When, after the sun, the skin is very red, the number 1 fear is that you have taken a good sunburn. Sometimes, however, it can be a simple redness or irritation. Find out how to spot the differences and related remedies
Are they just redness or the signs of a sunburn? This is the main question you ask yourself when, after exposure, you see yourself a little flushed and feel the tingling of the whole body. But it’s only at home, looking in the mirror after a shower, that you will truly understand how much sun did you get. Maybe the skin is just a little irritated and needs to be soothed. Or you have really burned yourself, especially in some more exposed places like the shoulders and feet.
Here’s how to identify if it is “simple” redness and solar irritation. Plus, find out what your skin needs depending on the case.
Solar redness: the remedies
Have you changed your bikini bottom or bra and now have red stripes on your stomach or décolleté? The remedy is a refreshing bath, to be done before after sun. Immerse yourself in a tub of lukewarm water and pat the red areas with a sponge dipped in a cup of cold chamomile tea. Then, wash yourself with a delicate product, pat dry and apply the after-sun with aloe: has an anti-inflammatory effect. And don’t wear bras, belts, or sandals that can irritate your skin.
The face is red, especially on the nose and cheekbones? «A very effective home remedy to calm the reddened areas is the so-called” stuffing “» suggests the dermatologist Antonino Di Pietro. “You take some bread crumb, which is very rich in starch and has refreshing properties, you soak it in a fresh infusion of chamomile, squeezes and applies to the skin. The benefit is immediate ». Immediately after, without rinsing your face, apply an after-sun lotion.
Solar irritation: the remedies
The skin is not red, but is it very hot? More than a redness, therefore, you have a solar irritation. The suggestion is a lukewarm shower with a non-foaming cream cleanser, one of those designed for after-beach. Then on the irritated areas apply a fluid after-sun to which you will have added six drops of eucalyptus essential oil. On the hottest areas, such as the back and legs, place a wet towel kept in the freezer and lie down for a quarter of an hour. Remove the wipe and spread the after-sun in a generous layer, without letting it absorb. Leave it on overnight, but rinse your skin thoroughly in the morning before exposing yourself again (with sunscreen of course).
L’solar irritation it could also manifest itself with severe dehydration, rather than a sense of widespread heat. How to fix it? With a shower that eliminates all traces of salt, sand and sweat. Better to use a creamy cleanser, which does not remove lipids from the skin and thus has a moisturizing action. Immediately afterwards, on slightly damp skin and with pores still dilated, apply an after-sun product rich in aloe and vitamins E: they counteract aging and prevent flaking.
Slight burns: the solutions
Before the actual sunburn there is that intermediate “step” that combines redness and irritation. It translates into skin that pulls and pinches. It happens if you have exaggerated with the sun or you forgot to put the protection on. The result? The skin is red, it pulls and just touches it to get a feeling of discomfort. The solution is a after-sun spray. So you will not be forced to massage the product on the epidermis to make it absorb. Spray it in quantity and wipe off the excess with a tissue. Repeat in the following days, morning and evening, until the skin has lost its redness.
Is the face a little swollen? The overdose of sunlight it causes the capillaries to dilate and can cause swelling. A simple remedy is to make chamomile compresses with gauze soaked in the infusion and kept in the freezer. Or you can apply iced chamomile cubes for two to three minutes. The swelling will be reabsorbed thanks to the cold, while the capillaries will decongest thanks to the bisabolol contained in the chamomile.
Real burns: what to do
The redness is so intense that it is the fire red leather. We are in the field of solar erythema. To defuse it, you can ask for one at the pharmacy cream based on centella or arnica, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. If the sunburn is intense, it is best to contact your doctor who can prescribe a cortisone ointment and antihistamine products to be taken by mouth against the itching. It is forbidden to expose yourself to the sun for at least a week. And, in the meantime, the skin must be protected with large, white cotton garments.
