HOME CARE Treat the symptoms. The sensation of pain and heat will probably last for 48 hours. For broken blisters, trim off the dead skin with fine scissors and apply an antibiotic ointment. Taking cool baths or applying cool, wet compresses to sunburned areas several times a day also helps relieve pain and burning. Adding 2 oz of baking soda to a tubful of water may help.
Showers usually cause too much pain to be helpful.
Encourage your child to drink extra fluids to replace the fluid lost into the swelling of sunburned skin and to prevent dehydration and dizziness. Peeling usually occurs in about a week. Apply a moisturizing cream. Encourage your child not to peel off the dried skin before the skin underneath is completely healed. Avoid these common mistakes.