I Am The Queen Of Sunburn!!!
Aug 10 '00 (Updated Aug 11 '00)
Every single summer, without failing, I always get sunburned a couple of times. Despite the fact that I am Italian and have skin that will stay tan if I regulate the amount of sun I get, I always burn. I am pretty sure I have figured out the reason for this. I have too much fun in the sun to remember sun tan lotion and am too active for one dose to stay for long.
You have to understand I am not the type of girl to sunbathe or sit on the beach in the sun. If I am in the sun it is because I am doing something outside. I may be jet skiing or boating or sometimes even driving will burn you here in Florida.
How To Prevent A Burn
Yes I know the secret to not getting burnt, in fact I probably have more experience than a lot of people with dealing with the burns after they occur. The best way to care for your sunburn is not to get that way in the first place. Sun protection and limited time in the sun until you are tan will keep you from that icky lobster syndrome.
I still have scars from a year ago when I went jet skiing all day without sunscreen. My shoulders bear these scars, yet do not keep me from enjoying the hot Florida sun all summer long.
What To Expect After Burning
One of the things you should know about is what will happen to you after you get really bad sunburn. For the first couple days your skin will feel really hot to the touch. It will also be uncomfortable to lay on or touch your skin to anything.
After a couple days your skin will start to peel. It will start with dryness, no matter how much lotion you apply the dryness will exist. The peels will be sporadic and small at first, but soon you will have big patches of skin peeling off.
A couple times a year I get burnt so badly I get sick. I am not talking about getting gross feeling from hurting skin; I am talking about sun poisoning. I vomit, run fevers, and get awful chills for sometimes weeks after getting burnt badly.
If this doesn't gross you out, then go ahead and go to the beach without sunscreen on. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Even thinking about how gross burning is makes me nauseous. Though I can guarantee this weekend when some of my family heads up to Mount Dora for my birthday I will come back burnt to a crisp.
Treatment
There are a couple of things you can do to ease the pain from sunburn. For the most part you will have to grin and bear it, but there are a few things that may make it easier on you.
First of all you need to find out how bad your burn is. If it is mild then pick up some aloe vera and deal with it. Until you are peeling your skin off by the yard you don't know what a burn is.
If you experience the headaches, fevers, chills, and discomfort associated with sun poisoning you should take some Advil and you may feel quite a bit better. Though we all know Advil won't make your skin stop peeling and your non-ability to lay down on your back.
If the skin is not burnt too deeply there is a way to hurry along the peeling process. Most burns I am able to do this, despite the pain associated with it. If you have a buff-puff or a hard loofah you should try scrubbing at your skin.
Hopefully, if your burn is not deep this will loosen and rid some of the dead peeling skin. You will find soft new skin underneath, be careful not to burn this skin right away. Give it a couple of days to be born before you turn it crispy!
My ultimate cure for sunburns is actually due to a plant. I advise running to the store, after a bad burn, and picking up an aloe plant or two. While most aloe vera lotions are effective, nothing is as effective as the plant itself.
By peeling a frond into a couple pieces you will find a treasure of aloe vera inside and it will cool, moisturize, and help to heal your burnt skin.
If you are buying a small baby aloe plant I advise getting a couple of them to keep yourself in stock. It is also good to have these plants around the house in case you ever burn yourself on the stove or iron. These plants provide me more relief than any lotion I have bought to handle the problem of burning.
Recommendation
Stay out of too much sun. Do not fall asleep in sun your skin can not handle. While I bear my slight scars with pride too much sun will give you wrinkles and can cause cancer. Yes, the very thing that sustains life will kill life in large quantities. Trust me the extra sunscreen you apply will be worth it if you do not have to go through the pain I so often do. By the way, if you see me at the beach this summer, yell at me to reapply sunscreen!
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kinganamort
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Location: Florida
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youve been repunked!
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