Minor burns and sunburns are both painful experiences that almost everyone will have to deal with at some point, while there are no magic cures for burns, there are a number of home remedies you can use to alleviate the symptoms and possibly accelerate healing.
Here are 6 effective home remedies for burns and sunburns, plus a couple of common wives’ tales that you should avoid when dealing with a fresh burn.
Effective Home Remedies For Burns And Sunburns
We will start with the first remedy you should use when suffering from a burn, cold water.
1. Try Cold Water To Take The Heat Away
When you first begin to burn, move away from the source of the burn and immediately run some cold water over the affected area. The water can help by both cleaning the area and reducing the heat, which may keep the burn from becoming more severe. If the burn is related to a chemical or other harsh substance, the water can also work by washing away the irritant.
2. Aloe Vera For Burns
One widely accepted natural remedy for sunburns, minor burns, and other skin injuries is aloe vera. Aloe vera is a plant that has many beneficial health properties. You can use the plant’s juice or its gel, or commercially available aloe vera gel as a soothing remedy for burns.
Aloe is a natural anti-inflammatory, which helps to reduce the redness and pain of a sunburn. It also helps to keep the skin moisturized, potentially speeding up the healing process. The antioxidant content of aloe can also benefit the skin in a variety of ways.
Using aloe as a remedy for burns is simple. Aloe vera gel, juice, or an aloe sunburn cream can be applied directly to the skin for soothing pain relief.
3. Cool Compresses For Comforting Pain Relief
For minor burns or sunburned areas of skin that can be treated at home, cool compresses can provide some much-needed pain relief naturally. The use of cool compresses not only helps draw heat from the area, reducing the feverish or burning sensation, it also can assist in keeping the area hydrated.
Note: It is best to use cool water and a soft breathable cloth. Prolonged contact with ice or rough fabrics may irritate the skin, especially when it is already injured.
4. Baking Soda
Baking soda can be mixed with a small amount of water to form a paste. You can then apply the paste to the affected area for some temporary relief of uncomfortable itching or burning sensations. Be careful not to rub the paste on the skin as baking soda is mildly abrasive.
5. Honey
Honey may not be one of the most commonly discussed home remedies for burns, but evidence suggests that applying a thin layer of honey over a burn that’s been washed with cool water could have many potential benefits.
Honey can help by reducing inflammation in the area and promoting the healing process through its antioxidant content and antimicrobial properties. It may further assist in the treatment of minor burns by providing a protective layer and preventing infection for many of the same reasons.
For more information on honey and its health benefits, you can also check out this post!
6. Vinegar For Sunburn Relief
Vinegar can be a great natural remedy for sunburns. Vinegar works by soothing irritated skin and provides a nice cooling sensation that helps reduce both the pain and itching that commonly occur with sunburn.
To apply vinegar to your skin, be sure to dilute one part vinegar with four parts water to achieve the right pH for use on the skin. You can then use the diluted vinegar by pouring, dabbing, or spraying it on sunburned areas for immediate relief of discomfort.
Natural Remedies Can Soothe Minor Burns
Burns can be painful and uncomfortable, but the home remedies covered in this article can help provide temporary symptom relief and promote a healing environment. What you do not want to do is use oils or butter to treat fresh skin burns. The advice to immediately put butter on a burn is an outdated wives’ tale. Butter and oil can actually make the burn more severe by trapping heat in.
The natural remedies for burns covered in this article are meant for the treatment of minor burns. If the skin is badly burnt, blistered, or if the remedies do not seem to be helping with your discomfort, please seek medical attention. Severe burns can cause all sorts of problems or become easily infected, so you do not want to treat them yourself!
Which of these home remedies for burns and sunburns do you find most effective? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments.
