Summer is upon us and Sun Burn is on the menu. Here's a trick a doctor friend of mine recommended. Splash children's Pediolite o

[Carl Huber]

Summer is upon us and Sun Burn is on the menu. Here's a trick a doctor friend of mine recommended. Splash children's Pediolite on the burn and allow to dry. It will almost immediately take away the sting. It will not repair the skin or stop a peal. Once it's damaged it's gone. It does help children as far as pain. It is not greasy or sticky no sugar and you can splash it on your scalp without looking like Rudolph Valentino.

[country road]

Living on the Gulf Coast, I'm more familiar with sunburn than I like to admit. The best ways I've found to relieve the pain are to take cool showers and/or baths, and apply Hawaiian Tropic sunburn lotion, which contains .8% lidocane, as opposed to .5% found in most other lotions. Like you said, Carl, you're already burned and nothing you do is going to prevent peeling, so the best thing to do is whatever relieves the pain. Tylenol, and other pills help, too.

Remember, if you're on vacation, you aren't going to get a tan in one or two days. Limit your unprotected exposure to 15 minutes three times a day, widely spaced, for the first days, then use sunscreen. You'll get a noticeable tan without damaging you skin. The military considers sunburn a self-inflicted wound. Take care of yourself and don't be in pain during your precious time off.

[Gary Devine]

Carl, when we were kids my mother would rub wet black tea bags on our sunburn. It seem to work fine.

[mspl8sdcntryboy]

What's sun? I haven't seen sun in months!

[allegnmtn]

Best thing: SPF 50 every morning. A hat with a brim all the way around and long sleeves and repeat the sunscreen often if you're out for the day...Coming from someone who spent his childhood and teenage summers fishing on the river and baling hay from dawn to dusk. (I've had 3 squamous cell carcinomas removed in the last 10 years.)

[jhjimbo]

I agree with CountryRoad, I get in the shower as quick as I can and gradually turn the water colder and colder - as much as I can. I think this lowers the skin temperature as much as possible and that lessens the amount of damage, thereby lessening the amount of 'burn'.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

What's the Rudolph Valentino treatment? As I recall the girls were all ga-ga for the guy. I could use some of that. Maybe a couple of gallons.

[Greenhead]

A cold shower definitely makes you feel better, but at that point you are treating symptoms, not causes. The damage is done.

I am as pasty an Irishman as you would like to meet and I spent my formative years working in the fields 60 yours a week while trying to improve my tan for the ladies. As a result, I am coming up on my 30th birthday, but have already had the dermatologist carve me up twice.

I am now a huge proponent of prevention. After a sunburn, you can make it hurt less, but once you step inside, the damage is done. If I am going fishing or know I will be outside for long periods of time, I give myself a thorough coating of Bullfrog 36 SPF (36 is plenty, even for near albinos). I do it right after getting out of the shower, or before getting dressed in the morning. Don't wait until you are outside, and make sure you get everywhere! Of course, I also top this off with a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves.

[99explorer]

I vividly recall the smell of Noxzema around the house every summer when I was a kid. And there was no relief from the pain.
I wish I knew then what I know now.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

I know all about the "self-inflicted wound" business country road speaks of. When I was short in Korea (two months or so left before end of tour), I bought a load of Boones Farm rot gut, gathered up a bunch of extension cords, and set my bar fridge on the hill behind the barracks. We had a helluva fueling up to celebrate and I passed out. When I came to after dark I was redder than a Pike Street salmon fillet. My legs and feet became one huge pocket of puss! Couldn't even think about climbing into my jump boots and blousing my uniform pants. I was in serious trouble and likely in line for at least an Article 9. Fortunately, I had a great raport with my shift supervisor ... and I could type. So he quietly pulled me off line duty and put me behind the desk. It was about time for that anyway. Never want to expose an MP to something that might become court related when he's short. His stateside departure might get delayed which involved a lot of red tape and expensive TDY pay. For several days I had to take extra pants and socks to work and change at least once a shift. Yuck! My poor houseboy was not happy having to clean up that mess. I tipped him well that month.

[tleichty1989]

I think the best thing for sun burns will always be Aloe vera.