What to do if you get sunburnt
Just a few minutes in the sun without sunscreen is enough to damage your skin. But what causes sunburn, and how can you treat it? Here are our answers to some common sunburn questions, plus Clarins’ expert advice on how to treat your burnt skin.
What causes sunburn?
Sunburn is caused by harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, known as UVA and UVB. Without protective sun cream, UVB rays cause immediate (and sometimes painful) redness on the surface of your skin, while UVA rays penetrate deeper and cause long-term damage such as wrinkles and premature ageing.
Why does sunburn itch?
Severe sunburn can sometimes cause your skin to itch as a result of damage to nerve endings in the upper layers of the damaged skin. The prickly sensation usually begins between 24 and 78 hours after exposure and can last for a few days.
How to stop sunburn itch There are a few things you can do to lessen sunburn itch:
- Keep yourself as hydrated as possible.
- Apply an after-sun moisturiser to soothe and cool your skin.
- Use a cool compress – this will cool down the sunburnt skin and minimise inflammation.
- Take a cold shower. Avoid staying in for too long as this can dry out your skin, and use natural soap to preserve your skin’s natural protective oils.
- Try to avoid the sun’s glare where possible (and keep your skin covered when outside).
Can sunburn scar?
Some severe cases of sunburn (where the skin peels and blisters) may result in scarring. After-sun products offer immediate relief for sun-damaged skin, but to encourage year-round hydration and repair, it’s important to moisturise regularly with a restorative lotion. Treat yourself to a replenishing body moisturiser to ensure your body is kept silky-smooth. Then, an intensely hydrating face moisturiser from our Hydra-Essentiel range will keep your face expertly quenched, all year round.
How to treat sunburn
Sunburn can be a painful and highly uncomfortable experience. Our range of after-sun products help combat the redness and irritation that often comes with a sunburn.
Treat sunburnt facial skin
For sunburnt facial skin, we suggest applying hydrating after-sun products to soothe irritated skin. Our SOS Sunburn After Sun Mask is a deeply hydrating after-sun cream with Sunflower, Aloe Vera, and Shea Butter extracts, which immediately comforts and soothes sunburnt skin on your face. Providing 48 hours of intense hydration, this nourishing after-sun lotion uses Mimosa Tenuiflora extract to protect your skin from free radicals. Its cream-gel texture is rich yet fast-absorbing, making it perfect for replenishing your skin after a day in the sunshine — whether you’ve been out on the slopes or relaxing in your garden.
Soothe sunburn on your body
For sunburn on your body, try our AFTER SUN SHOWER GEL. It expertly washes away sun cream, pollution, salt, sand, and chlorine for a feeling of total freshness. Turning from a gel into a dense, creamy lather when applied to wet skin, this 3-in-1 body, hair, and face gel uses Aloe Vera extract to soften and soothe sunburnt skin while you shower.
Replenish your skin after light sunburn
Our comforting after-sun range is perfect for soothing light sunburn and minimising feelings of ‘hot’ skin following sun exposure. However, keep in mind that these products aren’t designed to treat badly burnt skin. If you feel your sunburn is serious,consult a doctor.
What else helps sunburn?
As well as using after-sun products, it’s important to keep as hydrated as possible to allow your skin to regenerate, so try to drink around two litres of water per day. You should also avoid exposure to direct sunlight for a few days to give your skin time to recover.
The best remedy, however, is prevention. So regularly applying a high-performance sunscreen that’s suited to your skin type is the best way to avoid sunburn. We recommend you find a range of suncare products that work for your skin. However it’s important to know what products you shouldn’t wear in the sun as well.
