From beach adventures to cook-outs, biking, hiking, or just taking a walk or relaxing outside to read a good book, our skin is exposed to the sun during the summer more than any other time of the year.  Having fun in the sun is one thing, but what happens if you or your child sunburns?  Here is what we recommend:

Keep it cool.   Take a vinegar bath.  Run a tub as cool as you possibly can and add 1-2 gallons (yes, gallons!) of vinegar and soak.  The acetic acid in vinegar sooths the pain and moisturizes sunburned skin – just what you need to feel better now, and minimize unsightly peeling later.  Not practical to bathe right away?  Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and use it to apply to sunburned areas of your body.  Use a cotton ball to apply vinegar to your face.  Reapply every few hours as needed.

Take an aspirin.  Aspirin is an excellent anti-inflammatory.  Take it according to the label instructions until redness and soreness subside.  However, don’t give to children or teenagers as it may cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.

• Apply grapes!  Grape seed, that is.  Grape seed extract is an antioxidant superstar.  Studies published on the PubMed.com website have shown that skin treated with grape seed extract (GSPE) and other plant polyphenols can inhibit, reverse or retard the harmful effects of UV-damaged skin.  A-Cute Derm offers a pharmaceutical-grade Grape Seed Serum (99.9% pure) in a 96% grape seed concentration serum that will moisturize and begin healing your skin on contact. The additional ingredients…all antioxidants!  We also offer a Grape Seed Lotion in a 27% concentration of pharmaceutical-grade grape seed extract. This will also have a cooling effect on your skin.
• Another effective healing agent is our E2 Serum.  Emu oil has long been used for treating burns as it greatly accelerates the healing process. Guaranteed to keep your skin moist as it is loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids, something the skin absolutely craves!
• Leave Blisters intact.  If blisters form, don’t break them.  Not only will that slow the healing process but it also increases your risk of infection.
• Treat peeling skin gently.   Let your body exfoliate the damaged skin unassisted.  It is especially important to use good moisturizers like grape seed and EMU oil to keep peeling skin moist.
• Last, consult a doctor for treatment if  you have a severe sunburn that covers a large portion of your body with blisters,  if sunburn is accompanied by a high fever or severe pain, or if severe sunburn doesn’t begin to improve within a few days.

Most importantly, do everything you can to prevent future episodes of sunburn.  And if you did not wear a great, high quality sunscreen to start, better try our Pro-Tect Sunscreen before it happens again. You need to minimize your increased risk of skin cancer, which is cumulative over your life time.