Simple sunburn soothers

Simple Sunburn Soothers

As careful as you are, it’s inevitable that somewhere along the line your child will suffer from sunburn, especially if you live in a hot, sunny region. So what do you do if you prefer not to use topical anesthetics on your child’s skin but you don’t have any aloe vera gel handy? Take the ouch out of summer with these soothing remedies, made from things you have in your pantry or refrigerator…

1. Milk

   The proteins in milk are very soothing when it comes to burns. Mix one cup of skim milk with four cups of water and add some ice cubes. Soak compresses in the mixture and apply to the burnt area for 15-20 minutes as needed.

2. Oats

   Place a cup of oats in the center of a square of muslin or a similar loose-weave fabric and run cold water through it into a bowl. Soak compresses in the water and apply as needed.

3. Yogurt

   Gently pat cool plain yogurt on the burns and rinse off when the cooling effect has worn off.

4. Cornstarch

   Use it to mix a runny paste and apply to the burn.

5. Vinegar

   Mix a cup of apple cider vinegar into a tepid bath (alternately, sprinkle in baking soda) and get your child to lie in it; or make up a half and half mix of the vinegar and water, soak cloths in it and drape them over the burns. Another good tip is to use a spritz bottle to spray the mixture onto the burn.

6. Frozen veg

   Wrap a bag of frozen veg in a towel and lay it on the burnt area.

7. Tomatoes

   Soak compresses in tomato juice and apply as needed.

8. Tea

   Brew a large pot of black, green or chamomile tea and allow to cool before soaking compresses in it and applying to the burn. Alternately, teabags soaked in ice water can help soothe sunburned eyelids and cheekbones.

If your child is severely burned and feels ill, or if she develops blisters, call your physician for advice or take your child to the ER.