All About Skin: Naturopathic Remedies for Sunburned Skin

Sunburns are major problems during the summertime, when people mostly stay outdoors for picnics and trips to the beach. While sunlight is important in nurturing optimal vitamin D levels in the body, prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can do more harm than good, potentially causing sunburn and skin damage. The naturopathic approach offers natural, holistic solutions that will help nurture your body’s innate abilities to protect and heal itself from sun damage. 
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Understanding Sunburn

Sunburns happen when an inflammatory reaction occurs in certain areas of the skin with prolonged exposure to UV rays. While most sunburns are from extended exposure to sunlight, tanning beds can also cause them. Your risks of getting sunburn may increase depending on your location (higher altitude or closeness to the equator increases direct UV exposure), time of day (exposing yourself between 10AM-4PM), presence of clouds (clear skies mean more exposure), skin prototype (a.k.a. your natural skin complexion), inadequate sun protection (not reapplying sunscreen or not wearing protective clothing) and even the use of certain medications, such as antibiotics, retinoids, and pain relievers.1 
 
Ultraviolet rays can cause sunburns by causing cell damage and triggering an inflammatory reaction that leads to redness, widened blood vessels, pain, and swelling on the affected skin.1 Don’t worry, your skin can completely recover after getting a typical sunburn. However, repeated sunburns can increase your risk of having skin cancer and age your skin faster, both of which can affect your health and self-esteem. 

​Topical Remedies for Rapid Pain Relief

Because sunburns can cause severe pain and discomfort, providing relief to affected areas can help support the recovery process. Luckily, nature is blessed with different resources to help soothe and heal your skin! 

Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel helps reduce inflammation, provides soothing relief, and promotes skin repair through nurturing epithelialization, which is a process where a new layer of skin is formed to replace damaged areas.3 The gel can also be taken orally to help nurture your skin barrier and improve its elasticity.4

Calendula Cream
Applying calendula cream on sunburned skin can help soothe areas of pain and discomfort. Calendula also reduces inflammation and promotes skin rejuvenation, thereby nurturing your skin’s recovery process.5 Interestingly, calendula offers added sun protection and guards your skin against harmful UV rays!5

Witch Hazel
Witch hazel (yes, the famous skincare ingredient) is effective in calming pain and inflammation while nurturing your skin barrier.6 Additionally, witch hazel delivers antioxidants that will help protect your skin from UV radiation and its damaging effects, such as wrinkles and aging.6

Internal Support

Although most sunburns eventually heal without having extensive treatments, keeping yourself hydrated helps support your body’s recovery. Drinking adequate amounts of water everyday can prevent dehydration from the loss of fluid secondary to the burn. Taking collagen can help nurture your skin’s elasticity by promoting the production of hyaluronic acid, which help moisturize the skin and improve its healing ability.2  Eating carotenoids, on the other hand, can help protect your skin against UV damage.2 Additionally, supplementing your diet with vitamin E and vitamin C can help protect your skin from sun damage and act as antioxidants that help nurture your overall health.

Talking to your naturopathic doctor will help you explore the right foods and supplements and their optimal levels in the body tailored to your unique case.

When to Seek Help

Without timely and proper interventions, sunburn can cause complications that will not only severely damage your skin, but also put you at risk of different types of infections. Always remember that your skin serves as a protective barrier against harmful microorganisms and substances from the environment. A break in the skin means weakening your body’s first line of defense against potential harm. If the affected skin is full of blisters or if you are experiencing signs of infection (fever, redness, swelling, nausea, or chills), visiting your healthcare provider will be the best step you can do to prevent unwanted complications from the burn. We also recommend regular skin-screening appointments to help detect and treat any potential issues early.

At Natural Path to Wellness, your team of naturopathic medicine advisors will help you discover the best natural and effective strategies that will help your body recover from damage, all of which are tailored to be the best options for your unique case and preference. To learn more about the naturopathic approach that can help heal your skin, talk to us today!

BECOME A CLIENT

​​​This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. 

Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.

​REFERENCES:

1. Guerra KC, Crane JS. Sunburn. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; October 29, 2023.
2. Fernández-García E. Skin protection against UV light by dietary antioxidants. Food Funct. 2014;5(9):1994-2003. doi:10.1039/c4fo00280f
3. Oryan A, Mohammadalipour A, Moshiri A, Tabandeh MR. Topical Application of Aloe vera Accelerated Wound Healing, Modeling, and Remodeling: An Experimental Study. Ann Plast Surg. 2016;77(1):37-46. doi:10.1097/SAP.0000000000000239
4. Tanaka M, Yamamoto Y, Misawa E, et al. Aloesterol supplementation improves skin elasticity in Japanese men with sunlight-exposed skin: a 12-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016 Dec 16;10:1. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S129668.]. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:435-442. Published 2016 Nov 10. doi:10.2147/CCID.S118947
5. Mishra A, Mishra A, Chattopadhyay P. Assessment of In vitro Sun Protection Factor of Calendula Officinalis L. (Asteraceae) Essential Oil Formulation. J Young Pharm. 2012;4(1):17-21. doi:10.4103/0975-1483.93575
6. Liu X, Hage TW, Chen LC, et al. Revealing the Therapeutic Potential: Investigating the Impact of a Novel Witch Hazel Formula on Anti-Inflammation and Antioxidation. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(2):e16662. doi:10.1111/jocd.16662