I’m a dermatologist – here’s how a common kitchen ingredient can soothe sunburn fast
THE chances are you usually reach for the coconut oil when you’re having stir fry for dinner.
But did you know, this clever ingredient can give your sunburnt skin a bit of a boost, as well as your wok-fried chicken and bean sprouts?
One dermatologist has suggested the kitchen cupboard staple – which lots of people also already use as a moisturiser for hair and skin – can help reduce scarring caused by too much sun exposure.
However, dermatologist Geeta Yadav, founder of FACET Dermatology, says there is a knack for applying coconut oil at the right time.
Too soon after burning and you could worsen your sore, swollen, scorched skin, by trapping heat.
Geeta told Well + Good: “Think about how quickly oil heats in a pan on a low temperature, versus how long it takes for the same amount of water to boil.”
New York dermatologist Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, added: “Greasy emollients, including coconut oil, can occlude pores, which in turn traps in heat, making the skin uncomfortable.”
So how can you benefit from coconut oil’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial characteristics, without doing more damage?
How to effectively treat sunburn
It’s always best to avoid being sunburnt at all, which can put you at increased risk of blistered skin, heat stroke and melanoma skin cancer.
Protect yourself by staying in the shade as much as possible, covering up in loose clothing, avoiding the sun between 11am and 3pm and wearing sunscreen of at least SPF 30, with a UVA rating of at least four-stars.
However, if you do catch too much sun, the NHS explains how you should treat it in the first instance:
- get out of the sun as soon as possible
- cool your skin with a cool shower, bath or damp towel (take care not to let a baby or young child get too cold)
- apply aftersun cream or spray
- drink plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration
- take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for any pain
- cover sunburnt skin from direct sunlight until skin has fully healed
Yadav adds that a cold compress dipped in cold milk or aloe vera can also help soothe sunburn.
She said: “These will reduce the inflammation and heat in your sunburn until you can treat it with other options.”
Cooling burn in this manner may be necessary for several days, until your skin no longer feels sore, tender or scorched.
When to apply coconut oil
You should only reach for the coconut oil when your sunburn has completely healed and is peeling, as you would a normal moisturiser.
Yadav warned: “If your skin is noticeably hot to the touch, it is too hot for you to apply coconut oil to it.”
Meaning if you have any concerns about your burnt skin, hold off applying coconut oil and stick with cooling aloe vera or after sun creams.
Mudgil said: “Aloe vera allows the skin to breathe and is best used initially on a sunburn; coconut oil is better used in the later phase of sunburn recovery, when the skin is peeling.”
Things you should never put on sunburn
The NHS says these are things to avoid doing to sunburnt skin:
- do not use petroleum jelly on sunburnt skin
- do not put ice or ice packs on sunburnt skin
- do not pop any blisters
- do not scratch or try to remove peeling skin
- do not wear tight-fitting clothes over sunburnt skin
Speak to your pharmacist about other ways to soothe sunburn, and medications you may be able to try.
If you are worried you or someone you know has heat stroke or heat exhaustion, or if skin is very blistered or swollen, call NHS 111 or speak to your GP.