Everyone hears the warnings, but when summer arrives so do the sunburns.
Dermatologist Dr. Howard Brooks of Georgetown Skin says think cool. The best treatment for an average sunburn is to apply cool compresses.
The temperature “is not only soothing, it helps the skin to heal,” he says.
Brooks also recommends an aloe vera gel or lotion, which will cause the skin to calm down a little bit. An alternative is over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream.
“Hydrocortisone is an anti-inflammatory medication so it decreases the inflammation that the sun damage has done,” he says.
Cool showers or baths also help. But blistering skin, or significant pain, is a sign that stronger medicine is needed and even a visit to the doctor.
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