Help for a horrible sunburn

1069 Views 25 Replies 17 Participants Last post by ShannonCC, Jun 6, 2005

coopnwhitsmommy

Discussion Starter · Jun 6, 2005

I took the boys to a parade today slathered them with SPF 50

and let my 3yr old put it on me...but apparently we forgot my left arm and half of my forehead. After sitting in the sun for 2 and a half hours in my virgin skin I have a lovely bumpy possibly blitering burn on my arm, my hair part and half of my forehead. I've been putting aloe on it but it only stops the burn for 15 min or so then I'm miserable again. I'm trying to remember if you're not supposed to take Tylenol, or Asprin when you have a burn. I don't know. I thought about going and getting some Apple cider vinegar because that's what we used when I was a kid and got burned like this at Disney...but I don't remember if it worked or not. any suggestions?

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mamalisa

· #2 · Jun 6, 2005

I've always used icy cold white vinegar on washcloths. Ouch, you poor thing, sunburn hurts so bad

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kama'aina mama

· #3 · Jun 6, 2005

Vinegar works very well. It stings for a moment when you first put it on... and then the relief is amazing. It also helps the burned skin retain moisture and heal faster. I would soak a paper towel in vinegar and stick it to the burned area.
The asprin/tylenol thing I never heard.

stirringleaf

· #4 · Jun 6, 2005

honey also neutralises the burn for a while but that vinager thing sounds longer lasting and less sticky. i do know that you shoud never put ice on a burn cuz it can do more damage to the nerves ( basicaly, freezerburn/frostbite)

do you have a nurseline in your area that you can call about tylenol/asprin? that seems like a worthy question...

kama'aina mama

· #5 · Jun 6, 2005

http://www.quickcare.org/skin/burns.html
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_sunburn_hhg.htm
one of those links advised Aleve and the other Advil. Neither mentioned asprin or tylenol or any other pain reliever as dangerous.

IamCoupongirl

· #6 · Jun 6, 2005

We use 1% hydrocortisone cream 2x per day on sunburns.

Gemini

· #7 · Jun 6, 2005

There is Aloe with a pain killer in it too. That works well, but I'd be curious to try the vinegar.

coopnwhitsmommy

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 6, 2005

Thanks I'm headed out to get vinegar.

PajamaMama

· #9 · Jun 6, 2005

ouch...I don't know what you can put on your skin, but drink lots of water. You might feel dehydrated with that sunburn and water will help.

kama'aina mama

· #10 · Jun 6, 2005

Oh.. and don't feel bad. Everytime I have gotten sunburned in the past few years I have had several kids with me... all of whom were properly sunscreened and did not get burned. Somewhere in there I manage to miss a spot on me or get more sun than I thought I was. But I did a good job on the kids! That's what I console myself with.

coopnwhitsmommy

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 6, 2005

is feeling sick part of being sunburned I can't remember

stirringleaf

· #12 · Jun 6, 2005

no but it is part of heat exhaustion. you should really drink alot of water and watch for a fever. i hope you feel better in the morning!

kama'aina mama

· #13 · Jun 6, 2005

I have felt feverish from sunburn before. Might have actually been feverish I guess. I was taking something for pain, so if there was a fever it addressed that as well.

Again, sorry ya got burnt.

PajamaMama

· #14 · Jun 6, 2005

Getting too much sun gives me a nasty headache and leaves me with no appetite, even if I'm not actually burnt. So yeah, it's part of sunburn.

Take a cool shower and drink lots of water. And did you take an Advil or Motrin or anything? Long distance

to you, mama.

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3

JoAida

· #15 · Jun 6, 2005

My mom used to put potato "juice" on us. She would use the food processor to make a potato paste and slather it on...something about the liquid and the potassium in the potato would really help.

Momtwice

· #16 · Jun 6, 2005

Another vote for aloe! I buy the gel in a health food store and keep it refrigerated, once it's open it's perishable.

Zaxmama

· #17 · Jun 6, 2005

as an expert in getting sunburn,...I can tell you what my mom did and what I do till this day..(note: redhead with freckles..I am almost always burned in the summer no matter what I do) first drink a full glass of water with 2 tylenol...and then mix up a BIG bowl of vinegar and a lil water and ice cubes..then take several washclothes and soak them in the cold vinegar mixture and place over affected area....until they are warm to touch...then repeat..we would do this for about 45 mins..then slather on a bunch or aloe..preferably cooled in the fridge...and make yourself comfy... repeat every few hours as needed and drink plenty of fluids.happy healthing..

kamilla626

· #18 · Jun 6, 2005

Another vote for vinegar! I'm a fair-skinned freckle face, and I've gotten pretty bad burns in the past. I would often get flu-like symptoms when it was really bad. I can imagine how yucky you feel.

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wtchyhlr

· #19 · Jun 6, 2005

Another redhead here...

Believe it or not, Diaper rash ointment will keep the burned skin from further drying out. So after the vinegar routine, a good thick layer of diaper rash ointment (mom always used Desitin, Vit A/D would work, i'm sure Burts Bee's would work....)

BabyBumblebee

· #20 · Jun 6, 2005

Natural yoghurt works too - if you don't mind the slightly cheesy factor - I used to put in on my poor burned scalp all of the time. Basically, anything acidic seems to do the trick; but if you are feeling sick you may have heatstroke as well, so def. drink lots of water and NO MORE SUN!!!! (until you feel all better, that is

)

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