No matter how hard we try, sunburns are a common occurrence when the summer rolls around. Endless hours of warmth and daylight means we can finally enjoy patio time, tend to our gardens or enjoy life from the comfort of a picnic blanket. Unfortunately, most of us end up with sunburnt foreheads, shoulders or backs after the first wave of 20+ degree weather. Although there’s no quick fix, there are some treatments that are better than others.
Myth 1: Soak the Burn in Milk
No, don’t soak your sunburnt skin in liquids that contain fats or sugars. A sunburn needs to cool, breathe, and avoid anything that could attract bacteria and infection. If you feel like you’re burning up, slip into a cool bath and avoid using any soaps, healing salts or DIY remedies.
Myth 2: Apply Oatmeal Skin Care Products
There are many oatmeal skin care products lining drug store shelves, but there is little to no oatmeal in them. Most are oil-based, heavily scented with artificial oatmeal fragrances and contain no healing properties. Aloe vera straight from your aloe vera plant is one of your best options as a topical lotion. The Mayo Clinic recommends aloe vera gel, aloe vera lotion and calamine lotion. We found zero mention of oatmeal creams or lotions on hospital websites on how to treat sunburns.
Myth 3: It’s a Cloudy & Sunless Day!
There’s an inaccurate gap in information when it comes to the visibility of the sun on cloudy days. People take little to no skin precautions on cloudy days because they think the sun is rendered weak and powerless. That misunderstanding is how sunburns sneak and creep their way into our lives time and time again! Even if it’s cloudy, those pesky UV rays can easily pass through an overcast sky and cause damage to your skin. You don’t have to become a solar astronomer to avoid getting sunburned on cloudy days, simply wear sunscreen, wear a baseball cap or sunhat and do pretty much what you would do on a sunny day.
Now that you’re prepared to prevent and handle burns from the summer sun, free up some time by calling MOLLY MAID to take care of your summer cleaning! We offer cleaning services in cities all across Canada, so be sure to give us a call and find your local MOLLY MAID today!
Photo by Franziska Ingold
