sunburn ..... so painful .... :(

I need to rant. I was out all day grave hunting in the cemetary with my best friend who was looking for her relatives and it got to the point where we gave up because the place was sooo freaking big and the markers for the plots we had found were not there ... so we looked for at least three hours. I am in so much pain right now. I have very sensitive skin and I should definitley have known better to not wear a tank top and to waer sunscreen but it totally slipped my mind and I didn't even think to get sunscreen because I'm still in Spring Mode and just plain OWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually don't burn but right now ....... omg, I need something, anything to get the pain to go away and we have no aloe or anything and andy home remedies, maybe you cold recommend them.....

Try some vinegar!

OUCH! I've been there done that and I feel your pain! My best friend told me one time to get a small thing of noxema (sp?) cream (yes, the face wash that comes in a round tub) and some neosporin and mix them together then put it in the fridge to get cold. I believe those were the two items and it seemed to help. Other than that...I don't know anything else besides the alow that helps, but oh...I remember the last time I got one and it was painful!

Ah...yes, as posted above, use the regular white vinegar, fill your bathtub up with cold water and dump the whole bottle in. It will at least take the sting out.

I agree vinager will help, but I was always told not to use cold water, but lukewarm. Cold makes your skin feel even hotter when you get out. A friend of mine also washes with baby shampoo instead of regular soap. I don't know if it really does anything, but it makes her feel better doing it. You're best bet would be to go and get (or have someone get for you) Aloe gel. Not only will it take the sting out but it will also help you skin to not peel. Leaves you a little sticky but its worth it. I've had some doozy sunburns in my life and that is the best thing I have found. I'm dealing with a minor one right now, so you aren't alone in still being in the "spring" mindset! Hope you feel better soon!

Definately get someone to go out and buy aloe or some sort of hydrating cream. Have cool showers, it will be too painful to get in and out a bath. And don't let kitties near you if you get blisters!! (long story..)

Tomato is also a good way of taking the heat out of sunburn!

Fill your bath tub up with cool water and add powdered milk and an Aveeno bath to it. Afterwards- put Aloe and Lanacaine ALL over your skin (store it in the fridge- the cooler the better!) Also- lotion with lavender in it will help reduce the redness and stinging. Noxema works well too! Also- put your night gown in the freezer while you bathe- then when you get out and moisturize- it will be cool and comfortable when you put it on. Stay away from tight clothes (including too tight bra straps that might irritate your burn) Also- stick to only cool showers and baths right now. Be sure to keep your skin VERY moisturized as you do not want to peel. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated- and watch out for any signs of dizziness, fatigue, or other odd symptoms- could be signs of sun poisioning. And please- from now on- Wear sunscreen every single day!!!! It should be worn year round. Even one bad burn can up your chances of skin cancer two fold! You are too beautiful to roast yourself- so slather on some good quality sunscreen with uva and uvb protectants. (they make good oil frees for faces!) use the highest spf you can find (aveeno and nutrogena as well as coopertone and eucerine all make great sunscreens according to my dermatologist ) I use Aveeno -the cream and Nutrogena (the mist with the highest spf i can find). Both are AWESOME! Also- make sure your sunscreen is sweat proof and waterproof. And don't forget to reapply several times a day. Also- don't forget your eyes,scalp and lips- skin cancer can occur in those areas as well. They make sunscreen for scalps that won't make your hair greasy...you should also use a chapstick/lipstick with spf in it daily. And be sure to wear sunglasses, glasses, or contacts that protect against uva and uvb rays! (many do) the best kind of sunglasses to wear are the wrap around ones that protect from 100% of the suns rays (you can find some really cute ones too!) Check out this month's issue of Cosmopolitan magazine- they did a huge article on it and also on tips to protect yourself from skin cancer as you age. Be on the look out for any changes in your skin (especially existing or new moles) if you see ANYTHING that looks remotely different- you need to have your derm take a look at it fast. Remember the ABCDE's of skin cancer/moles - if you don't already know them- this link will explaine them to you and help you to remember what to look for and if it's normal or not.
http://www.skincancer.org/self_exam/look_for.php

also- key areas to not forget about when applying sunscreen :

scalp
behind your ears
your hair line
ears
eye lids and surrounding area around eye socket (be SURE to use oil-free sunscreen formulated especially for faces/ the delicate eye area so that you do not wind up with your eyelids stinging from sweat and sunscreen)
arm pits
under your chin
palms of hand- keep in mind, everytime you wash your hands you need to reapply sunscreen to them if you're going to be out in the sun.
tops of toes and between them
hands- including cuticle areas and between fingers
lips (use a lip gloss/stick/chapstick with spf in it- the higher the spf the better!)
backs of legs
shoulders


Also- be sure to apply sunscreen around 15-20 minutes before leaving your house during the day so it has time to absorb into your skin before you're exposed to the sun's rays. When you're outside and you see your shadow - if it is a very small/short shadow- the sun is at it's highest and you are most likely to burn- if it is a long shadow you see- the less likely you will burn. Also- wear sunscreen even if it's overcast- the sun's rays can still penetrate clouds. Don't forget to apply sunscreen to your animals noses as well if they are going to be outside for any period of time (especially dogs) if you have any as they can get skin cancer as well! Sunscreen needs to be worn every single day of the year- winter, spring, summer, and fall- the sun does not stop shining- and your chanes of damage due to sun exposure does not go away just because the weather is nice. Take care of yourself beautiful- skin cancer is preventable- start wearing sunscreen now so you don't ever have to deal with this horrible preventable isssue!

definitely lukewarm water - the cold causes too much shrinkage in the skin and hurts and your body overheats thinking it is cold despite the burn

Some aloe (or plain yogurt at a pinch) will help also

Thanks everyone for the sage advice and vibes I'm sitting here just slathering on the aloe and hoping that it will feel much better soon. I also did the vinegar bath thing last night and that seemed to help. I'm waiting it out and staying inside, it's all I will be able to do until it gets better and of course being on TCS more often than I have in the past month!