What is the first aid treatment for sunburn?

From the Guidelines

For sunburn treatment, getting out of the sun immediately and cooling the skin with a cool shower or bath is crucial. This initial step helps reduce further damage to the skin. According to the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1, while the primary focus is on burns, the principle of cooling and protecting the skin applies to sunburns as well.

To manage sunburn, consider the following steps:

• Cool the skin with a cool shower or bath, or apply cool compresses for 10-15 minutes several times daily.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (400-600mg every 6-8 hours) or naproxen (220mg every 8-12 hours) to reduce pain and inflammation, as these are generally recommended for burn pain 1.
• Apply moisturizers containing aloe vera to soothe the skin, as aloe has been shown to improve healing time in patients with partial-thickness burns 1.
• Drink extra water to prevent dehydration.
• For blistered sunburn, apply hydrocortisone cream (0.5-1%) up to four times daily to reduce inflammation, and cover open blisters with sterile gauze.
• Wear loose, soft clothing over sunburned areas.

It's also important to note that covering a partial- or full-thickness burn with a nonadherent bandage or clean cloth protects the wound and reduces pain while avoiding heat entrapment until the burn can be assessed by a health care professional 1. However, the provided evidence does not directly address sunburn treatment but rather burn care in general.

Given the information available, the most relevant and recent guidelines for first aid 1 suggest prioritizing cooling, protection, and pain management for burn care, which can be applied to sunburn treatment with adjustments for the specific condition.

Seek medical attention if the sunburn covers a large area, is severely blistered, or is accompanied by fever, chills, confusion, or severe pain, as these could be signs of a more serious condition.

From the Research

First Aid Treatment for Sunburn

The first aid treatment for sunburn typically involves relieving symptoms and promoting healing. Some key points to consider include:

• Avoiding further exposure to the sun
• Applying cool compresses or taking cool baths to reduce pain and inflammation
• Using topical creams or gels to soothe the skin, although their effectiveness may vary 2, 3, 4
• Managing pain and discomfort with over-the-counter medications

Treatment Options

Studies have investigated various treatment options for sunburn, including:

• Topical corticosteroids, which have shown little to no significant effect on sunburn symptoms 2, 3
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which may provide mild reduction in erythema but have limited overall effectiveness 3, 4
• Aloe vera cream, which has been found to have no significant sunburn protection or treatment efficacy 5
• Other treatments, such as emollients and antihistamines, which have also shown limited or no effectiveness in reducing recovery time or alleviating symptoms 4

Severe Sunburn

In cases of severe sunburn, such as second-degree burns covering a large area of the body, treatment may involve hospitalization and intensive care 6. However, the treatment approach for such cases does not differ significantly from conventional heat-induced burn treatment.