Sunburn is getting worse it seems..Help!!

svanhoecke

Hey guys. I am putting this in this category because this sunburn is preventing me from working out properly.

Last Saturday I got a sunburn on my stomach. The worst part of it is right below where my top ends and my tummy starts. (A few inches above my belly button.) It was healing okay I thought until I started exercising and sweating. The sweat and heat I think irritated the burn and it began to start peeling. I tried really hard not to peel it but it was gross so I peeled the first little bit and then left it alone. Now today the other part of it started peeling too (it looked/felt kind of like a blister...not like a dry flaky peel). Now the skin is all raw and dry feeling.

I don't want permanent scars on my stomach...especially since I am finally comfortable showing it! How do I keep my sunburn from scarring?? The one I peeled a few days ago almost looks/feels like a scab but not as bad as that...

What do I put on this? lotion? Aloe? Vitamin E?

Please please PLEASE help!!! I can't do crunches... :frown: And when I do cardio and get sweaty it gets irritated from my sports bra.

help!

P.S. I WORE SUNBLOCK! I am just REALLY fair skinned! :ohwell:

ChristyP0303

I use cocoa butter. Works on everything! Gotta rub it on a lot though. At least twice a day.

mistyb47711

Aloe.......if you put lotion in it it may burn cause most lotion has perfume in it......Aloe is for burns

MFPfriend

Aloe. Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of Aloe.

bzmom

I think I saw at the store by the sunblock something for after you burn Its a clear tube with green lotion in it and it stated it had aloe I think its suppose to sooth your burn sorry I didnt buy it since I dont burn easy but that is all I can remember. Hope you can find comfort soon.

Just found it on google its from Banana Boat and its Aloe after sun gel.

yeabby

I'm super pale and prone to sunburn too. My guess is your sweat is drying the skin out too much. Keep it moisturized with aloe and unscented lotion. Hope you're feeling better soon.

cici1028

You probably won't scar, just have an uneven tan line for a bit. Just keep it moisturized. As long as you aren't pulling any skin except the flaking skin, you won't scar.

marquesajen

I have heard that soaked tea bags applied to sunburn works. Apply them, let tea dry on skin and repeat as much as possible.

I burn rarely and am tan the next day, but my mom burns badly and her doctor told her to use vitamin E cream on her bad burns.

Good luck!

twitbffl

Cocoa butter, definitely. It will stop scarring from happening and help with the irritation/dryness. Good luck!

amysj303

Aquafor! I swear this is a miracle. I burned my arm dropping ground beef into hot oil, the skin was burned and peeled off after a couple of days and the skin under was bright pink. I thought for sure I would have a scar but I don't
use aquafor healing ointment and cover it if you can so it doesn't get rubbed off or more irritated. This was the advice of my friend and she is educated in wound care. You can apply ice if it still hurts.
Sounds painful, so treat the skin nicely and don't irritate it with sports bras. Hope it gets to feeling better!

dragonflydi

Unless you have 4th degree burns, you shouldn't scar. Keep it moisturized with a scent free lotion and eventually, while you may have odd tans lines, you should be OK. If you are really concerned, see your physician or a dermatologist.

svanhoecke

The weird thing is that is wasn't a flaky peel...it was kind of like a blistery (sorry this is gross!) wet kind of peel...the skin that came off was moist. Ick ick ick...

I couldn't resist peeling it. It was itching so bad and was irritating .... ugh I hope I can find something that works!

abbysmommy1

I've had more than my share of sunburns, and I know how miserable you must be!! I've found that soaking a tea bag and rubbing it over the burn helps TONS. The tea soothes the burn and helps to keep it from peeling. Maybe I'm just odd, but Aloe never seemed to provide as much relief for me as the tea bags do.

You could also try spraying on some solarcaine - it contains a pain reliever (lidocaine - the same stuff that you get from the dentist before they do a filling) that numbs the area.

Hope this helps

liftingbro

I would probably put some aloe on it and covert it with gauze while you workout. The gauze will help soak up extra sweat around it and keep it off of the sunburn. You may also be experiencing some "shirt rub" if you are running on it and gauze will stop that.

FemmeAndi

ALOE VERA ALOE VERA ALOE VERA!!! Ohhhh how that stuff feels sooooooo good on a sunburn. Make sure you skin isn't blistering though. If it is, you are going to have to tough it out and make sure no clothing rubs against it.
ALso you can buy a topical spray called Solarcaine at the pharmacy to spray on. That its specifically made for sunburns but they say not to use it on blistered skin.

Ashley_Panda

Vinegar. Stinks but works.

abbysmommy1

Aquafor! I swear this is a miracle. I burned my arm dropping ground beef into hot oil, the skin was burned and peeled off after a couple of days and the skin under was bright pink. I thought for sure I would have a scar but I don't
use aquafor healing ointment and cover it if you can so it doesn't get rubbed off or more irritated. This was the advice of my friend and she is educated in wound care. You can apply ice if it still hurts.
Sounds painful, so treat the skin nicely and don't irritate it with sports bras. Hope it gets to feeling better!

Aquaphor? I might have to try that next time I burn. I always have it around for other things. I would have thought it would hold in the heat and make the burn worse because it's like vaseline in texture.

svanhoecke

ALOE VERA ALOE VERA ALOE VERA!!! Ohhhh how that stuff feels sooooooo good on a sunburn. Make sure you skin isn't blistering though. If it is, you are going to have to tough it out and make sure no clothing rubs against it.
ALso you can buy a topical spray called Solarcaine at the pharmacy to spray on. That its specifically made for sunburns but they say not to use it on blistered skin.

I used a ton of Aloe the first few days...but it is definitely blistering now.

Rikki444

Cut a potato and place it on your burns. It wil calm your skin. Aloe is also great to treat burns. For the pain, you can go to your pharmacy and get Solarcaine in spray.

Sunburns are a buzz kill! Hope you get well soon.

MFPfriend

Also, I would just stop working out for a couple days. The sweat is REALLY not going to help and that's how you're getting the "most blisters". The sweat is getting trapped under those bubbles. It's gross, I know. I had a bad sunburn a few weeks ago.

amysj303

ALOE VERA ALOE VERA ALOE VERA!!! Ohhhh how that stuff feels sooooooo good on a sunburn. Make sure you skin isn't blistering though. If it is, you are going to have to tough it out and make sure no clothing rubs against it.
ALso you can buy a topical spray called Solarcaine at the pharmacy to spray on. That its specifically made for sunburns but they say not to use it on blistered skin.

It already blistered. Lidocaine might make it feel better but I just learned that it actually prevents healing because it interrupts the healing process.
I really think you should treat it with the aquafor and don't work out for a weak while it heals. Ice it and keep it cool and covered.

fionarama

you could try Biooil

svanhoecke

Also, I would just stop working out for a couple days. The sweat is REALLY not going to help and that's how you're getting the "most blisters". The sweat is getting trapped under those bubbles. It's gross, I know. I had a bad sunburn a few weeks ago.

Sounds like you know exactly what I am talking about! Its so gross! Ahh!

KS_4691

Last summer I got insanely sunburned. Every time I worked out, I didn't sweat: BUBBLES appeared under my skin, and they would only go away if I applied unreasonable amounts of lotion. It was disguisting. However, I worked out anyway and I'm sure the pain in my face worried some people in the gym. And I'm sure my (now ex) boyfriend thought I was super sexy too bahaha. The only thing sexier than the burn was probably the subsequent peeling. Just thought I'd share that story.

Heatherbelle_87

Coming from the land of the sun (lovely phoenix arizona, we get ALOT of sunburns here) since youre so far out for the inital burn you need to take a shower using unscented soap and get everything off your body. Then pick up the BLUE ALOE (its aloe with lanocain or lidocaine depending on the brand, basically the same thing) this is the kind that will numb the effected skin keeping you from having an itching burning sensation. It didnt blister within 24 hours so yours actually isnt as bad as some Ive personally had but fair skin takes extra care. You can re apply aloe every 2 hours, but I do advise wiping off the old layer with a damp wash cloth for best results. If its still itching about 12-18 hours after starting the aloe you need to take an oatmeal bath (yep just like for rashes as kids) its likely something in your natural sweat is irritating the skin (remember you basically destroyed the top layer so all this skin hasnt been exposed to chemicals before) and keep using the aloe. Since you are just starting to use aloe, or any after-sun regimine, timing is touchey but I would say by monday at the latest if it hasnt healed At All you need to see your Dr. You may have an undiagnosed sun allergy

maxsdad9

A serious sunburn will always peel. Sorry, but there is nothing u can do about it. Sounds like u had first degree burn. It wont scar. I wouldn't ever advise putting butter on a burn, That is definitely a no no! The best thing to put on it is aloe vera gel Not pleasant as it dries a little sticky at first, but it will reduce the pain and itch and it is good for your skin.

southernbelle39

I'm very pale so I get sunburned a lot and the best thing to do is put aloe on it and try not to peel it. (I reapply aloe a few times a day but it helps out a lot if you put it on before you go to sleep).

A trick I've learned is to mix baking soda in room temperature/luke warm water. Take a wash cloth and soak it, ring it out, and lay it where you're burnt. Do this until the wash cloth is cold and repeat. This will help take the sting out of the sunburn. (Do this for about 10 minutes).

Since it sounds like you are already peeling it might also help to use a lotion that has aloe in it as well. That will help keep the moisture in and it won't make your skin feel tight.

Hope this helps!

maxsdad9

What was the SPF of the sunblock? How soon before going out in the sun did u apply it. Did you re-apply it every hour or so????

jmikels67

I agree with an earlier poster that the reason you're getting "blisters" is from the sweating. Had a light burn a few weeks ago on my shoulders. Not painful, and I aloe'd. Worked in the yard and got really sweaty, and the burn area (which had started to peel slightly) got all bubbly. It was from the sweat building up under the area that wasn't quite ready to peel yet, but was loose from the skin underneath. It is gross, but I used a towel to gently rub the peely skin off. It was sensitive for a day or two, but I just used more aloe. If you're continuing to have trouble I'd say keep using the aloe, and take a break for a couple of days to allow it to heal completely. Don't worry you won't have scars - I'm very fair skinned to, and I just had a weird tan line till that area re-tanned. :-)

gt_mooar

If you have an aloe vera plant you can use that (it smells really bad though). also as a kid my mom would buy pepermint essentail oil & mix a couple of drops with water. Be careful if you add to much pepermint it will feel like your burning all over again! Have you tried doing excercise in the water? I dont know where you live but if you can find some river/lake that has shade you can excercise in the shade. I would think the cool water would feel good against your burn. where it was blister like be careful that you dont get it infected where you peeled some of it off. The thing about burns is, once you burn you cant stop it. So, when you were sunburned it probably kept burning for a while after. Good luck!!!

Bringerofrain

People have told me that a product Called Aveeno works really well. It a mixture you soak in the tub with.