sun burnt and seeking advice! (slight self pity)

fitgirlandfoodie
fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
So summer has finally come to Ireland (for the next few days at least) and I took advantage of our camping trip to Connemara to spend a few hours on the beach yesterday.

Long story short, despite plenty of suncream I'm now insanely burned. So much so I was contemplating going to A&E last night due to low body temp (93 degrees despite the burn), intense shivering, rapid heartbeat and dehydration (I didn't in the end and battled it out with lots of water and a gel designed for burns and scalds - no sleep last night for me!)

This morning I had to take a day off work because I couldn't put on shoes or clothes (my feet are very swollen looking and burned all over)

What I need now is advice on how to ease the pain?

Lesson of the day: if your pale and Irish maybe avoid the midday sun -even if it is only available 5 days a year!
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Replies

  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    Take a cool bath with baking soda that helped me when I got blistered a few summers ago. I couldn't put on clothes for a week though it was really rough.
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Thanks dude, that's a great idea. Any movement is agony. Expensive lesson learned!
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    I know the feeling. I'm part irish so I have that same type of skin. I use like spf 110 now lol. I hope you get to feeling better just try to keep it uncovered as much as possible so it can get some air and heal faster.
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    I''ll definitely be investing in better sun cream from now on. No sun exposure is worth this.
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    No not at all. That was the worst pain I had ever been in. I'll use the cream and and spray together if I want to go out that bad.
  • nikki0753
    nikki0753 Posts: 383 Member
    I got really bad burnt a few years ago literally from head to toe. Worst places were my stomach and my feet.
    Sounds gross but a friend suggested i put yoghurt on them lol It was soooo soothing!
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Maybe a silly question Nikki but do you rub the yoghurt in or just let it dry in? :-)
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    That actually makes a lot of sense. That would make it feel much better. My worst spot was the shoulders by far. Felt like knives stabbing into my shoulders
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Ya, it's my feet, shoulders/back knees and lower stomach...and hands actually. Face isn't great either. I'm going to try the yoghurt and see..
  • arainiday1
    arainiday1 Posts: 1,763 Member
    not Irish here but Scandinavian.... super pale and my mom & her mom both have (had) auburn red hair..... so yeah i BURN.....and freckle...

    I use kids sunscreen now... spf 50 or higher if i can find it. works great. if i do end up with a burn aloe lotion works great and also if it gets REALLY painful vinegar will work to take the sting away

    http://www.besthealthmag.ca/sunburn

    good luck!
  • nikki0753
    nikki0753 Posts: 383 Member
    No don't rub in fully, just enough so it's not like dripping off of you lol
    Def give it a go! It doesn't feel nice to be honest but it's so cooling it's worth it.
  • ambamaden
    ambamaden Posts: 8 Member
    Aloe Vera cooling gel. Works wonders!
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    If you have a portable fan I'd have that blowing on you too. The breeze will make it feel better
  • siport
    siport Posts: 7,429 Member
    Aloe Vera Gel that really helps
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    Aloe Vera cooling gel. Works wonders!

    Another vote for Aloe Vera gel!
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Thanks for the link arainiday - some of those tips look very helpful. Haha ok, I won't rub in the yoghurt - the guy coming to fix my car is going to get a shock when he sees me :P
  • crazie4lulu
    crazie4lulu Posts: 762 Member
    aloe.... straight from the plant if you can.....
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    I'll send out for some aloe vera too...I have used it before on some minor sunburn and it did help.
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    I have a feeling he wont be complaining lol
  • Aloe vera gel :flowerforyou:
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    I have a feeling he wont be complaining lol

    lobster red and covered in yoghurt might give him strange notions :P

    ok, Aloe seems to be getting lots of pluses..will try get my hands on it asap.
  • kmkylemo
    kmkylemo Posts: 1,103
    Haha I meant by the outline he would be seeing lol
  • xDawnsgrace
    xDawnsgrace Posts: 436
    put a cup of dry oats in cool(not cold because one, ouch, and two, don't want your body going into shock), soak in it for 10-15 minutes. baking soda works as well, but i personally prefer oatmeal.

    Use lotion, make sure to keep your skin moisturized!! as well as being burnt, it's dehydrated. Load up on water.

    anti-inflammatory painkillers (think ibuprofen, asprin, naproxin) can help the swelling and pain.

    i hope you feel better soon!
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Thank you xDawnsgrace - I've taken a couple of pain killers which did help the swelling a little.And the water is being drank with a vengeance :-)
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    I second keeping up the fluids and the anti inflammatories.

    Also how appropriate is your user name? (Sorry but in made me laugh)
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    haha, that hadn't occurred to me :P too ironic for my liking :P
  • jamie610811
    jamie610811 Posts: 1,735 Member
    Greek Yoghurt, I burnt really bad in Greece and the the owner of the bar we went into his mother gave me some to use . 2 days later no pain
  • donnasue70
    donnasue70 Posts: 9 Member
    Dab apple cider vinegar on the redness. Cools instantly and the blisters will go away. Smells really bad but DOES work. I'm a redhead too. Best if you can do it and leave on overnight
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    I've wondering about the blisters alright..will try the vinegar on them now!
  • Luna_Llena
    Luna_Llena Posts: 15
    I burned my feet today by walking around my neighborhood barefoot. When I got home they felt really burned and I looked and they had blistered on the big toe and the pad. Immediately applied aloe vera lotion multiple times then set my feet on the cold tile. After just set them up to rest with a fan hitting them. Later on I went to beach at night and the sand was a cool remedy as well.