Treating Sunburns with Homeopathy

We spend all day inside during the week - working, taking care of household things, running errands, etc etc. Then the weekend hits in the summer, and we just want to spend the day outside, enjoying the weather. Unfortunately, our poor skin is used to spending the day inside, and this dramatic shift to being outdoors all day can be quite hard for it. So what do you do, homeopathically, when you find you look like lobster at the end of the weekend?  There are three main remedies to think of when you have that nasty sunburn.

Belladonna: This is by far the most likely remedy to help.  It works for skin that is red, burning, inflamed and swollen, and sometimes throbbing.  There can even be a sensation of crawling along the burned parts.  Mentally the person may feel dazed, stunned, in a kind of stupor, or feel like they are a bit drunk.  After a day in the sun, people commonly feel tired and dazed, which could be a sign that Belladonna would help them.  The pupils of the eyes may become dilated, and in a severe burn the whites of the eyes may become red with diminished production of urine.  There is also often an incredible sensitivity to touch (think about how after a bad sunburn, even the light touch of clothing on the area can be painful or irritating).  The pain may also be worse at night, and the person can become incredibly sensitive to noises and lights. 

Hyoscyamus: If instead of feeling dazed, stunned, etc, the person feels manic (excited) and talkative, then Hyoscyamus could be a better fit.  Like Belladonna, the person can have dilated pupils and be sensitive to light and noise and have red eyes.

Aconite: Aconite will be the most likely remedy if the person is nervous or anxious after the sunburn.  Like Belladonna, there is incredible sensitivity to touch, dilated (or constricted) pupils and the pain feels worse at night. 

Note that these remedies are for the first stage of sunburn; if you start peeling, then these remedies are no longer indicated.  If your burn is bad enough to blister, then Belladonna or Hyoscyamus are both possibilities, but Aconite will not likely help.