Top 8 Things You Shouldn’t Do When You Get Sunburn

Applying body cream can help moisturize sun-damaged skin, but make sure the product you’re using is alcohol-free. Alcohol helps products reach your skin and penetrate deeper, but it can also strip away the natural oils your skin needs to stay hydrated.

Sunburn often causes headaches and you would think that drinking a cup of coffee would seem like it would make the pain go away, but it’s actually the opposite. Staying in the sun for too long makes you dehydrated, and drinking plenty of water is important to replace lost fluids in your body. Since caffeine is a diuretic, it makes you go to the bathroom more often and causes your body to lose water and minerals it needs.

Tight clothing can help flatter your figure, but it’s definitely not the best option when you’re sunburnt. Wearing tight clothing on the sunburned area will not help the skin heal itself, but will also make the sunburn more red. Instead of wearing skinny jeans, choose looser clothing made from breathable fabrics, such as cotton.

No one can deny that this citrus drink is packed with antioxidants. However, they make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Of course, no one is forcing you to quit drinking orange juice, just make sure you put on extra sunscreen and stay out of direct sunlight after drinking a lot of orange juice.

While aloe vera can help soothe a sunburn, you should pay attention to the type of aloe vera gel you buy from the pharmacy to apply to your skin. Some man-made ingredients, such as benzocaine or lidocaine, can worsen irritation and make your skin itch more. Dermatologists recommend using pure aloe vera moisturizer or pure aloe vera gel to treat sun damaged skin.

You may think that a moisturizer with SPF is just something to keep your skin from getting sunburned, but it’s really not the best way to protect your skin from sun damage. A study has shown that most people overlook key areas of the face when applying a moisturizer with SPF, while those using sunscreen actually apply it more evenly.

Sources: Brightside

You can easily cover up a peeling sunburn with makeup, but like tight clothing, it won’t do your skin any good. If you absolutely must wear makeup, avoid products that are thick, difficult to evaporate, or use soft brushes to apply makeup. Skin care experts also recommend using damp sponges because they are gentler on the skin.

Sunburned skin will be hard to see and exfoliating the dry, flaky skin on your body is a natural thing you want to do. But this can actually hurt the skin more than you think because exfoliants can cause irritation on the skin. Instead, let the sunburn heal naturally, which usually takes about 7 days.