Treatment of Sunburns
Sunburns should be immediately cooled with clean running water for 5-20 minutes as the primary first aid treatment to reduce pain, inflammation, and tissue damage. 1
Initial Management
Cooling the Burn
- Immediately apply clean running water to the sunburned area 1
- Cool for 5-20 minutes 1
- For children, monitor for signs of hypothermia during cooling 1
- If clean running water is not available, superficial burns with intact skin may be cooled with ice wrapped in cloth 1
Pain Management
- Over-the-counter pain medications are recommended for pain relief 1
- Acetaminophen or NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) are well-tolerated options 1
- These medications help reduce both pain and inflammation
Post-Cooling Care
For Minor Sunburns (First-Degree Burns)
- After cooling, apply one of the following to the affected area 1:
- Petrolatum (plain petroleum jelly)
- Petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment
- Aloe vera
- Honey
- Cover with a clean, non-adherent dressing 1
For Intact Blisters
- Loosely cover with a clean cloth or non-adherent dry dressing 1
- Do not pop or drain blisters as this increases infection risk
When to Seek Medical Attention
Seek immediate medical care for:
- Burns involving the face, hands, feet, or genitalia 1
- Large partial-thickness burns (second-degree burns with blisters)
- All full-thickness burns (third-degree burns)
- Signs of inhalation injury (unlikely with sunburn but possible with other thermal burns)
- Burns covering >10% body surface area in adults or >5% in children 1
Special Considerations
Preventive Measures
- Remove jewelry from affected areas before swelling occurs 1
- Avoid further sun exposure to affected areas
- Use sun protection for future exposure
Ineffective Treatments
- Topical corticosteroids have not shown clinically meaningful benefit for sunburn treatment 2, 3, 4
- Most studies show limited effectiveness of various treatments in decreasing recovery time 4
Evidence Quality and Limitations
The 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross Guidelines for First Aid provide the most recent and highest quality evidence for sunburn treatment 1. These guidelines emphasize immediate cooling with clean running water as the most effective intervention, with pain management using over-the-counter medications as a secondary approach.
While some studies have investigated topical diclofenac sodium gel for sunburn relief 5, 6, the guidelines do not specifically recommend this treatment over standard approaches, and the evidence for its widespread use is limited compared to the core recommendations for cooling and basic pain management.