The summer sun is here! It’s the perfect time to enjoy a day by the water or go on a vacation. This means that your skin is going to get far more sun exposure. It’s very important to put on sunscreen several times throughout the day if you plan on being out in the sun. Vitamin D from the sun is important to prevent Vitamin D deficiency but getting too much sun can lead to sunburns, premature wrinkles, leathery skin, and skin cancer. Sunburns can be painful, itchy and damage your skin. It’s best to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun if possible, but if you do get a sunburn, these essential oils and natural ingredients can help!
Briefly, there are three degrees of burns. First-degree burns are damage the outer layer of the skin, resulting in red, irritated skin. A second-degree burn is damage to both the outer layer and the under layer which presents as blistering, redness, and very painful skin. Third degree burns are very serious burns that cause nerve damage and destroy your skin, leaving skin looking either red, white, yellowish, or even black. Most sunburns are first-degree burns, but you can get both second and third-degree burns from the sun depending on the conditions you are in, so make sure to pay attention to the sun and how long you stay out in it.
When treating a sunburn, you want to relieve pain and to help your skin to heal faster. There are many options to treat sunburn naturally by using essential oils and other natural items. The best essential oils to treat sunburns are peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and lavender essential oil. Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils are natural analgesics, reducing the pain and inflammation of the burn. Lavender is a great essential oil for healing because it reduces inflammation and reduces redness and scarring.
Create a mixture with these essential oils and aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is a widely used treatment for sunburns that is derived from the aloe vera plant. It contains polysaccharides and other natural ingredients that encourage healing and regeneration of the skin. If you’d like to spray your skin without having to rub the mixture in (which could be painful), add water and put the mixture into a small spray bottle.
Another method of soothing a sunburn is to take a bath in natural ingredients that promote healing and pain relief. The best choices for this are oatmeal, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Put a cup of one of these into a warm bath and soak for as long as you like. Make sure to use warm water instead of hot water, as hot water can make the pain of the sunburn worse.
Make sure to use sun cover ups, including hats and shirts, along with sunscreen this summer. It’s also important to limit the amount of time that you’re in the sun. Even exposure to the sun with sunscreen can lead to sunburns and damage to your skin. If you do happen to stay in the sun just a bit too long, treat your sunburn quickly with essential oils and other natural ingredients to reduce pain and heal faster.
