Cool water, anti-inflammatory pain relievers, and moisturizers like aloe vera are the most effective treatments for sunburn. Most sunburns heal on their own within a week, but what you do in the first 24 hours makes a real difference in how much pain and peeling you experience.
Cool Your Skin First
The single best thing you can do right after a sunburn is get out of the sun and start cooling the skin. A cool (not cold) shower or bath draws heat out of the burned area and provides immediate relief. If a shower isn’t available, drape a damp towel over the burn for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. You can repeat this as often as needed throughout the day.
Don’t use ice or ice packs directly on sunburned skin. The extreme cold can further damage skin that’s already injured, and the sudden temperature change causes more discomfort than relief.
Take a Pain Reliever Early
Sunburn pain peaks around 24 hours after exposure, so taking an over-the-counter pain reliever as soon as possible helps get ahead of the worst of it. Ibuprofen is a strong choice because it reduces both pain and the underlying inflammation driving the redness and swelling. Acetaminophen works for pain but won’t do much for inflammation. Follow the dosage directions on the package and continue as needed over the next day or two while symptoms are at their worst.
Aloe Vera and Moisturizers
Aloe vera is one of the most effective topical treatments for sunburn, and there’s good reason it shows up in nearly every recommendation. It contains antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, that help reduce skin stress. It also has natural anti-inflammatory properties that ease redness and swelling. Look for pure aloe vera gel or lotions with a high aloe concentration. Keeping the gel in the refrigerator adds a cooling effect that feels especially good on hot, tight skin.
Any fragrance-free, alcohol-free moisturizer can also help. The goal is to keep damaged skin hydrated while it repairs itself. Apply moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp from a shower or bath, which helps lock in moisture. Lotions containing soy or oat extract can be particularly soothing, though plain moisturizer works fine.
What to Avoid Putting on a Sunburn
Some common household remedies actually make sunburns worse. Don’t apply butter, petroleum jelly, or other oil-based products to burned skin. These create a seal over the surface that traps heat and blocks sweat from escaping, which can slow healing and increase the risk of infection. Products containing alcohol or strong fragrances can sting and dry out already damaged skin, so skip those too.
Numbing sprays with benzocaine or lidocaine provide temporary relief but can irritate sensitive burned skin or cause allergic reactions in some people. Stick with cooling and moisturizing instead.
Drink Extra Water
A sunburn draws fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of your body. If the burn covers a large area, this fluid shift can lead to dehydration. You may not feel thirsty, but your body is working harder than usual to repair the damage. Drink more water than you normally would for at least the first two to three days. If you notice dark urine, dizziness, or a dry mouth, you’re already behind on fluids.
What to Expect as Your Skin Heals
Sunburn follows a fairly predictable timeline. Redness and pain intensify over the first 24 hours, then gradually start to improve. Over the following week, the damaged outer layer of skin begins to peel. This is your body shedding cells too damaged to repair, and it’s a normal part of healing.
Resist the urge to pull or pick at peeling skin. Tugging can tear into the new skin forming underneath, which causes more irritation and can leave the area vulnerable to infection. Let it shed naturally, and keep applying moisturizer to soften the transition. Mild sunburns typically resolve within a few days. More severe burns with deeper redness and tighter skin can take a few weeks to fully heal.
Signs a Sunburn Needs Medical Attention
Most sunburns are uncomfortable but manageable at home. A few warning signs indicate something more serious is happening. Large fluid-filled blisters, especially on the face, hands, or genitals, suggest a second-degree burn that may need professional care. Blisters that develop pus or red streaks radiating outward point to infection.
Severe sunburns can also cause systemic symptoms: headache, fever, nausea, confusion, or chills. A fever above 103°F (39.4°C) with vomiting, cold or clammy skin, or signs of dehydration like dizziness and faintness all warrant immediate medical care. These symptoms mean the burn is affecting more than just your skin.