What to do if your back is red and painful due to sunburn?

Sunburn is a very common phenomenon in life, especially in summer. People who work outdoors for a long time or play under the scorching sun are very likely to get sunburned. After being sunburned by the sun's ultraviolet rays, large areas of erythema, edema or peeling will appear on the skin, which will not only cause physical pain, but also affect people's mood for travel. What should I do if the skin on my back is sunburned and becomes red and painful? Here are some first aid methods for sunburn.

What to do if your back is red and painful due to sunburn

Cold compress care

Cold compresses can help neutralize sunburn. To apply a cold compress, you can put a towel or piece of clothing in cold water or in the refrigerator, take it out and wring it slightly (just make sure there is no water dripping), and then apply it to the skin. As the water gradually evaporates, it has a cooling effect, which helps control sunburn and pain.

Apply 3-4 times a day, each time for about half an hour. You can also soak gauze with saturated saline or water, place it in the refrigerator until it cools, apply it to the stinging area, and remove it after about 20 minutes. This can eliminate the burning sensation and help reduce skin redness and swelling.

Cucumber juice smear

Apply cucumber juice on the painful skin for 10 minutes. The coolness will penetrate into the skin and the pain will naturally subside.

Cucumber juice is rich in water and the vitamin C it contains can enhance the skin's regeneration ability. It can not only replenish the moisture lost by the skin, but also treat peeling. Rinse your body with water after application.

Hot compress with tea

Dip a cotton ball in the tea and gently pat the sunburned area. This will nourish the skin and relieve the burning sensation. Because tea contains tannic acid, it has a good astringent effect, can reduce tissue swelling, and reduce cell exudation. It is very effective for skin that is slightly sunburned but not flaky.

If the sunburned area is too large, you can also add strong tea to a wash basin and soak the sunburned skin in the water for a few minutes. The effect will be more significant.

Lotion Care

Applying 1% hydrocortisone lotion to the sunburned area may also help.

Apply to the painful area 3-4 times a day. Do not wash it off immediately. Leave it on the skin for 5-6 hours. It is better to apply cold compress when applying for the first time.

Apply aloe vera juice

Apply the gel-like juice in aloe vera to the sunburned skin and let the juice dry naturally. In addition to helping injured skin heal faster, aloe vera can also immediately reduce heat and provide cooling effect when the skin is burning and painful due to sunburn.

Pay attention to health after sun exposure

First, don’t rub your skin because the cuticle has been damaged. So just cover it with the towel and don't wipe it at the same time. Also try to avoid using products such as shower gel and facial cleanser when taking a bath.

Second, do not use ice cubes directly as it may cause frostbite. If the towel warms up, just pick it up, shake it and cover it again, or prepare a small bucket of ice water to soak the towel again at any time; wrapping ice cubes in a towel will be difficult to implement (for example, the ice cubes will fall out, water will keep dripping...).

Third, if the pain is severe, you can take painkillers or apply a small amount of steroids to the sunburned area to relieve the pain.

Fourth, if the sunburn is extensive and painful, it is recommended that you see a doctor immediately.

Fifth, do not use lotion, vaseline, or oil-based skin care products. The emulsifiers, penetration aids and preservatives in lotions may penetrate into damaged skin and cause pain; Vaseline and oil will suffocate the skin and prevent heat from dissipating. When sunburned, after-sun gel with simple ingredients is more important.

Sixth, avoid re-exposure to the sun. If re-exposure is necessary, it is recommended to use clothing and parasols as sun protection props; physical sunscreen lotions are more suitable.

Seventh, when the skin peels off, let it fall off naturally and don’t tear it off (although I know it’s difficult, just like you will want to squeeze acne).