Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Sunburn
You can treat sunburn with these simple home remedies.
Are you sunburnt?
Sunburn occurs when the ultra-violet rays of the sun impact your skin. Check for red rashes, tenderness, blisters and skin peeling to know if you have a sunburn. Severe sunburn may cause fever, nausea and vomiting, flu and chills.
Cool home remedies for sunburn
Naturally cooling grains, vegetables as well as fruits and oils rich in vitamin C or E are the best for treating sunburn. Oatmeal, papaya, cucumber, tomatoes, yogurt, lemon, honey and aloe vera are wonderful for sunburn. Check out the tips below
- Crush 2 tbsp. oatmeal and 1 cup papaya separately. Mix the two with 1tbsp honey and apply on your skin. Wash off with cold water after 30 minutes.
- Mix 3 tbsp. honey with the extract of 2 lemons and apply. Leave on your skin for 20 minutes and wash off with cold water. Repeat twice a day.
- You can also extract the juice of a cucumber and mix with 2 tbsp. lemon juice and apply on your skin. Wash off after 15 minutes. Yogurt can be used instead of lemon juice.
- Mix juice from 2 or 3 tomatoes with 1 tbsp. yogurt and apply, leaving on for 20 minutes. Wash off. Repeat twice a day.
- Add a pinch of turmeric to yogurt and apply over sunburnt areas. Leave on for 30 minutes and wash. You can also add barley to this concoction.
- If you have an aloe vera plant at home, cut it and use the gel from the plant directly for healing sunburn.
- Mix equal quantities of sandalwood paste and turmeric with a little water and apply on the affected areas.
- If you have access to cow’s milk, dip a ball of cotton and apply on the affected areas.
- Sandal oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rose oil are good for sunburn.
- Ayurvedic oils like Chandanadi, Pinda thailam, Dhanwantharam, Ksheerabala and Madhuyashtyadi are known for treating sunburn. There are many specific Ayurvedic medicines for sunburn too.
- Cold water, rose water and buttermilk are cooling agents that can give you relief from sunburn.
- Cold, wet compresses thrice a day or a tub bath in cool water will do wonders.
- Cold teabags, slices of cucumber, tomatoes or potatoes make cool eye patches.
- Cold lettuce or cabbage leaves can be pressed on the affected parts of your skin.
Prepare your own natural sunscreen
Avoid direct exposure to sunlight as much as possible. Use a natural sunscreen before going out into the sun.
Mix a few drops of neem oil and sesame oil and apply on your skin before you go out in the sun. You can use just neem oil too.
Coconut oil, aloe vera and sandalwood paste are effective sunscreens.
Eat cool, stay cool
Keep yourself well hydrated. Drink plenty of water and fluids like buttermilk, watermelon juice, coconut water, lemon juice, etc.
Eat fruits rich in water content like water melon, oranges, grapes, sweet limes and cantaloupes.
Avoid spicy and greasy foods, carbonated drinks and caffeine.
