OH keeps telling me that I look like batgirl! cheeky git!

Em x

For mild sunburn, a cool bath daily will help with the pain and healing. You need to ensure that the burnt bits are submerged for at least 15 mins. Apply a good vit E cream afterwards.

For more severe burns, boil up a pot of strong tea. Cool in the fridge and apply on a cool compresses, or add to your cool bath. The tannin eases the pain. If your face is burnt, keep the teabags you have used, and cool them in the fridge or freezer and use these on your face as mini-compresses.

You can also try a vinegar bath - add a couple of cups of white vinegar to a cool bath. If bathing isn't your thing, make a 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar solution up in a spray bottle, cool in the fridge and spray this onto the affected area.

Aloe vera as others has suggested is also a brilliant post-sum moisturiser... don't faff about with fancy creams - just buy a plant, break off a piece, slit it open and apply directly.

Will do thanks for the advice. It's very much appreciated

Pee on the affected area.

...or is that Jellyfish stings ?

Germany was a weird place to get sunburn.

Water parks can be an easy place to get caught out with sunburn, you really have to re apply lots of times!!

Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel, BRILLIANT!!!! X

Hmmm,

(This is in relation to the 'healthy tan' comments, not to the OP.)

The Australian attitude to tanning is changing VERY quickly - despite the sunburnt people you might see at the beach.

Talking about 'healthy tans' in Australia is going to get you incredulous looks. As we are constantly reminded these days, you don't need to be burnt to develop cancer - you can get it from a tan too.

Australia has the highest skin cancer rate in the world, and even those who do not develop cancer age dreadfully, and so in the last couple of decades attitudes have become very different.

There are some pretty revolting ads on the television at the moment, with young women having gigantic cancers cut out of their bodies.

The Australian sun is much stronger than the European sun, so be warned.

And that's why everybody in Sydney these days goes once a week to get themselves spray painted bright orange!!

On another note, I was looking up essential fatty acids and was reading getting enough omega 3 (and I suppose 6 & 9) each and every day aids the preventation of skin cancer... was looking up Salmon when I found it... thought that was quite interesting...

Em x

Aloe Vera is really good for minor sunburn but not for severe sunburn.

Went body boarding a week last Friday in the middle of the day (stupid me), put on a long sleeve rashie and board shorts, cream on face and hands. Burned really badly where rashie road up my back, still burned on my face and my hands even though the suncream was supposed to be waterproof. Was only out for about an hour but my face was like a beetroot by the evening. My back was worse as I didn't put any cream on at all, just relied on the rashie covering up. I couldn't sleep on my back for about 4 nights. It's peeled twice and is still red, so may peel again. Aloe Vera just wouldn't cut it, so I went to the chemist and got some antiseptic cream with anesthetic in it. I'll have that scar for some time I should think. Nose and forehead have peeled but look fairly normal a week later back still awful though.

Went bodyboarding this morning (early - so I am learning) wore full wet suit and slapped zinc on my face and hands. So far I think it's ok, fingers crossed.

You'd think by the time I'd reached my age I'd know better but I still do stupid things and get burned. Hope I've learned my lesson.

M