Here in the DC area, the humidity of summer has a nice anti-aging effect – hydrating the skin to fill in those fine lines. Yet, at the same time, the added heat, sun exposure and biting insects all pose some additional challenges. Sunburn, bug bites and heat rashes are some common complaints…So let’s explore some tips to spot treat some of summers’ skin ‘scares’.
~Natural treatment for Summer Skin Scares~
Insect bites
- I found out about this tip on accident. I noticed that a dime-sized, bright red, itchy and swollen insect bite on my leg was nearly gone – after taking an Epsom salt bath. I like a therapeutic level of Epsom salts and typically use 2-3 cups. Epsom salts are high in magnesium and most people are deficient these days – so it’s not only a great way to restore your levels, but it also reduces muscle tension, edema, has a detoxifying effect, and is one of the best ways to de-stress before bed.
- Don’t have a bath tub? Soak a wash cloth in hot water in your sink with 1 cup of salts, use as a compress over swollen bites – use in 3-5 min intervals until wash cloth cools then repeat several times.
- Also try – homeopathic Apis mellifica 30 C– 3-5 pellets every few hours to take out the inflammation (stop once you experience improvement), and topical traumeel cream
- Oh and topical Neem oil is nature’s best bug repellent!
Sunburn
- Take a neutral temperature bath with one or more of the following ingredients to help soothe inflamed skin: baking soda, oatmeal, apple cider vinegar (about 1-2 cups each).
Aloe vera gel is one of the best topical treatments for sunburn, but you want to use it after the hot phase is over, otherwise it can trap in the heat of a burn. It has a cooling and hydrating effect. - Also try: homeopathic calendula 30 C orally and topically as a cream for some relief.
Heat rash
Heat rash or prickly heat happens when the body is inefficient at sweating, or when the sweat glands become become clogged as can happen in hot humid climates. Heat rash typically goes away on it’s own, but here are a few suggestions to provide some relief:
- Cool bath followed by a dusting of baking soda or powdered oatmeal – stay away from creams and ointments which can clog pores.
- Cool chammomile compresses – make some chammomile tea, and let it cool, use a cloth to soak up the cooled tea, and apply topically to affected areas. You can also use the cool tea bag as a compress.
- Homeopathic urtica urens 30C – 3-5 pellets every couple of hours, stop remedy when symptoms resolve.