I'm melting! I'm melting!

How to survive a nasty sunburn:

1. Loose cotton clothes. Right now I'm in love with my Napoleon Dynamite t-shirt & my Hello Kitty PJs. But I don't think I'll be wearing a bra for a while.


2. Cool it off! Depending on the severity of said burn, you might end up with a wee bit of swelling. The best thing to do is use some ice packs, even if it's not that nasty, taking the heat out of your burn will make it hurt much less.


3. Pain killers! My fav is Ibuprofen. It's amazing, it's what I took all the time when I had braces, worked like a charm! Though if you're like me & always get a side of headaches with your sunburn, I recomend taking one Ibuprofen(Advil) & one Acetaminopehn(Tylenol). But don't over do it! Most people don't know that one tablet of Ibuprofen is actually a full dose for an adult. (Note, I'm no doctor, don't take my word as solid medical addvice, it's not)


4. Moisturize! That's just a fancy way of saying DONT LET YOUR SKIN DRY OUT! And trust me, with a sunburn it's quite likely to. You can use just any old lotion but I'd say go with the Aloe. You can get tubes of Aloe gell stuff at any drug store. Seriously, it helps sooooo much. I love the stuff 'cause it feels all cool slimy it makes your burn feel better! Also, using Aloe will help keep your sunburn from peeling, wich is nice since peeling is GROSS.
5. Drink fluids! I know it's soooo cliche, but it really does help. Trust me!
6. Don't let it hapen again! Studies show that people who have been seriously burned at least once in their life are 10 times more likely to get skin cancer later. So slather on that SPF 30! P.S. Sunburns cause lots of outward skin damage, but the UVB rays from the sun do damage you can't even see! Because of the UBV you're more likely to get wrinkles, and ages spots (and skin cancer!) at an early age if you don't wear sunscreen. I'd rather be pale than look like a leather handbag!
7. Don't scratch it! I don't know why but my sunburns always itch like crazy, but trust me DONT SCRATCH. It hurts, a lot, & since you've already fucked up your skin with the sun, a little bit of scratching can cause permanent scars.

Notes: Just a few things I noticed last night: Do not take a long hot shower! If you're feeling stiff & sore a hot shower might sound like just what you need, but with a bad sunburn it's more pain than it's worth! Also, be careful what hair care crap you choose, a suprising amount of shampoos & conditioners have alcahol in them, i.e. IT HURTS YOUR SUNBURN. If possible, do not sleep on your sunburn! I can't sleep on my belly, & I can't sleep on my side unless I'm in bed with some one else, so sadly, I ended up sleeping on my sunburn & it hurts like a mofo.

Love & lobsters,
Ariel