Keep aloe vera on hand to treat sunburns.

A useful natural sunburn treatment is aloe vera. The gel, which is found within the aloe vera plant, has been renowned for its healing properties for millennia. Ancient Egyptians used it regularly in healing and beauty treatments. Aloe vera will have an immediate cooling and calming effect on the skin, and it forms protective layer that will seal valuable moisture into the skin, preventing dehydration and promoting faster healing. To use the gel directly from the plant, snap off a stalk from the plant and gently squeeze out the gel. Spread this gel in a thin layer over your sunburned skin. Because sunburn tends to affect a large area of skin, you might prefer to have a prepared aloe vera product to use. An aloe vera gel with Lidocaine will give you instant relief, but it is also possible to get pure aloe vera gel that is already packaged. Other aloe vera preparations might include additional beneficial ingredients such as tea tree oil and green tea. Reapply as often as needed to relieve pain, speed healing.