1. Get out of the sun. Hang outside after sunburn symptoms first crop up, and you could do more damage to the area or expand it. Sand, salt water, and chlorine can all aggravate the skin to increase pain and potential for infection. If you can't peel yourself off the beach — which is the smartest move, really — then at least reapply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF to the affected area and the rest of your body, which is susceptible to sunburn regardless of your base tan (a total myth, FWIW). Then find some shade and cover the exposed area with clothing.
2. Rinse with cool water. Because many sunburns aren't just marked by redness but swelling as well, a cool shower or bath can soothe the skin by reducing inflammation. Just hold the bath fizz and the fragrance, and opt for a soothing oatmeal- or soy-based soap instead. And before turning up the temperature, remember that hot water can dry out the skin — particularly chlorinated water in hot tubs.
3. Ice it up. Because you can't spend the next three to five days in a cool shower, apply a towel-wrapped ice pack to the affected area for quick relief. Leave it on for five minutes, then reapply a few times a day as needed.
4. Lube up. While sunburn leaves the outer layer of your skin in shambles, moisturizer can help seal the top layer of broken skin, offering protection from infections and irritation until the skin repairs itself. Although there are plenty of homemade hacks to soothe sunburns, the best topical treatment, by far, is aloe vera, a natural anti-inflammatory that doubles as a cooling agent. OTC hydrocortisone cream takes a close second — particularly if your sunburn feels itchy.
6. Drink all the water. Just being in the sun can trigger dehydration but because you can lose water through damaged skin, sunburns can dry you out even more. And while there isn't a whole lot of data on exactly how much you need to drink to rehydrate. It’s recommended refilling your glass a little often more than usual. Just don't let your burn drive you to drink something stronger than water: Alcohol's dehydrating effects won't help you heal any faster.
7. Pop an anti-inflammatory. When taken within the first few hours of sustaining a sunburn and every four to six hours thereafter until the pain subsides, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) such as ibuprofen can reduce inflammation (duh) but also expedite recovery: Once swelling subsides, your skin cells can get down to the dirty work of repairing the sunburned skin's barrier and generating new skin.
8.Wear your comfiest clothes. Tight clothing and snug straps can chafe and trigger painful blistering on skin that's already damaged. To save yourself from aggravating the area, wear loose clothing that doesn't stick to the skin — even if it means wearing a strapless bra to keep sunburned shoulders bare. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon blends will keep the skin cool. So those sweat-wicking shirts you wear to the gym will be your BFFs.
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