We’ve been watching the weather all week with our fingers crossed for good weather because today was our school’s annual family day. It’s a great day which starts with the whole school performing a concert outside with a local band, followed by a whole school family picnic and barbecue on the field and after that there’s ice creams and rides for the kids (all free) – it’s such a lovely thing for the school to do – the kids look forward to it every year and it always surprises me that so many parents make such an effort to be there. It makes me feel all warm and fluffy and proud to be part of it!
This morning we got up and were a bit disappointed to see the sky filled with clouds but at least it wasn’t raining so we packed up our picnic and bagged ourselves a picnic table in a prime spot in the middle of the field where we could see what was going on. The dark clouds were above us all day threatening to rain and it was quite windy so for most of the day I had my hoodie on. The rain held off for most of the day and we had a really nice day.
But after we got home, I started to feel really hot which is when I realised that despite the black rainclouds, the wind AND the hoodie, I was sunburnt in a big way!
I don’t think the picture quite shows the redness that is my body at the moment but it does give you an idea….
I’m also this red on my face and my arms and it’s more than a little sore at the moment.
I know I should have put suntan lotion on and I do actually have Factor 50 in the boot of my car so we always have it with us because we all burn very easily and I know that the you can still get burnt even on cloudy days. But this wasn’t a little cloudy, it was full on dark clouds and I had a hoodie on for most of the day. The only time I really took it off was when Master Frugal had temporarily lost his jacket on the field somewhere and he was cold so he wore my top for a while.
It’s ridiculous that I’m so red right now – I don’t even have any after sun in the house to soothe it because I’m usually really good with sun tan lotion and when I think there’s a danger of any of us getting sunburnt, the factor 50 comes out!
So now, I need some advice on what’s good for sunburn.
Hit me 😉
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Aloe Vera and/or coconut oil over the next week will help massively!
alo vera is my advice I'm very pale and burn easily so it's what I use. Make sure you drink plenty of water / juice to stay hydrated and try not to wear any clothes on that bit of your skin. Feel better soon. xxx
Thanks very much Gemma, it's just awful but the aloe vera did ease the pain a lot and I'm feeling better now although I'm still ridiculously red!
I have always used a burn cream for sunburn, preferably something with a local anesthetic like lignocaine. Paracetamol as well. My skin has always been quick to burn and I can tough it out but when the kids were young I couldn't stand to see them in pain. Luckily it didn't happen more than once or twice, not like when i was a kid, sun burnt all the time.
Why did I not think of paracetamol to take the pain away!!!
My two burn very easily too and I'm so cautious – I literally spray them every twenty minutes with factor fifty in the heat (overkill I know) but funnily enough they didn't burn at all on Friday! Maybe because they were rushing about here there and everywhere.
A holiday rep years ago recommended rubbing a cut tomato over my sunburn. Worked wonders!
I've never heard that one before but I'll def try it if this happens again – I send my husband to the shop and asked him to get some tomatoes but he got tinned!!! Idiot lol
Some ice in a wet handtowel worked wonders for some terrible sunburn I had 3 days before a wedding dress fitting.
It's awful isn't it – especially before a dress fitting!
Thanks for the suggestion x
Go out and buy some after sun! One with Aloe Vera in it. A bath full of seaweed heals sunburn too, but seaweed is a bit harder to find! Lol. Xx
Couldn't do the seaweed although I did consider sending the kids to the beach for me lol but in the end I managed to get some aloe vera after sun x x
Bless you! – how about a cool bath?
Oooh I tried that and it was like heaven. Thanks so much for the suggestion x
a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cloth, and swabbed over the burned area allows for some coolness. If you prefer not to use alcohol, white vinegar has the same effect. It cools the skin and takes out the heat. Good luck!
I tried that and it did help for a little while – thanks very much x
Aloe vera gel is great, very cooling & soothing, you can get it in Holland & Ba**etts. Drink plenty of fluids – no, not alcohol, & if you feel unwell go to Dr. Aloe vera gel is also good for allergic skin rashes. Some people use the gel straight from the plants, its an easy house plant to keep being used to desert conditions.
Thanks very much, my husband said the same thing about fluids and kept making me drink water as I was feeling a bit unwell with it. Thanks for the suggestions x x
OUCH! You absolute loon, I'd laugh if it didn't look so unbelievably painful! Sudo cream is good for sunburn (and practically everything else), milk, yogurt etc are good too. You could even try cooling it down with a bag of frozen pees on it or something until you can get some proper after sun on it. I'd go straight to the chemists rather than just picking up a normal aftersun and see if they have anything stronger for you and anything you can find with concentrated aloe vera in it will be good too. Hope it gets better soon x
Ouch indeedy – you should have seen my face. I just look ridiculous. The chemist gave me some great aloe vera after sun but I was rather hoping you'd bring me some of the real thing 😉
If your eyes are sore from it cucumber will help & pure aloe vera gel is magic for sunburn. In desperation natural yoghurt helps a bit too. Hope it doesn't peel!
I'm hoping it doesn't peel too – Thanks for the suggestion about the cucumber. It was really soothing x
E45 cream or lotion is fab! 🙂 Hope it eases soon
Thanks for the suggestion x x