10 Home and Natural Remedies for Sunburn

Natural sunburn remedies include common household items like cool water, aloe vera, chamomile tea. Home remedies work to cool inflammation, moisturize dry skinand prevent peeling. 

Sunburns typically come from outdoor activities including swimming or spending time in water (32.5% of cases), working outside (26.2%), and vacationing (20.7%) with only 5.5% of sunburns occurring while intentionally tanning. Am J Prev Med. 2021 Feb 13;60(5):e213–e220.

Sunburns can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild sunburns cause redness and pain, typically lasting 3 to 5 days. Moderate sunburns include redness, swelling, stronger pain and take up to a week to heal. Severe sunburns are associated with blistering and intense pain- taking up to two weeks to heal and may require medical attention. Annually, over 33,000 sunburn-related ER visits are reported in the U.S. and require more than home natural remedies for sunburn.

Symptoms and side effects of skin sunburn include peeling, pain, inflammationand blistering. Repeated sunburns lead to dry skin, wrinkles, age spotsand an increased risk of skin cancer (including melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer). While sunburns can’t always be avoided, the best thing to do for sunburn is to cool, moisturize and treat quickly. Natural sunburn relief is quick, easy and effective when done right.

Sunburn prevention is easier than sunburn treatment. Dermatologists recommend using natural SPF from non nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to prevent sunburns. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests preventing sunburn with “Seek shade. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow appears to be shorter than you are, seek shade.” to avoid the strongest UVA and UVA ultraviolet light from the sun.

1. Cool Water

Cool water gives instant sunburn relief by cooling the skin- reducing inflammationand pain. Cool water helps treat sunburns and reduces redness by helping constrict blood vessels. Sunburns cause damage to the skin, making the body send excess blood and expanding blood vessels. Cool water hydrates the skin, often dried out by sunburn damage. Cool water is effective for sunburns around 84 degrees, avoiding cold water and ice water- which can damage the skin. Avoid hot water, which leads to further inflammation of blood vessels. Take a cool shower, have a cool bath or apply a cold compress to properly calm sunburns.

2. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a succulent plant with thick, spined stems known for its medicinal uses, cosmetic uses and is one of the best home remedies for sunburn. Aloe vera gel is extracted from the leaves and used to treat burns, irritation and dry skin. Aloe vera is loaded with vitamins and minerals to support skin health. How does aloe vera help sunburn? Aloe vera treats sunburn by helping soothe the skin, thanks to its moisturizing, anti-inflammatoryand antioxidant benefits. Aloe vera is naturally antibacterial and so supports rapid healing. Aloe vera is very effective in treating sunburn, particularly when applied to the skin immediately after sun exposure.

3. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is an herbal infusion from dried chamomile flowers, steeped in hot water. Chamomile skin benefits include anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and antimicrobial properties- making it beneficial as a natural remedy for sunburns. Chamomile tea benefits sunburns by reducing redness, inflammationand aids in skin recovery. To use chamomile tea for sunburns, brew the tea and allow it to cool. Add a clean cloth to the tea and apply to the sunburn.

4. Breathable Clothing

Breathable clothing is loose fitting, lightweight material that allows for air and moisture vapor to pass through, and does not trap heat- keeping the wearer comfortable and cool. Breathable clothing is made from cotton, bamboo, linen and even merino wool. Breathable clothing does not directly treat sunburn, but helps prevent irritation, chaffing and excess heat. Wearing tight or heavy clothing with a sunburn traps in heat and moisture, while also causing irritation and chaffing.

5. Hydration

Hydration is drinking liquids or IV to provide the body with fluids to maintain proper body functions, particularly fluids lost from excess sweating, breathing and urination. Proper hydration is key in recovering from sunburns. The benefits of hydration with a sunburn include balancing internal fluids, promoting healingand allowing the body's organs to function properly.

Hydration includes water, sports drinks and electrolytes. Avoid drinks that dehydrate you such as coffee or alcoholic beverages. Hydration is important when sunburned because sunburns with inflammation draw fluids to the surface of the skin, leading to dehydration. It is crucial to hydrate while in the sun and immediately after getting sunburned.

6. Moisturizer

Moisturizers are cosmetic creams and lotions formulated to moisturize, hydrate and nourish the skin. Sunburn causes damage to skin cells, resulting in inflammation, while drying out the skin. Moisturizers are beneficial for sunburns by adding moisture, calming inflammation and preventing peeling. Moisturizers with shea butter, cocoa butter or coconut oil provide essential oils and fatty acids for powerful natural sunburn relief.

7. Cold Compress

A cold compress is a cooled material such as cloth soaked in cold water, applied directly to the skin as an easy sunburn home remedy. The benefits of cold compress on sunburns include reducing irritation, reducing pain,and providing moisture to the skin. Cold compresses are an effective way to soothe sunburned skin, particularly when combined with other sunburn treatments such as moisturizers and aloe vera.

8. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are technically fruits since they grown on a vine, but are often referred to as vegetables in their use in cooking. Cucumbers help treat sunburns by having soothing, coolingand moisturizing properties. Anti-inflammatory properties help reduce heat and discomfort. Cucumbers include water and electrolytes that help replenish the skin that’s dehydrated by excess sun exposure and helps boost recovery. Cucumbers include flavonoids and tannins that may reduce inflammation and swelling associated with sunburn and antioxidants help combat oxidative stress caused by UV damage. Cut cucumbers into thin slices and apply to the skin for 15 minutes for natural sunburn relief. Cucumbers can be blended into a paste or mix with aloe vera gel to use cucumbers for larger areas of the body.

9. Oatmeal Bath

Oatmeal baths combine finely ground oatmeal into warm bath water. Oatmeal baths are home remedies for relieving itch and irritation such as sunburns, rashes, eczema, and chickenpox. Oatmeal baths are effective in relieving itch, painand irritation from sunburns. Oatmeal baths are made by grinding 1 cup of colloidal oatmeal in a blender until it's a fine powder and add to lukewarm bath water. Soak in the bath for 10-15 minutes and rinse off to remove any flakes.

10. Baking Soda Soak

Baking soda is a naturally occurring compound found in mineral deposits that is a white crystalline powder with alkaline properties. Commercial baking soda is typically manufactured.

Baking soda soaks are a natural sunburn remedy that helps reduce pain and inflammation, relieves itching, soothes skin irritationand promotes relaxation. Baking soda can also help reduce the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which causes people with dark skin tone to have dark spots. To make a baking soda soak for sunburn, add 2oz to a lukewarm to cool bath and soak for 10-15 minutes. Baking soda can be added to water and used as a cool compress for added calming relief to sunburns.

How long does it Take for a Sunburn to Heal?

The time it takes for sunburns to heal depends on the severity of the sunburn between mild, moderate and severe. Mild sunburns typically last 3 to 5 days to heal. Moderate sunburns take up to a week to heal. Severe sunburns, associated with blistering and intense pain, take up to two weeks to heal. Severe sunburns often require professional medical assistance. Healing time for sunburns are improved by being properly treated with skin treatment, staying hydrated, wearing breathable clothing and avoiding further sun damage. Sunburn healing time can be slowed or impeded by continued exposure to the sun, allowing the skin to dry out, wearing tight clothes and irritating the skin. Is extra sun protection still needed if a sunburn has already healed? Yes, sun protection from proper clothing and sunscreen is needed to prevent further damage. Repeated sunburns cause skin damage and can lead to skin cancers like melanoma.

What are the Benefits of Home and Natural Remedies for Sunburn?

The benefits of home and natural remedies for sunburn include reducing pain, repairing the skin, avoiding further skin damage and saving money. The benefits of home and natural remedies for sunburn are listed below.

• Relief: Pain and inflammation relief from sunburns helps the healing process and making the skin more comfortable.

• Repair: Home remedies for sunburn help repair skin damaged by excessive heat, dryness and UV damage caused by the sun’s rays.

• Hydration: Hydration a key component of natural sunburn remedies to hydrate skin dried out by the sun and internal hydration to allow the body to repair itself.

• Costs: Home remedies for sunburn are inexpensive, easy to find and often found in your home already.

• Gentle: Natural sunburn remedies are gentle on the skin to facilitate healing while preventing further damage and irritation.

• Protection: Home remedies for sunburn help protect further skin damage and help prevent skin cancers often caused by repeated exposure to sunburns.

How to Remove Sunburn from the Face Quickly at Home?

Home remedies for sunburn on face are inexpensive (even free), easily accessible and vital to protecting the skin. To treat face sunburn quickly at home, follow the steps below.

• Cool the skin: Cooling the skin is important in treating sunburns on the face. Sunburns cause increased blood flow to repair the skin damage, leading to inflammation and excess heat. Cool the skin with a cold compression the face, cool water, aloe vera or sliced cucumber.

• Moisturize the skin: Moisturize the face with aloe vera, non-comedogenic face cream or lightweight lotion to avoid clogging the pores, with calming ingredients like cucumber, aloe vera, shea butter, hyaluronic acid to prevent excess drying and skin peeling.

• Reduce skin inflammation: Reduce inflammation caused by UV damage with ingredients like colloidal oats, aloe vera, chamomile or hypochlorous acid spray.

• Hydrate: Drink plenty of water or electrolytes to replenish the body and the skin internally to help quickly repair the skin.

• Avoid sun exposure: Avoid further sun exposure which can aggravate sun burn on the face with hats or lightweight SPF face creams.

• Avoid irritation: Avoid irritated the face sunburn with chemical makeups, harsh active ingredients like retinol, strong exfoliators and excess picking. Irritation can cause further inflammation, peeling and discomfort.

How to cure dark skin on the face after sunburn- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a skin condition where darkened patches appear after an injury or inflammation on the skin has healed due to an overproduction or irregular distribution of skin pigment melanin is produced. PIH can occur after sunburns, particularly in people with skin of color. PIH can be handled with topical treatments like hydroquinone, retinoids, azeliac acid, kojic acid or vitamin c. Treatments should only be done after a sunburn has fully healed and may cause further irritation. Avoid excess sun exposure and protect the skin with a lightweight SPF moisturizer during treatment.

To help prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) after a sunburn, use natural at home sunburn remedies such as baking soda cool compress, hypochlorous acid, aloe vera gel and nourishing moisturizers.

Does Vinegar Help Sunburn?

No, vinegar does no not help sunburns. Vinegar on sunburns is not recommended because it is acidic and may cause further damage to the skin. Apple cider vinegar for sunburn may be diluted in water in a 1 part ACV to 4 part water ratio and may have the benefits of reducing itch and inflammation but is not backed by much scientific evidence. Colloidal oats, cucumber, aloe vera and hypochlorous acid are superior at home sunburn treatments than vinegar on a sunburn without the side effects of acidity, burning and irritation.

Does vinegar pull out a sunburn? No, there is no scientific evidence to suggest vinegar and sunburn will "pull out" a sunburn. Sunburns are UV damage to the skin and not something to pull out. Draw out heat from a sunburn by using a cool compress, aloe vera or cool oatmeal bath.

Does Ice Help Sunburn?

No, ice does not help sunburns and can make it worse by constricting blood flow and reducing blood supply to the skin. Ice does not make sunburns go away faster, despite the advice of old wives tales and can restrict blood flow, cause painor ice burn. To calm down a sunburn fast, use a cold compress with cool water, aloe vera or hypochlorous acid to help reduce inflammation and draw out heat.

Is Witch Hazel Good for Sunburn?

Yes, witch hazel is good for sunburns, having anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. Witch hazel and sunburn is used to help reduce swelling, soothe irritation, reduce painand protect the skin from further damage. Witch hazel for sunburn is good as cool compress or spray toners can be applied directly to the sunburn several times a day.

Avoid using witch hazel with alcohol, which can sting and dry out the skin. Witch hazel can be drying, so don’t overdo it and apply a moisturizer, lotion or aloe vera gel afterwards. Witch hazel on sunburn could cause allergies so test a sample for allergies to avoid further irritation.

Does a Cold Shower Help Sunburn?

Yes, a cold shower helps sunburns. Sunburns cause inflammation, heat and often swelling. Cold showers help draw out heat, reduce inflammationand moisturize dry skin damaged by sunburns. Avoid freezing cold showers as it can cause further damage and constrict blood flow too much, while also being painful. Water temperature should be between 60 and 75 degrees. Keep showers short, between 10-15 minutes and avoid high pressure shower heads to prevent pain. Gently pat dry the sunburn with a soft, clean towel and apply a moisturizer.

How to Stop Sunburn Itch Fast at Home?

To stop sunburn itching fast at home, follow the steps listed below.

Cool compress: Cool compress helps reduce inflammation, reduce heat and calm irritation.

Hypochlorous acid: Hypochlorous acid quickly reduces inflammation which helps reduce itch, moisturizes and supports quicker recovery- mimicking the same HOCL produced by white blood cells in the body to heal.

Hydrocortisone cream: Hydrocoritosone cream is a topical medicated cream to reduce itch and inflammation. Hydrocortisone cream can weaken the skin long term and is intended for short term use.

Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera helps moisturize, soothe and calm inflammation which may help reduce itch caused by dryness and irritation.

Oatmeal: Colloidal oatmeal paste or bath greatly helps reduce itch, irritation and inflammation on the skin.

Baking soda: baking soda can be mixed with water to create a paste and applied to the skin to help soothe, reduce inflammation, relieve itch and balance the skin's pH.

cucumber paste

To help heal sunburn fast and get sunburn itch relief avoid scratching, using irritants like perfumes or alcohol and wear loose clothing. Gently apply treatments to prevent further damage. If itching is severe or persists after 3-5 days, seek medical care.

Can you Get Rid of Sunburn Redness overnight?

No, you cannot completely get rid of sunburn redness overnight. Redness in sunburns is caused by damage to the skin's upper layers from UV rays. Redness peaks within 24 hours and then begins to subside and then fades over 3-7 days depending on severity. To reduce redness from sunburns and get relief from discomfort with cool compress, aloe vera gel, moisturizer or hypochlorous acid.

How to Stop Sunburn Pain Naturally?

Sunburns causes pain through damage and inflammation to the skin from excessive UV rays. What helps sunburn pain is cooling the excess heat, reducing the irritation and supporting recovery. Reducing sunburn pain by avoiding tight clothing, hot showers, clothing that traps in heat and petroleum type ointments that trap in heat. Avoid perfumes, alcohol based products and strong active ingredients like retinols. The ways to stop or reduce sunburn pain naturally are listed below.

Cool compress: Cool compress helps reduce sunburn pain but reducing inflammation and excess blood flow to the damaged skin.

Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera gel is moisturizing, soothing and help reduce inflammation associated with sunburn irritation.

Chamomile compress: Chamomile compress helps soothe irritation and reduce inflammation which can alleviate discomfort from sunburns.

Hypochlorous acid: Hypochlorous acid spray quickly reduces irritation and helps boost recovery and healing.

Hydrocortisone: Hydrocortisone is an OTC cream to reduce itch, irritation and relieve pain in skin irritation.

When to see a Dermatologist for Serious Sunburn Relief?

When to see a dermatologist for sunburn depends on symptoms and severity. Sunburns can be mild, moderate and severe. Severe sunburns require medical attention. The list of severe sunburn symptoms is listed below.

• Severe blistering: Severe blistering across a large portion of the skin is a sign of severe sunburn and should be treated properly to avoid infection and scaring.

• Dehydration: Dehydration is a lack of fluids in the body and affects how the body operates and heals.

• Fever: Fever is when the body’s temperature rises above 100.4 degrees. Fever with sunburn can be a sign of sun poisoning and heat exhaustion.

• Nausea: Nausea from a sunburn can be a sign of sun poisoning, an extreme reaction to sun exposure.

• Infected Skin: Skin infection can occur from blisters and open wounds caused by sunburn. Infection signs include puss, red streaks and fever.

• Long-term Sun Damage: Long-term sun damage symptoms include leathery skin, rough skin, loss of elasticity, freckles, sunspots, age spots, broken capillaries, extreme dryness and flakiness.

• Chills: Chills from sunburns are caused by an inflammatory response where the body reacts to skin damage and fluid loss, resulting in chills as the body attempts to regulate temperature. Chills can also be caused by dehydration and fluid loss through sweating.

• Dizziness: Dizziness and confusion from sunburns can be a sign of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

• Worsening symptoms: Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen rather than improve, such as pain, inflammation, dehydration, blistering or discomfort.

• Intense pain: Intense pain is a sign of severe damage that is worsening or not improving and should be checked and treated by medical experts.

How Effective is Natural Skin Care for Curing Sunburn?

Natural skin care is very effective in curing sunburns, particularly mild to moderate sunburns. Severe sunburns should be treated by medical experts. Natural skincare is effective in helping reduce inflammation, soothing pain, hydrating dry skin, minimizing irritation and preventing further damage to the skin. Natural skin care for sunburns include soothing and moisturizing ingredients colloidal oats, aloe vera, shea butter, cocoa butter, honey and hypochlorous acid.

What are the Top Era Organics' Products for Sunburn Relief?

The best Era Organics products for sunburn relief are listed below.

1. Hypochlorous Acid Spray: Hypochlorous acid spray is a near bioidentical version of the hypochlorous acid produced by white blood cells to help repair the body. Hypochlorous acid helps moisturize, soothe, reduce inflammation and promote healing without any chemicals, perfumes or synthetic ingredients.

2. Complete Face Moisturizer Cream: Complete face moisturizer cream combines natural and organic ingredients like manuka honey, shea butter, aloe vera, cocoa butter and more to feed the skin the vitamins, minerals and amino acids it needs to look and feel its best.

3. Manuka Honey Eczema Cream: Honey & Oats manuka honey eczema cream is an OTC colloidal oatmeal moisturizer for rash, itch, dermatitis and irritation with a blend of over 20 natural and organic skin superfoods for damaged skin. Honey & Oats helps calm, nourish, moisturize and soothe dry, damaged, irritated skin. 

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new skincare routine or supplement. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.