Treatment

First aid for sunburn includes the following:

• Take a pain reliever. Use a nonprescription pain reliever as soon as possible after getting too much sun. Examples are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Or try a gel pain reliever that you rub on the skin.
• Cool the skin. Apply to the affected skin a clean towel dampened with cool tap water. Or take a cool bath. Add about 2 ounces (60 grams) of baking soda to the tub. Cool the skin for about 10 minutes several times a day.
• Apply a moisturizer, lotion or gel. An aloe vera lotion or gel or calamine lotion can be soothing. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying. Avoid products with alcohol.
• Drink extra water for a day. This helps prevent dehydration.
• Leave blisters alone. An intact blister can help the skin heal. If a blister does break, trim off the dead skin with a clean, small scissors. Gently clean the area with mild soap and water. Then apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover it with a nonstick bandage.
• Protect yourself from the sun. While your skin heals from the sunburn, stay out of the sun or use other sun-protection measures.
• Apply a soothing medicated cream. For mild to moderate sunburn, apply nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected area three times a day for three days. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying.
• Treat sunburned eyes. Apply a clean towel dampened with cool tap water. Don't wear contacts until your eye symptoms have gone away. Don't rub your eyes.