Dealing with Burns

Cool comfort from the kitchen

.How to treat a burn depends on how severe it is. For minor burns (a small reddened area with no blisters), place the affected area under cool, running water or cover with a cold wet compress until pain diminishes. Cover it with a clean bandage. Never apply butter to a burn and never break blisters cause by a burn.

.You can also take care of a minor burn with a little help from your kitchen cupboard. Vanilla extract will not only soothe that area, it will keep blisters from forming.

Sunburn solutions in the cupboard

.A good soak is the best remedy for sunburn unless your skin develops blisters or you have signs of shock and confusion. In that case, see a doctor right away. For milder cases of sunburn, dissolve a pound of baking soda into lukewarm water. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes to relieve pain. Later, soften and moisturize    your sunburn-damaged skin by adding one to two cups of milk to another lukewarm tub of water. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes more.

.For every bad sunburn, turn to the trusty potato. Applying grated potato directly to the burn site will relieve pain and actually help prevent blistering. Wrap the area with gauze or cotton cloth to keep the potato ratings in place.

.Although it undoubtedly put you in a rather sticky situation, spreading raw honey over sunburned areas is also very soothing.

A cool glass of iced tea - for your face!

Did you know that tea can take the sting out of sunburn? It's the tannins that do the trick. If you've ever noticed after drinking tea that you mouth feels rather dry, those are tannins at work. In this case, however, you don't drink the tea; you apply it directly to the sunburned area. After brewing up a batch of black or green tea, be sure to let it cool completely before you soak a soft cloth in the tea and place it directly on your skin.

-From Fix It, Clean It, And Make It Last by The Editors of FC&A Publishing