By Linsey Knerl
Oops, I did it again. Thinking that just one unprotected hour in the sun would be alright, I fried my fair Danish skin. I really know better, but it can happen to the best of us. Here are some very useful home concoctions and common sense tips for easing the pain and feeling better quick.
Sunburn isn’t just a painful nuisance – it can wreak havoc on healthy skin and put you at risk for getting skin cancer later in life. (In fact, two or more severe sunburns before age 18 greatly increase the chances, as skin has a sort of a “memory” of burns and tans year after year. [Honig, 2000]) While the best treatment is prevention with an effective sunblock, sunscreen, or a proper physical barrier from the sun, things can sometimes go wrong.
So what do you do when you return home from an outing and you resemble a well-done lobster bake? Try one of these time-tested home remedies…. And give yourself a chance to heal:
Vinegar – Paul Michael was the first to introduce me to this cure, in his 254 Uses for Vinegar piece. Apply vinegar (or a half-water, half-vinegar solution) with a spray bottle or dab on with a towel. Then cover the area with a tea towel for overnight relief. While a bit stinky, it does wonders to “cool” down the burn.
Aspirin – Recommended for adult sunburn victims with a known tolerance to aspirin, this is the treatment I used most recently. Simply crush a couple of aspirin in a bowl or cup with the back of a spoon. By adding a small amount of water, you can create a “paste” which can be applied directly to the burn. (Be sure to crush the aspirin very well.)
A variation on this is to add it to Maalox (the tummy stuff) instead of water and brush it on with a basting brush or a cotton ball. Since aspirin alone can cause burns, be certain you don’t have an intolerance to it being applied topically, and don’t let it sit on your skin any longer than overnight.
If in doubt, simply take the aspirin orally as recommended. (Be aware of your tolerance to aspirin, first.)
Tea – Whip up a batch of tea (either from boiled tea bags or sun tea), and cool it in the fridge along with some ice. Spray directly on burned skin or dab with a soft, rag. It instantly cools and relieves the burn, so keep applying for best results!
Milk – Apply gauze dipped in lukewarm milk to the burned area. Leave on for minimum of 20 minutes, and rinse the area when it starts to get a bit funky-smelling (or no more than an hour or so later.)
Aloe Vera – Growing up, we always had an aloe plant in the home for minor burns and afflictions. Break off a piece of the plant, and squeeze it so that some of the goo (gel) drips out the end. You can rub this directly into the sunburn for the same kind of soothing relief you can get from those “after-burn” gels and over-the-counter commercial products (only better.) When the gel starts to dry, the area may become stiff, so keep applying or cleanse the area and apply with some new gel.
I’m no doctor, but also no stranger to sunburns. If prevention has failed, and you experience a nasty burn, stay home, stay hydrated, and stay rested. Using simple techniques to relieve pain and maintain the integrity of your skin, it is possible to get back to your daily routine the next day. If you experience any of the following symptoms, see a doctor for proper care:
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Fever/Chills
- Intense Fatigue
You will also want to be aware that some prescription medications increase your sensitivity to sunlight and put you at added risk of getting burnt. These include certain:
- Diuretics
- Antibiotics
- Tranquilizers
- Birth Control Pills
- Diabetes Medications
Medicated soaps, perfumes, and Retin-A can also make you susceptible to overexposure.
Take it easy year-round to prevent sunburns and other dangerous skin conditions. A regular visit to your dermatologist can keep skin concerns under-control and decrease your chances of cancer-related illness or death. (For more information, see how to get a free skin cancer screening in your area.)
(Information contained in this article is not intended to be a substitute for advice and treatment from a licensed physician – use at your own risk.)
译文:
省钱又简单的晒后修复妙招
噢，糟糕，我又晒伤了。原以为在大太阳下，不作任何防护措施，暴晒一小时没有关系，我白皙的丹麦皮肤被“晒焦”了。我真的很能理解这种感受，谁都可能碰上这样的事情。这里我介绍一些在家就可以轻松调制的实用护肤品和常识性小贴士可以祝您缓解晒伤后的疼痛感，并快速恢复。
晒伤不仅会让我们觉得很疼，而且很麻烦——它会对我们的健康肌肤造成严重损伤，并为你埋下日后患上皮肤癌的隐患。（事实上，18岁前经历二级晒伤或严重灼伤的话，会大大增加你患皮肤癌的几率。因为，年复一年，皮肤会在晒伤和晒黑后留下后遗症。）[Honig, 2000])虽然最好的防护措施是有效的防晒霜，防晒剂或合适的天然屏障，有时事情还是会变得很糟。
所以，当你外出回家后，发现自己看上去像极了烤好的龙虾烧烤时，你会做些什么呢？试试这些经时间检验的家用补救措施吧......给自己个治愈的机会：
醋—— 保罗迈克是第一个向我推荐这种植疗法的人，是他的关于醋的254种妙用中的一种。把醋（或者一半水加一半醋的溶液）放在喷雾瓶中或用毛巾敷在晒伤处。然后再用茶巾盖住该处一整夜，以减轻疼痛。虽然会有些异味，但对冷却灼伤处有神奇疗效。
阿司匹林——对于晒伤的成年人，我要推荐一种大家都知道的药品“阿司匹林”，这是我最近最常用的方法。只要在碗或杯子里用勺子背面压碎几片阿司匹林就可以了。加入少许水，成为糊状后，我们就可以直接把它敷在灼伤处了。（你得确保把阿司匹林压得粉碎。）
稍作变动，我们还可以在其中加入氢氧化铝·氢氧化镁混合物（治疗胃病的东西）来替代水，用刷子或棉球把它刷在伤处。只用阿司匹林会引起灼伤，你要确保能忍受在局部皮肤上涂用阿司匹林，并且绝对不能敷一整夜。
如有疑虑，我建议先口服阿司匹林。（先了解你对阿司匹林的耐量）
茶——舀出一勺茶水（由煮过的茶包或是晒过的茶叶所泡制而成），并把它连同冰块放在冰箱中冷却。直接喷洒在晒伤的皮肤上或用布把它轻轻涂抹在伤口上。很快，灼伤处皮肤就很得到冷却，伤口得以缓解，坚持涂抹会达到最理想的效果！
牛奶——把纱布浸在温热的牛奶中，敷在灼伤处。停留至少20分钟，当伤口处发出霉臭味时（或在至少一小时后），把牛奶冲洗干净。
芦荟——成长过程中，我们家中总是会放盆芦荟植物以治疗晒伤和病痛。折断一枝植物，挤压它就会有凝胶从两端渗出。你可以将凝胶直接抹在灼伤处，正如涂抹“晒后”凝露或直接向顾客零售的化学产品一样，它同样可以达到缓解疼痛的效果（有过之而无不及）。凝露干掉后，伤处可能会变得僵硬，所以要坚持涂抹凝胶，并保持伤口清洁，然后涂上新的凝胶。
我不是医生，但我对晒伤也小有研究。如果防护措施没有奏效，而你又不幸被晒伤，那么你就要呆在家里，保持水润，多多休息。用一些简单的技巧来缓解疼痛，保持皮肤的完整，你第二天才有可能投入到日常的工作生活之中。如果你有以下症状，请及时就医，已得到适当的护理：
·头晕
·呕吐
·发烧/ 打冷颤
·极度疲劳
另外，你也可能想了解一下什么处方药会使你的皮肤对太阳光变得更敏感，增加你被灼伤的危险。这些药物包括：
·利尿剂
·抗生素
·镇静剂
·避孕药丸
·治疗糖尿病的药
药用肥皂，香水，维生素A也会让你的皮肤对过度暴晒变得更敏感。
对于全年的预防晒伤和其他危险的皮肤不适情况，不用过于紧张。定期去你的皮肤科医生那里就诊可以保证皮肤问题得到控制并减少你患皮肤癌或死亡的可能性。（更多内容，请看如何在你的地区得到免费防皮肤癌筛检医疗）
(文中信息不能替代持证内科医生的建议和治疗——试用如有问题，一切责任自负。）