Shoulder burn. The worst possible thing you could do to your skin. The most dreaded feeling after a long day on the range in a tank top, on the lake in a bathing suit, or even just doing yard work at home. The heat. The sting. The burn. Pain every time you put on a t-shirt. Bras? No, thank you. Loose-fitting, soft fabrics and lukewarm showers are suddenly your new life. Flinching every time someone comes in for a hug, even a few days after the pain is gone. Sometimes this feeling lasts only for a day or two, depending on your skin type. Sometimes it last for days. These are just the immediate effects of sun damage, by the way. The long-term effects include dark spots, wrinkles, premature aging, dehydration, and of course, the “C” word; you know the one. Now that I have scared you into possibly losing your interest in this article, if you are still reading and would like to learn how to prevent and treat a sunburn, then keep reading—I am about to change your life.
Rule number one. Always wear sunscreen. I don’t care if you’re going out to run just one quick errand, if it’s kind of cloudy outside, or even if it’s snowing. In many places, the weather can change so suddenly on any given day, you need to always be prepared. Personally, I can’t tell you how many times I have been packing for a shooting trip and looked up the weather at my destination, only to discover that I will need both flip flops and a winter coat. Always choose a mineral sunscreen; the only two active ingredients you should see are: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Personally, I prefer a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen
Rule number two. Always treat a sunburn like a real burn. You have injured your skin by exposing it to the sun’s harmful rays, made even worse by pollution in the atmosphere. If you get a sunburn, you must treat it immediately and avoid the sun until it has healed completely. If you cannot avoid the sun because you have to shoot a tournament for example, then you must use long-sleeve or full-length pants made of UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) fabric. These fabrics are amazing and incredibly effective at reflecting the sun and its heat from your skin. You will often find me wearing long pants and long sleeves, even on the hottest of days on the range. This is because I would rather wear that than have to constantly be worried about reapplying sunscreen—the endless cycle of spraying sunscreen, washing my hands, risking potentially getting it on my gun, etc. It’s a distraction and it’s the last thing I want to worry about when I am trying to focus on my shooting.
Alright, I have to come clean now. I broke rule number one the other day at lunch with my gal pal. Ok, another confession…I also broke it during the Blooming Babes event two weeks before that lunch. I had the dreaded, horrible neckline tan on the back of my neck. So, I thought to myself, why don’t I wear something with spaghetti straps, sit outside for our meal, and try to even it out. Worst idea ever! I of all people should know better, but I did it anyway. If you are in the same boat as I was, remember to give yourself a little grace. However, if the fate of a sunburn does befall you, then please follow this advice.
I have found only two effective methods for not only treating a sunburn, but stopping the progression of the burn. I will say that both options have a little sting to them. However, neither hurts more than leaving a sunburn untreated.
Option One: White Vinegar Soak
– white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
– water
– paper towels
Soak a paper towel in a vinegar and water mixture of equal parts. Place the soaked paper towel directly onto the sunburn. This is the part that stings. Leave for a few minutes. Once you feel the paper towel hot from the burn, re-soak the paper towel and reapply. Disclaimer: If your sunburn is severe and the skin has blistered, please use only option 2.
Option Two: Homemade Aloe Pads – aloe vera leaf
– cutting board
– knife
– air tight container or resealable bag
– Gorilla Tape (not necessary for the use of the aloe)
Begin treating the burn on the same day as the sun exposure and you will experience not only relief from the pain, but actual healing of the burn. Purchase a leaf of Aloe Vera from your local grocery aisle or cut a leaf from your own plant. (No. you can’t use anything you bought at the store that says aloe on it). Thoroughly rinse the leaf of aloe. Grab a cutting board and a knife and begin to cut off the spike sides of the aloe and the top and bottom. Then cut the leaf in half. Take each half and cut it down the middle so that you have two new pieces with one outer green leaf side and one inner side (the clear gooey side.) You should now have four pieces. Lay out all of your pieces with the green outer leaf facing you. Arrange them side by side into two bunches. Tear off a piece of gorilla tape approximately twice as long as the width of each bunch. Tape the aloe from one bunch together along the leaf side, flip the tape, and tape down what is left making a V shape. Repeat for the other bunch. Use the newly created pads to rub the clear side gently over any sunburn on your body or face. Store the pads in the airtight container or resealable bag in a fridge or ice chest. Rub on the sunburn multiple times a day, whenever possible, as much as possible.
BY NATALIA GONZALEZ
