People love to rag on home remedies, but the truth is that many of them work. From bug bites to sore throats, many minor ailments can be treated with things you already have at home.
So, why spend the money going to the doc? Or worse, suffer without doing anything at all? This summer, you’ll be happy to learn of a home remedy that treats cases of sunburn. It may sound totally off the wall, but one mom swears by this common men’s toiletry item: shaving cream.
Cindie Allen-Stewart shared her trick on Facebook with friends and posted before-and-after pics. Her post has since gone viral with people noting the huge difference in her skin after applying the shaving cream, and Inside Edition caught up with the mom about her unusual method.
Her mother-in-law passed the “cure” to her after learning it from a physician four decades ago. It can’t be ordinary shaving cream though; it must be foam and contain menthol.
A dermatologist in the video points out that shaving cream has beneficial ingredients that help to moisturize and soothe a burn. If you’ve ever had one, then you know it can take weeks to heal. The stinging is very painful and the peeling skin is sort of gross.
Conventional treatments include aloe vera, pain relievers, and hydrocortisone. So, why would anyone try shaving cream? Well, the menthol in it has a cooling effect on the skin, which can provide immediate relief from the burning sensations you feel from sunburn.
Oils or aloe in certain creams may also help with inflammation and irritation that is typical of sunburn. Your skin will also get a dose of moisturizer to protect it from drying out during those first hours of pain.
In her original Facebook post, Allen-Stewart mentioned that it takes a couple of days for the treatment to work, but that she didn’t have any peeling:
“The final picture was taken the third day after my sunburn. I slept great after the first treatment and when my shoulders still felt hot from the burn the next day, I had another coating of shaving cream on just my shoulders. I have not had any peeling either. I use this on my kids too!”
Watch this video for instructions on how to turn shaving cream into first-aid for sunburns. Allen-Stewart stated that she encourages people to use sunscreen so they don’t get sunburn in the first place, and that she shared her remedy for those who may want to use it. It’s up to you, just make sure you’ve got menthol in your shaving foam.
If you don’t want to get on board with this idea, try cool baths with baking soda, pure aloe vera gel (without skin-drying additives), ice packs, and a moisturizer like vitamin E oil. Make sure to stay hydrated because sunburn dries the skin out.
What do you think of this mom’s shaving cream trick? Will you try it the next time you get sunburn? What’s your go-to remedy already?