You may love the warmth of sunlight all day, but there's a high chance your skin won't be happy about it! That's why the refreshing and quintessential summer beach vacation often comes with a side of painful sunburn. And the kind of burn relief you'll need will largely depend on the condition of the burn — whether it's mild, blistering, or burning. But, proper sunburn care also helps prevent additional side effects like scarring or discoloration. So, follow these go-to tips to avoid and treat sunburn and enjoy your summer vacation tension-free.

Keeping the Skin Hydrated

Keeping the exposed skin hydrated is extremely necessary to both prevent and cure sunburn. For the face and body, liberally apply hydrating moisturizers with soothing elements like aloe, oatmeal, or soy. Also, don't forget the lips and apply a gel-based moisturizer like Aquaphor or Vaseline. For an extra cooling effect, put all these products in the fridge the night before.

Drinking Lots of Water

Drinking water is the gospel of keeping your body hydrated inside and out. Especially if sunburn blisters start to develop, double the amount of your water intake as large blisters tend to pull water from the skin. So, you need to drink lots of water alongside covering up the fluid-filled blisters to prevent hazardous dehydration.

Keeping the Skin Protected

Summer is hot and you may love to bare it all to enjoy the breeze. But, keeping a sunburn covered is of utmost importance. Covering up a blistered sunburn protects it from the air and speeds up the healing process. It also helps in avoiding further discoloration, by keeping the fresh skin beneath a sunburn totally sun-protected.

Applying Sunscreen Liberally

When your skin is healing from a sunburn, it can be extra sensitive. So, don't forget to be mindful of UV exposure and apply sunscreen frequently. It's a must even after the skin is healed, as it still carries the chance of premature aging and skin cancer. So, carry on with protective clothing and be generous with sunscreen. Use it like icing a cake every two hours!

No Picking!

The sunburned skin starts to peel off, especially during healing. At that time, it's highly necessary to resist the urge to peel the sloughed-off dead skin. Peeling the skin before it's fully ready can increase the risks of scarring and discoloration. Instead, gently exfoliate the area with a washcloth and then apply a thick moisturizer on damp skin to repair the barrier.