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A bad sunburn can be a very painful lesson in sun safety. Sunbathers can be fooled, because sunburns don't typically show up until three to six hours after sun exposure. There are a few things that can be done to relieve the pain of a sunburn:
Take a cool bath (not cold!) with two ounces of baking soda. (Avoid using soap on the direct burn.)
Aloe lotion can be applied to cool and soothe the skin. (Avoid ointments or greasy lotions, which can block sweat glands and keep heat from escaping.)
Apply 1 percent hydrocortisone cream several times a day to reduce swelling and pain.
Anti-inflammatory pain medication, like ibuprofen, can help relieve the sunburn.
Wear pajamas inside out when sleeping to avoid irritation of the seams.
If skin starts to blister, or the sunburn continues to get worse seek medical attention.
The information provided above was compiled from the U.S. Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health and can be found on the Web site.
