When it comes to protecting the skin, instead of preaching, I share a travel story with those who object to a healthy slathering of sunscreen. About 20 years ago, I took a semester off from college to work at a resort in the South Pacific. Upon arriving, I met my new coworkers and one of them stood out for all the wrong reasons. He had the worst sunburn I have ever seen, and while my expression did the talking for me, he replied: “Well, it was pouring rain all day so I thought I’d be fine.”
But even the most diligent of sunscreen worshippers have had at least one run-in with a sunburn. It happens. Perhaps you’re on vacation and relishing a longer-than-expected beach day, or missed a spot when reapplying after a sunny walking tour. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “even one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma later in life.”
For advice on how to treat a sunburn while traveling, we talked to Dr. Elizabeth K. Hale, a board-certified dermatologist, senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, and chief medical advisor to the popular sunscreen brand Vacation; and New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick.
Before sharing tips on the best sunburn care, Dr. Hale reiterated the importance of understanding the risks associated with getting a sunburn, noting the ideal scenario is to prevent getting a sunburn in the first place. Below, we’ve gathered expert tips and tricks for soothing a sunburn and rehydrating the skin so you can enjoy the rest of your trip.
Our best tips for after-sun care:
How to soothe burns
Both Dr. Garshick and Dr. Hale recommend applying a fragrance-free and aloe-based product after a burn, which can be cooling, soothing, and hydrating. They also agreed taking aspirin or ibuprofen right after the burn may help relieve some of the pain and inflammation. “An over-the-counter hydrocortisone may be helpful if there are any localized areas that are particularly itchy to help calm inflammation. It is important to avoid popping any blisters or peeling any skin to minimize potential scarring and further irritation,” says Dr. Garshick. If you’re headed somewhere sunny, whether that’s a tropical beach vacation in the Caribbean or island hopping around Greece, it’s a smart idea to pack an after-sun gel you can rely on should you accidentally get a little too much Vitamin D.
“If you do get a sunburn, you should get out of the sun as soon as possible and try to cool your skin down with a cool shower or bath. Never put ice directly on the skin. For immediate relief, you can use cool water compresses, or even cool compresses with full-fat milk (there’s anecdotal evidence that the fats and protein can help accelerate healing),” says Dr. Hale.
How to prevent peeling and help it go away quicker
Should you end up with a sunburn, depending on the severity, there’s a chance your skin will peel. Having this itchy or irritated skin can make it tough to enjoy your sightseeing tour or off-shore excursion. But there are some ways you can help your skin through this phase. Dr. Garshick recommends avoiding any potentially drying ingredients, like exfoliating acids or retinoids, alcohol-based products, harsh soaps, abrasive scrubs, and anything containing a lot of fragrance.
