Sunburn and Sun Poisoning

Sunburn Treatments and Remedies

Certain medical treatments have been tried and studied to treat sunburn. However, in general, most remedies have not shown any clinically proven benefit as far as speeding the recovery or reversing the damage. Therefore most of the treatments available are only used to treat symptoms.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in oral (ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Advil etc.) or topical diclofenac 0.1% gel (Solaraze) forms have shown to reduce redness if applied before or immediately after UVB exposure. This benefit may be diminished after 24 hours. These medications may also help relieve the symptoms of sunburn such as pain and discomfort.
  
• Topical steroid creams have not shown any significant improvement in sunburn symptoms. Oral steroids such as prednisone have not proven to be beneficial and have been associated with some significant side effects.
  
• Applying Aloe Vera gel to the skin also has not been beneficial in treating the actual sunburn. However, this may be beneficial in treating the symptoms.
  
• Topical anesthetics: Advertised remedies such as topical anesthetics (benzocaine) may help with symptoms of sunburn, however, very little clinical data is available to substantiate their effectiveness.

What is sunburn?

Sunburn is an inflammation of the skin that is caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. A similar burn can follow overexposure to a "sun" (UV or tanning) lamp. UV radiation can also damage the eyes, although no surface burn is apparent.

Sunburn is a very common condition. In the United States, approximately 30% to 40% of adults and close to 80% of children and adolescents report having at least one sunburn in the preceding year.

Can sunburn cause permanent damage?

Yes. Sunburn early in life increases the risk of developing skin cancer later on. Repeated overexposure to ultraviolet rays can also scar, freckle, dry out, and wrinkle the skin prematurely. In addition, frequent overexposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of developing eye cataracts and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.