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subscribe to beauty blog via RSSDr. Sapna Westley’s Burn Notice
June 25, 2010 11:22 am
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_ellenberg@condenast.com.
I’m usually vigilant about sunblock, but after one too many mojitos on my Caribbean vacation, I fell asleep in the sun, sans protection. A few hours later, I woke up with a nasty sunburn (and a raging headache). What can I do to soothe my skin?
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to always use protection, so you don’t end up having to deal with a burn. If it happens, the first thing to do is switch to a non-greasy moisturizer to soothe the skin and help the peeling. A cool bath and cold compresses of water or milk are also very soothing. Ingredients like aloe and cortisone cream can help if there’s a lot of inflammation and redness, and should you be experiencing a lot of pain or a persistent headache, over-the-counter Tylenol should help. Be sure to drink enough fluids to make up for the extreme water loss in the skin. If there’s a large portion of body area affected—or if you’re experiencing a fever along with the burn—you should seek medical attention. Absolutely do not ever peel the skin. It’s tempting, but you should resist the urge because peeling means it will just take longer to heal. To combat the peeling, just use a light moisturizer and be patient!
Dr. Sapna Westley is a board-certified dermatologist based out of Mercer Street Medical in New York’s Soho neighborhood. She is focused primarily on skincare, cosmeceuticals, and cosmetic dermatology. Westley also serves as a consulting dermatologist for Kao Brands.
tags: Dr. Sapna Westley, Skincare
