Hot and Crispy

Aaron and I had the pleasure of going boating with some friends yesterday. We spent about 7 hours on the water - from 11am-6pm - and had a great time. I applied sunscreen several times, but a) should have applied it again to my thighs- which were almost constantly exposed to the sun and b) should have applied it better!! I totally missed spots and you can see the wavy line between white, where I applied, and red, where I apparently missed.


The worst area is the tops of my thighs, where I'm guessing both 'a' and 'b' are at fault for the burn. It happens to be right where my hips bend and my pants scrunch up when I sit, so that's only making it worse. Today I've been left with trying to figure out how to deal with the sunburn.


The Skin Cancer Foundation, after berating you for getting a sunburn in the first place, offers these suggestions:
- Soak a washcloth in cold skim milk and apply to the affected area. "The coolness helps take out the initial fire, and the milk creates a protein film that helps ease the ensuing discomfort."
- Drink water, juice or sports drinks to rehydrate the body.
- Take a cool bath.
- Gently moisturize with a light moisturizer.
- Stay out of the sun until the burn fades.


Other sites also suggest:
- Soak a washcloth in vinegar and apply to the affected area.
- Wet tea bag and apply to the affected area. The tannins help soothe the burn.
- Take a bath in lukewarm water, adding 1 cup of baking soda to the water. It helps reduce the sting and swelling.


Most of these methods sound pretty messy though, so I might just stick with aloe.