Immediate help for a sunburnt face

Should I see a doctor?

Severe sunburn leading to blistering which makes large areas of skin feel off or causes severe pain should be checked by a dermatologist before you try to treat it yourself. In the worst case the inflammation could worsen or cause scarring. 

Gentle treatments

As a first measure if your face is slightly sunburnt you should cleanse it with cool water, no soap or other cleansing products. Never use a scrub on sunburnt skin! After cleansing your skin, pat it dry gently with a towel. A cortisone cream from the pharmacy can help to speed up the healing of inflamed skin.

Quark and yoghurt

For only mild sunburn on your face, you can use cooling masks of quark or yoghurt for immediate help. Put a thin layer of it on the burnt areas of skin and leave for about 20 minutes. Rinse off the mask carefully with lukewarm water. For bad sunburn don’t use this type of mask because lactic acid bacteria can get into the skin and worsen the inflammation. 

Calming aloe vera

Aloe vera is known for being intensely moisturising, cooling and anti-inflammatory.  Aloe vera can also be applied to very sensitive skin and so is ideal for treating mild sunburn. Pain from sunburn is alleviated and the healing process is accelerated.

Skin peeling off

If your skin starts to peel off, new, healthy skin will have formed underneath. It’s important not to stress this skin with scrubs or by rubbing too hard. Hard rubbing or scrubs can cause new inflammation and delay the healing process. Even if it’s difficult, the skin should only be cleansed with clear, lukewarm water. The dead skin will gradually come off by itself. 

Make-up

It’s better not to use make-up if the sunburn hasn’t completely eased. Liquid foundations can cause more infections and stress your facial skin. If you don’t like leaving the house without make-up on, you should just use mineral powder. It is free from artificial ingredients, easy to tolerate and covers redness.