Down the Road
Sunburn seems to be more of a problem than it should be. The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that 42 percent of people get at least one sunburn per year. Keep in mind that numerous sunburns lessen your resistance to melanoma. If you have five or more sunburns in a lifetime, your risk for melanoma doubles.
There are two types of skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Both occurrences are attributable to accumulated sun exposure over the years, and they most frequently occur in the areas that are likely to get the most exposure, i.e., the ears, hands, face. Melanoma differs from the two skin cancers -- just one brief exposure can cause it. Of course, other factors, like family history, skin type and your location in the world (tropical climes seem to draw more UV rays) play a large role.
That Old-Time Treatment
If you’d like to try a few things that granny knew about, there are ample home remedies. Potato paste, created by crushing a few spuds and smearing the results over the affected areas, is one particular cure. The starches in the potatoes work wonders on the skin.
You might also treat your burns with a combination of baking soda and cornstarch, which works to provide healing to the affected areas. You also may treat the burned areas with vinegar or witch hazel, a type of alcohol rub that was popular in the early 20th century. Witch hazel has long demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and can provide some temporary relief. Apply it to the affected areas every hour.