The urge to soak up the sun is irresistible to most people. But those heavenly rays cause skin cells to mutate and potentially become cancerous.
Sunscreen's the first must-do to prevent sunburn. Beyond that, I believe in lavishing the skin with two herbs that limit sunburn or undo sun damage.
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia)
Snake oil salesmen used to soak their hands in echinacea and then pick up hot coals to entice the crowd to buy their "miraculous" medicine. What the crowd didn't know: Echinacea blocks the transmission of pain from burn receptors in the skin.
Relevance? Echinacea miraculously takes the pain out of a burn and acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory and healing stimulant. It inspires sunburned skin to repair the damage.
Tepezcohuite (Mimosa tenuiflora)
Tepezcohuite (teh-PEZ-co-whee-tay) is a desert-dwelling tree with a long Mexican history for healing wounds and burns. The bark contains compounds that encourage the skin to repair itself. Fernando Garcia, therapist at Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a spa in Los Cabos, Mexico, uses it to treat sunburned guests. He recommends applying it and leaving it on for 3 to 4 hours. It takes the pain out, speeds healing, and can save a vacation that would have otherwise been ruined.
Use Good Sense
It's best to avoid sun exposure whenever you can. Always wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, and reapply as needed. And don't forget a hat and sunglasses.