Your big summer getaway is just around the corner. All your bags are packed and you’re ready to go! There’s no doubt about it, this is going to be another epic summer indeed. What of your sun protection?

What About Sun Protection?

According to the World Health Organization, current estimates of people suffering from various forms of skin cancer are at a staggering 3 million, reflecting a rise of as much as 15 times the number of recorded cases around the globe in the 1970s. In the US, skin cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer. US is the sixth country to record the highest number of skin cancer cases, following Denmark, France, Australia, Belgium and Norway, that is, according to 2012 estimates made by the World Cancer Research Fund International.

It is a cultural thing, experts say, which makes skin cancers difficult to curb despite all-out-campaigns to change people’s behaviors towards sun protection. Reality is, even when you have a robust sun protection strategy, it’s not impossible to still have to deal with sun damaged skin. When sunburn gets in the way of your summer adventures, here are the 5 most effective home remedies that you can try:

1.  Take a cold shower. 

It immediately relieves the burning sensation on your skin. If your skin is red and severely swollen, soak in a tub filled with ice to bring more intense cooling sensation to your skin.  Add in dry, rolled oats to your soak or, spread on your skin after your cold shower. Oats have natural skin soothing properties that provides relief against the soreness, irritation and other signs of inflammation and damage linked to sunburned skin.

2.  Apply cold milk.

Soak a very soft washcloth in a bowl of cold milk. Press the washcloth against sunburned surfaces to help release the heat from your skin while simultaneously creating a thin film on the surface of your skin which brings comfort to severely irritated skin. Do the same for other areas of your skin not visibly sunburned to soothe it from the heat.

3.  Slather on an aloe vera skin preparation. 

Whether it is in cream, oil or lotion forms, aloe vera provides one of the best sunburn care, although the most effective treatment that you can get is from a tube of aloe vera gel. Aloe vera consists mostly of water with complex sugars and micro-protein complexes that give it its strong burn healing properties. Even in medically administered burn therapies, aloe vera has consistently and successfully delivered treatments on patients diagnosed with first and second degree burns. 

The surface rebuilding properties of aloe vera even helps heal any scarring that may develop after. It also helps facilitate a less painful flaking and shedding of sunburned skin later on. When the swelling is gone, feel free to apply safe products for lightening your skin tone. Look up an Ivory caps review to see if this product may be able to help you.

4.  Use honey to moisturize your skin.  

Honey is one of the most powerful humectant. It acts like a moisture magnet which draws in moisture to the surface of your skin. That means, for as long as it is there on the surface of your skin, your skin will receive a continuous influx of much-needed moisture to comfort your dry, inflamed skin. 

Honey also has natural antiseptic properties which helps protect you from catching infections at a time when  your skin is highly vulnerable to foreign body invasions which can easily make matters worse for your already bad skin condition.

5.  Use coconut oil as leave on moisture. 

The best coconut oil remedy that you can get is if you can burn the grated meat of a coconut and make it oil. You then collect that oil and let it cool. If a fresh alternative is not within your reach, you can always try over-the-counter virgin coconut oil preparations.  Coconut is composed of a rich blend of fatty acids that helps restore your skin’s normal moisture levels, as it seeps easily and deeply into your skin, and as it leaves a thin film on the surface of your skin.

Conclusion

When you can, the best way to keep your skin from burning in the scorching heat of the sun is to stay out of the sun.  Have the confidence to say,“I don’t mind being pale,” in the same frankness as Taylor Swift did when she said so herself.