9 Common Summer Skin Problems—Solved!

Sunburn

You know you should apply—and reapply—sunscreen if you’ll be outdoors, but sometimes you still get too much sun. If you do end up with a painful sunburn, first things first: Get out of the sun. Soaking in more rays, even over the next few days, will just make the damage worse, says board-certified dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, MD, FAAD. As soon as you can, rub on some hydrocortisone ointment. “It won’t help so much immediately, but in a couple hours it will help soothe the burn,” she says. You might have heard to use aloe vera on sunburn, but watch out for gels containing alcohol, which could irritate the sensitive skin. Instead, stash your favorite gentle moisturizer in the fridge and rub it in to soothe and heal, suggests board-certified dermatologist Ivy Lee, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA. “It doesn’t have to be aloe vera,” she says. “Just something they like the feel of so they can help hydrate the skin and help repair the skin.” Beyond that, hands off. Popping your blister or exfoliating the peeling skin will just aggravate the area and take it longer to heal, she says.