Thrifty Thoughts and Common Cents

The weather is getting warmer and Summer is rapidly approaching. Too much fun in the sun leads to looking like a blushing lobster while feeling like you are sitting on the sun afraid to move out of fear that your skin may fall off. If you are fair skinned like me or have fair skinned children, despite having a husband that can enjoy a good baking from time to time, then you and are bound to have a crispy kiddie or be roasted yourself at least once each summer.

So you’ve forgotten that sunblock and took on the hue of Mars, what can you do to relieve the pain without spending a fortune? Fortunately for us there are plenty of thrifty alternatives to the expensive sunburn relief items out there. Here is a list of some of the more common ones. I contracted the help of my husband, to get a better grasp on how or why some of these work.

• A&D Cream: If you have a baby in the house, there is a good chance that you have some A&D Cream around. Vitamins A & D are good for the skin, promote healing and have a soothing effect. Warning: DO NOT USE A&D OINTMENT NOR ANYTHING ELSE WITH PETROLEUM JELLY ON A FRESH BURN — MAKE SURE YOU USE THE A&D CREAM.
• Aloe Vera: Aloe has vitamins A & C (both antioxidants), copper, selenium, magnesium and zinc. All great in combating sunburn and promoting healing. You can be even thriftier with this remedy if you have an aloe plant in the home, like we do.
• Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen: These drugs kill the pain and reduce inflammation and redness. These should be taken within the first 24h or getting sunburn. Some have suggested that you can crush them and make them into a paste to use topically. While this is common for some things, I am not sure if this is smart on a burn. The crushed granules could irritate/scratch the skin further, retarding the healing process.
• Baking Soda: Baking Soda or Sodium Bicarbonate is a neutralizer of both acids and bases. Balancing the pH of your skin. As the burn (assuming it is bad enough) weeps you are altering the alkalinity of the burn, baking soda will help keep this in check. Best way to use it is in a bath, mixed with water as either a spray or a paste.
• Milk: For this you should use whole milk as the soothing agent here is the fat. Soak some gauze or soft cloths in milk and lay them over the sunburn. You should feel its effect almost instantly. Once you are done, take a nice cool bath so you don’t smell like sour milk.
• Tea: The tannins and theobromine are your friends here. Tannin is an astrigent which tightens pores while theobromin is a vasodilator allowing better bloodflow. Tannins also form a protective layer over the skin as well as act as an antiviral. Lastly tannings bind with alkaloids and proteins (burns = broken proteins). Lets just say tannins do ALOT. Whip up a batch of tea, cool it off and spray it on your skin.
• Vinegar: Just about everyone has some vinegar lying around and if you are of the thrifty sort, then you have some around for cleaning use as well. Let’s face it! Vinegar is just one heck of a multitasker. No one knows the source of this folk remedy but many swear it works. Newer studies are finding anti-inflammatory properties in acetic acid and its derivities which would explain the pain relief many find. While Some suggest vinegar soaked cloths directly on the affected area but some may have sensitivity to the acid. Therefore, I would suggest adding it to a cool bath or make a water/vinegar solution to lightly spray on the affected area or a soft cloth to apply as a compress.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is combination of 8 fat-soluble vitamins with antioxidant properties. It protects cell membranes. Simply break open a vitamin E caplet and gently rub it into your burn. While at it take some Vitamin E, as burns rapidly use up your body’s Vitamin E supply.
• Water: When you are burned fluid seeps from the area along with salts and broken proteins. Water is soothing, it hydrates, it replenishes and it will dilute any salts on the surface that may be causing that “burn”. Take a lukewarm shower as it will increase circulation while hydrating the skin and burns. If the shower is too cold, the pores will close and you inhibit hydration. If it is too hot, you risk further injury.
• Yogurt: Works much like milk but also helps hydrate and balance the pH. Like milk it should be full fat yogurt.

Speaking of Aloe Vera, we have the original Aloe plant that my husband gave to his grandmother while he was in kindergarten many moons ago. When she passed away he took the plant and it continues to thrive.

Lastly, I am in not in any way, shape or form a doctor, nor do I profess to have the knowledge of one. My husband on the other hand thinks he knows everything. None of the suggestions here supersede the care or advice that your physician can provide. Whenever in doubt contact your doctor.

Tags: cheap, family, Savings, sunburn remedies, Thrifty