent Sunburns.
Remember the Sunscreen
· Without sunscreen, UVA and UVB rays can increase your risk of skin cancer. Regardless of whether actual physical skin damage has occurred (such as a sunburn) even unnoticeable damage can create the right conditions for skin cancer development. When the body tries to fix cells that have been damaged by ultraviolet radiation, the DNA of the cell can sometimes become altered. This alteration can cause the skin cell to grow irregularly, and develop into a cancerous cell.
· According to the American Cancer Society, you should wear at least SPF 15 protection sunblock when spending time in the sun. SPF 15 will block an estimated 93% of UV rays, with SPF 30 and SPF 50 blocking 97% and 98%, respectively.
Read about Skin Cancer here: http://theresanoilforthat.blogspot.com/search/label/Melanoma
But, if you have found your self exposed to the sun too long, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate the pain and speed healing of a sunburn.
Using Essential Oils:
- Lavender and Peppermint oil mixed with Aloe Vera Gel can be particularly soothing and cooling to burned skin. Mix 1-2 drops Lavender, 1 drop Peppermint, and a "quarter" size of gel on the palms of the hand, mix, and rub on location.
- You can also add 20 drops each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for ten minutes.
For minor Sunburns, create a solution of the following recipe:
- 4-5 Drops Lavender
- 1 Drop Tea Tree
- 1 Drop Peppermint
- 1 Drop Helichrysum (You can substitute Geranium, if you do not have Helichrysum)
- 1 Cup Aloe Vera JUICE or Distilled/Purified Water or Silver solution
- Shake and Spray on Sunburn every 15-20 minutes for the first 3-4 hours or whenever you feel the heat. Spray it on daily, after you shower for 2-3 days.
Another Recipe:
- 10 Drops Lavender
- 5 Drops Peppermint
- 3 drops Pain Blend
- Add to 1oz filtered water-add to mister bottle and shake and spray on location.
Some other Natural Remedies that can help are:
1. Cool Milk Compresses: - The fat and lactic acids in milk are known to have soothing qualities for sunburned skin. Soak a soft cloth or cotton gauze in cool whole milk, and dab carefully onto the burned skin. Do this for around 20 minutes, and follow by rinsing off with cool water. (Due to the importance of the milk's fat content, it's important that whole milk be used in this treatment).
2. Cool, sugarless tea: - Black, Green, or Chamomile Tea Bath. Steep 5 tea bags in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour tea into a bathtub filled with cool water. Soaking in chamomile tea helps soothe inflamed skin. Black and green teas contain tannins, which help take the sting out of sunburn. The tannin in tea is the active ingredient, which helps to soothe and relieve some of the discomfort of sunburned skin. After brewing a big pot of tea, and allowing it to cool completely, slosh the affected areas with a soft sponge or washcloth. You could also fill a spray bottle, and spray the tea directly on the skin. And don't throw away the used (cool) teabags. These are especially good for sensitive areas around the eyes - simply place the teabags over your eyes if they feel hot and tired.
3. Aloe Vera: - Aloe Vera is commonly used to treat sunburn. As well as providing soothing relief, it may also assist in the healing process. Apply to the affected areas as needed. Although the gel extracted directly from an aloe Vera plant works best, if you don't have ready access to one, you may use an 'over the counter' Aloe Vera Cream that contains the gel. For this to be effective, just ensure that the cream contains a high concentration of Aloe Vera than it does water or other solutions.
4. Water: - When exposed to the sun, your body loses water and essential body salts. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid, and begins to reabsorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. To prevent the consequences of dehydration, increase your fluid intake to ensure you adequately re-hydrate your body for optimum recovery and health.
More on Hydration here:
http://theresanoilforthat.blogspot.com/search/label/Water%2FHydration
5. Whole Milk Yogurt Masque- Apply plain whole milk yogurt to sunburned areas. The coolness and fat content of the yogurt help soothe the burn. Rinse with cool water when yogurt becomes warm. Reapply as needed.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar Spritz- Fill a spritz bottle with apple cider vinegar (do not substitute white vinegar-it won’t work) and spray sunburned skin. Alternatively, pour cider on a washcloth and apply to skin. Rinse with cool water.
7. Strawberry Mash- Mash ripe strawberries and apply directly to sunburned skin.
8.Cucumber Slices- Place peeled, thinly sliced cucumbers directly on sunburn. Remove when cucumbers are warm. Cucumber slices are especially good for delicate skin, for example the face and neck.
Labels: Sunburns
