What do I put on a sunburn?

Question

I am a medic in the US army and I know to put Aloe Vera lotion on it but I don't have any and I can't make it to the PX or a shopette today. So what I was wondering is, what else can I put on this sunburn? I have some Cocoa Butter lotion. Would that work?

Answer 1

It may help, but you want to make sure it doesn't have a lot of scent or alcohol in it. That'll just make it burn worse. Have any vinegar handy? It sounds crazy but it takes the heat out of it. I've used it many times myself, and it kept me from peeling so bad. Some people that are allergic to aloe have to use vinegar. It stinks, but man does it help.

Answer 2

Lotion will help a lot, especially if you put them in the fridge so they are cool on your skin. There are a few other household items that can help as well. A compress of milk-soaked gauze held on the burn for 20 minutes can be very soothing, but rinse afterwards so you don't smell like sour milk. You can also mix 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of cornstarch into a tub of tepid water and soak yourself. The same thing can be done with oatmeal, which surprisingly helped me out a lot one  time when I got a particularly nasty burn. And don't forget to take advil and tylenol to help with the pain and inflammation!