Photo Credit: Cancer For College

Nothing ruins a great vacation more than a sunburn!  I have had more than my fair share of terrible sunburns.  These not only lead to pain, but can also lead to sun poisoning and skin cancer.  When you can, PLEASE use sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours or more if you’re in the water.  Here are some great ways to soothe the burn without breaking the bank or leaving your house for that matter:

1.  Vinegar ~ We used vinegar to soothe the itch of a mosquito bite last month here, and now we are using it to soothe the pain of a sunburn.  Vinegar not only takes the burn out of a sunburn, but also helps minimize the effects that lead to skin cancer!

2.  Aloe Vera ~  Once again, this was used to ease the itch of a mosquito bite and can also be used to soothe a sunburn.  You can either squeeze the soothing gel from your own aloe plant or use aloe vera gel purchased at your local drug store; either way, it is a great thrifty way to ease your pain.

3.  Baking soda ~ Mix about 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of water and soak cotton balls in the mixture.  Apply the mixture to your skin for a great way to soothe your sunburn!

4.  Tea ~ Yes, tea!  Throw about 4-5 tea bags in the bath for an easy way to relieve the pain from sunburn.  Allowing the tea bags to sit under the running water helps release more tea into the water, and thus increasing the effectiveness of the bath.  You can also apply used, wet tea bags directly to the skin for a soothing effect.  ALWAYS allow tea bags to cool to room temperature before applying them to your skin.

5.  Mayonnaise ~ Treat dry, sunburned skin by applying mayonnaise to affected body parts.   Not only will you enjoy pain relief, but also moisturized skin.

Most of all be sure to drink plenty of water!  Sunburns deplete the body’s water reserves and can lead to dehydration very quickly.  Do not use any of these home remedies if you have an allergy to them.  You can test a small area of your skin to see if you are allergic.  If you don’t have a reaction within 24 hours, you’re safe 🙂  Have a safe and happy 4th of JULY!!!

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