You’re standing in the shower, the water hits your shoulders, and you actually gasp. It’s that searing, tight, "I can’t believe I forgot to reapply" kind of pain. We’ve all been there. You look in the mirror and you’re the color of a steamed lobster, wondering what’s good for a sunburn and how fast you can get it on your skin.
Sunburn is basically a radiation burn. That sounds metal, but it’s actually just miserable. When those UV rays hit your skin, they wreck the DNA in your cells. Your body responds by flooding the area with blood to start the repair process, which is why you turn red and feel like you're radiating heat. Honestly, the damage is already done by the time you see the color, but the next 48 hours are about damage control and stopping the inflammatory cascade.
The First Five Minutes: Stop the Cooking
If you feel the sting, get out of the sun. Right now.
It sounds obvious, but plenty of people think they can just "finish the round of golf" or "stay for one more swim." Your skin is literally cooking. The very first thing that is good for a sunburn is cold water. Not ice. Never put ice directly on a burn because it can cause frostbite on top of the burn by constricting blood flow too aggressively. Stick to cool baths or frequent cold compresses.
Dr. Debra Jaliman, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, often suggests taking a cool bath with a little bit of baking soda or oatmeal. It helps with the itching that inevitably shows up later. You want to pat dry, not rub. If you rub that skin with a scratchy towel, you're basically peeling off the top layer of protection your body is trying to keep.
What’s Actually Good for a Sunburn (and What's Total Garbage)
The internet is full of "hacks" that are actually terrifying. Please, for the love of everything, keep the butter in the fridge. Putting butter or oil on a fresh burn traps the heat inside. It’s like putting a lid on a boiling pot.
👉 See also: Why Your Best Kefir Fruit Smoothie Recipe Probably Needs More Fat
Aloe Vera is the GOAT.
But there’s a catch. Most of the bright green stuff you buy at the drugstore is packed with alcohol and lidocaine. Alcohol dries out the skin, which is the exact opposite of what you need. Look for 100% pure aloe vera. If you can get it straight from the plant, even better. It contains acemannan, a complex carbohydrate that helps nutrients reach cells, nourish them, and relieve toxins.
Hydrocortisone cream is your secret weapon.
If the inflammation is really bad, a 1% over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can be a lifesaver. It reduces the swelling and the redness. Just don't slather it over your whole body; use it on the worst spots.
Ditch the "Caines."
Avoid products with benzocaine or lidocaine unless a doctor told you otherwise. These are local anesthetics that can actually irritate a burn or cause an allergic reaction in some people. You don't want a rash on top of a burn. That's a special kind of hell.
Hydration is not optional
When you have a sunburn, your body pulls fluid to the skin's surface to help with the healing. This means you are dehydrated everywhere else. You'll probably notice you're thirstier than usual, or maybe you have a slight headache. Drink way more water than you think you need. Throw in some electrolytes.
The Science of the "Hell Itch"
Around day three or four, you might experience what people on Reddit colloquially call "Hell Itch" or suicide itch. It’s a deep, uncontrollable itching sensation that feels like fire ants are crawling under your skin. This happens because the nerves are damaged and are firing off random signals as they try to recalibrate.
✨ Don't miss: Exercises to Get Big Boobs: What Actually Works and the Anatomy Most People Ignore
If this happens, stop putting lotions on it for a minute. Sometimes lotions can trigger the nerves further. Oral antihistamines like Benadryl or Zyrtec are usually the move here. They help dampen the systemic allergic-like response your body is having to its own damaged tissue.
When to Actually Go to the Hospital
Most burns are first-degree. They hurt, they peel, they're gone in a week. But second-degree burns are different. If you see blistering over a large area of your body, you need a professional.
- Fever and Chills: This could be "sun poisoning."
- Dizziness: Severe dehydration or heat stroke.
- Pus or Red Streaks: These are signs of a secondary infection.
- Blisters on the face or genitals: These areas are high-risk for scarring and complications.
Dr. Lawrence E. Gibson from the Mayo Clinic points out that you should never pop those blisters. They are a natural bandage. If they pop on their own, clean them with mild soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment.
Anti-Inflammatories: The Internal Approach
What's good for a sunburn isn't just what you put on it. What you put in your body matters too. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They don't just kill the pain; they actually reduce the inflammation that is causing the damage.
Take them as soon as you realize you're burned. If you wait until it's screaming, you've missed the window to get ahead of the swelling.
🔗 Read more: Products With Red 40: What Most People Get Wrong
Moisturizing the Right Way
Once the initial heat has dissipated—usually after 24 to 48 hours—you need to seal the skin barrier. The skin's "roof" is broken.
- Use Soy or Oatmeal based lotions. Brands like Aveeno are solid because they are gentle.
- Avoid Fragrances. Your skin is compromised. Perfumes in lotions will sting like crazy.
- Apply to damp skin. This traps the moisture in.
Common Myths That Won't Die
I still hear people saying you should put vinegar on a burn. Please don't. Vinegar is acetic acid. While some claim it helps with pH balance, putting acid on a radiation burn is generally a recipe for pain and further irritation.
Another one is shaving cream. People swear the menthol cools it down. Menthol feels cold, but it doesn't actually lower the temperature of the skin, and many shaving creams have chemicals that can further dry out the area.
The Long-Term Reality
Every blistering sunburn you get as a kid or young adult significantly increases your risk of melanoma later in life. That's not me being a buzzkill; that's just the data from the Skin Cancer Foundation.
If you've been burned, you need to be hyper-vigilant about that skin for the next year. It will be thinner and more sensitive to the sun than it was before. Buy a UPF 50+ shirt. They aren't as dorky as they used to be, and they're way more reliable than remembering to reapply lotion every two hours while you're at the beach.
Your Immediate Sunburn Checklist
If you are reading this while currently glowing red, here is exactly what you should do in the next hour:
- Take a 10-minute cool shower. Not freezing, just cool.
- Pop an Ibuprofen. Follow the dosage on the bottle.
- Drink 20 ounces of water. * Apply pure Aloe Vera. Put the bottle in the fridge first for an extra cooling effect.
- Wear loose, cotton clothing. Synthetic fabrics like polyester can trap heat and chafe the burn.
- Sleep with a fan on. Airflow helps keep the skin temperature down throughout the night.
The peeling is coming. It's gross, it's messy, and it's tempting to pull those long strips of skin off. Don't do it. Let them fall off naturally. If you peel it too early, you're exposing "baby skin" that isn't ready for the world, which leads to scarring and permanent pigment changes. Stay hydrated, stay in the shade, and give your body about a week to rebuild.