Burn & Scar Remedies
I soaked and bathed under the sun for days while I was out in the western Texas desert. I didn't lend an ear to my wise sunscreen-pasted fiancé's suggestion of protecting my skin for the sake of absorbing some vitamin D (as sunscreen blocks it). My rebellion left me with a tender touch on my skin, unsightly peeling, half-awake scratching of healing itchy skin. Here is my following guide to recovering burnt skin + diminishing scars, whether from burns, cuts, or acne . . .
As a precaution: do not ice your burns. Drastically cold temperatures shock skin tissue and can damage it further than it already has been by the burn by restricting blood flow. Simply run the burnt area under cool water or keep it under cool water for around twenty minutes before following it with the treatments below.
Aloe
The astringent, cooling, + tissue-regenerative properties of aloe soothe burns while speeding up the recovery process. If you're using the ideal fresh plant, pluck off a leaf then cut it along length-wise. Scoop out the gel inside and apply it directly onto the burn.
Raw Potato
Simply cut a thin slice of raw potato, which is full of soothing enzymes, starch, and vitamin C to promote recovery + prevent blisters. Apply a cool, thin slice on affected area for twenty minutes.
Raw Honey
Not only does raw honey work as an antiseptic in protecting your burn from getting infected, the active enzymes in raw, unheated, + unfiltered honey aid in removing the dead skin cells that ensue peeling and regenerating healthy skin tissue.
Calendula
This is one of the most potent plants for healing any skin condition, from acne scars to wounds. You can liberally apply calendula cream on the affected area for recovery support.
Raw Milk
One of the most effective ways I have found relief of pain from my sunburn was to make a compress of a raw milk + baking soda paste. The fat, protein, and enzymes in raw milk soothes the burn and provides hydration. Simply make a paste with the milk and baking soda, apply on the affected area, and cover with a breathable light cotton gauze.
Apple Cider Vinegar
This is another remedy full of enzymes that dissolve dead skin cells + prevent infection. However, make sure it's diluted in water as straight apple cider vinegar may cause more irritation and cause further burning of tender skin.
Mint & Green Tea
Cool tea is one of the most effective remedies for sunburt or for treating the following itchy skin. Simply boil a combination of 2 tablespoons each of mint, green, and plantain leaf tea, cool it, then apply the tea with a soaked cotton towel.
hydration
Burnt skin is dehydrated skin, especially if the burn is caused by hours under the sun. Proper hydration is essential with plenty of water, mineralising salts such as pink salt, and hydrating herbal teas. Rather than chugging cups of water, hack into your body's hydration regulation with a shot of aloe vera juice and herbal tea. Aloe vera lubricates our insides and gynostemma, raspberry leaf, and rooibos teas provide deeper levels of moisture into the tissues than drinking pure water does.
essential oils
Helichrysum and lavender essential oils, diluted either in 2 ounces of water to be used as a spray or in fractionated coconut oil, is an arsenal against scarring or diminishing scars that have already manifested. Tea tree oil with witch hazel diluted with water is also effective in preventing infection of burns and pain.
Oils
Massaging in oils onto burns + scars are one of the best ways to reciurcilate the blood and promote energy flow for the reconstruction of new tissue. Carrot seed, rosehip, and olive oils are deeply healing options for healing scars. Coconut oil is a cooling option for burns and its lauric acid content aids in burn wound contraction to lessen the chance of scarring. Rubbing coconut oil on peeling sunburnt skin also gently removes the dead skin surrounding the affected area.
vitamins c & e
Vitamin C promotes wound healing and diminishes scars by increasing collagen production, which is the building block for repairing and generating new skin. Lypospheric vitamin c is a bioavailable version of this antioxidant that is transferred straight into the bloodstream to be directed into our cellular tissues that need regenerative support. Vitamin E is an antioxidant Dabbing Vitamin E oil on the skin as well as consuming more olive oil, which is high in vitamin e, will speed up the process of healing burns and diminishing scars. You can apply a 1,000 milligram capsule of Vitamin E directly on the burn or scar daily for healing.
Collagen & gelatin
Traditional + native diets of our ancestors used to include plenty of dietary sources of gelatin + collagen with regular consumption of bone broth, calves foot jelly, + organ meats. Collagen hydrolysate + gelatin are composed of 35 percent glycine and 21 percent proline + hydroproline. It lacks, however, the amino acid tryptophan that is found in muscle meat. This higher levels of lycine + proline to tryptophan makes it not only deeply healing for the hormones, skin tissue, the gut lining, + the musculoskeletal structure. Supplement your diet with bone broth or purchase collagen + gelatin powder from grass-fed animals if your diet permits it. Nettle leaf is a great plant-based alternative for mineralising and strengthening the musculoskeletal structure as well. You can drink a few cups of it as a tea.
