Why is it so easy to get burned? You don’t need the third degree to need a healing touch, but if you reach for ice you’re putting a freeze on feeling better. There are better products out there, and probably in your cabinets and cupboards right now.
These products will help ease the pain, speed up the healing, and make sure you don’t scar. Ice restricts blood flow to the burn and results in further damage – the real trick is to immediately run room temperature or cool (not cold) water for 20 minutes.
The reason most people reach for ice is because they know it reduces swelling, but the temperature change is too shocking for your skin. Running water over the burn keeps it from spreading. What else works?
Never Ice A Burn – Try These 10 Tricks
Aloe
Best known for sunburn-relief, aloe stops pain and inflammation that come with a burn. Aloe vera has 12 different compounds that inhibit inflammation, including B-sisterole, a phytosterol. In addition to stopping swelling, aloe stimulates skin growth and repair with its array of vitamins and nutrients that hydrate and support skin growth.
Vanilla
Vanilla extract can help with minor burns – all you need is the extract and a cotton swab. Dab gently on the burned skin. When the alcohol in vanilla extract evaporates it cools, which will alleviate your pain.
Tea bags
Black tea has tannic acid, which draws the heat (and the pain) from burns. Put 2 or 3 cool, wet black tea bags on the burn. Wrap in gauze to hold in place.
Vinegar
Vinegar draws the heat, dulls the pain, and acts as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and astringent, which means it develops and strengthens your skin and keep it from becoming infected. Create a soothing compress by soaking paper towels, or a clean cloth in vinegar.
Honey
If you’ve got honey in the cupboard waiting to be used, a burn is the perfect time. A natural antibiotic, honey helps keep a burn clean by killing bacteria and infection. Honey will relieve the pain, cool the burn, and heal the skin.
Coconut oil
Full of vitamin E and antifungal, antibacterial fatty-acids coconut oil hydrates and protects your skin. If you’ve got a mark left from a scald, try adding lemon juice to the coconut oil before massaging it into your skin. Acidic properties in lemon juice lighten you skin while the coconut oil helps it heal.
Lavender oil
Mix 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil into 2 ounces of water, shake and mist onto the urned skin as often as needed. Lavender is cleansing and relaxing. The lavender oil will help the healing process thanks to Linalyl Acetate and Linalol, compounds with analgesic and anesthetic effects. Lavender oil can be used in combination with tea tree oil and witch hazel oil to treat burns.
Vitamins C and E
Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen, starting the healing process. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that repairs and protects your skin. You can eat foods rich in vitamins C and E after a burn, or take 2,000 mg of vitamin C and 1,000 IU of vitamin E for a week.
Mint toothpaste
White minty toothpaste in the kitchen isn’t as out-of-place as it sounds. If you get a slight burn, run the burn under cool water, dry, and cover with a small layer of toothpaste. The mint will sooth the burn, and the antibacterial properties will keep it clean.
Milk
If you’ve got milk, a burn is the right place to use it. The fat and protein content soothes burns and promotes healing. Full-fat, whole-milk yogurt can also help cool and hydrate your skin.
SOURCE: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/home-remedies-for-burns/view-all/#.rcj7ap:yHJ6
