How To Treat And Prevent A Sunburned Scalp

Think about the last sunscreen commercial you saw on television. In all likelihood, it involved people at a beach using a particular brand of sunscreen on their arms, legs, or face. But when was the last time you saw a product advertising that it protects your scalp from getting sunburned?

Even if it's not featured in many ads, scalp sunburns are a real health concern. As the Mayo Clinic explains, sunburnt skin can come with a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including inflammation, swelling, itchiness, pain, and even blisters. A person with a severe sunburn could also experience an elevated body temperature, nausea, fatigue, and headaches. Additionally, there is a connection between too much exposure to the sun and skin cancer.

Fortunately, there are some simple additions to a sun care routine that can help keep one's scalp protected. Additionally, there are ways to treat a sunburnt scalp and help it heal. However, one word of caution: Not all of these remedies and tips work for everyone. For instance, as WebMD notes, essential oils might not be good for children and elderly individuals, since both tend to be more sensitive to them. It's always a good idea to check with a medical professional before trying preventative or therapeutic treatments, especially if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

Let's be honest, not everybody likes wearing hats. For some, it's a fashion choice. For others, it might have to do with showing off their hairstyle. Speaking of which, someone with a full head of hair might assume their scalp is naturally shielded from the sun, and thus cannot get sunburned. But as the Skin Cancer Foundation points out, just because you have hair doesn't mean the top of your head is protected from the sun's UV rays.

Obviously, if a person has bald spots, those patches of skin are more vulnerable to UV rays. However, even if someone has no hair loss, they still can experience a sunburn if, for example, they have thin hair. Also, wherever someone parts their hair exposes that area of the scalp to the sun. The bottom line is that hair can't fully protect someone's head from UV radiation, but the right hat can really help lower your chances of developing a sunburn on your scalp.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the best hats for sun protection are either bright or dark in color and made from such materials as unbleached cotton, wool, canvas, shiny polyesters, denim, lightweight satiny silks, or synthetic fibers. Also, look for hats that advertise they have an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+, since they'll block out the majority of the sun's rays.

Chances are you've heard of vitamin E. If you take a multivitamin, it probably includes this fat soluble vitamin (via WebMD). But that's not surprising, considering how important this vitamin is for so many of your organs to function properly. For all of its good points, though, there can be a little confusion when it comes to vitamin E and sunburns.

As Pelican Health explains, using vitamin E topically on the scalp can help protect it from the damage caused by UVB rays. (As the Environmental Protection Agency points out, both UVA and UVB rays can age one's skin.) But sunscreen can contain alcohol, which can be bad for one's hair, per Well+Good. And if you're thinking of just using vitamin E as sun protection to avoid hair issues, think again. While this vitamin can be helpful, it doesn't have the same protective capabilities as sunscreen. With that said, you might want to consider a sunscreen that contains vitamin E to give your skin one more layer of protection against the sun's rays.

Although vitamin E by itself isn't enough to keep your skin burn-free, it can help soothe a sunburn because it's an antioxidant (via Pelican Healthcare). Additionally, vitamin E can help undo skin aging by reducing inflammation, increasing elasticity and being generally beneficial for skin. 

If you've ever had a sunburn on your scalp, you know that it can be itchy and painful. However, most of the time, both of these symptoms aren't severe, ranking as more of an annoyance than a major problem. That is, unless you're one of the unfortunate souls to develop a condition known informally as "hell's itch."

As dermatologist Dr. Melissa Piliang told the Cleveland Clinic, hell's itch is a "deep, painful, almost throbbing, itch" that occurs up to three days post-sunburn. How bad could it be? Dr. Piliang recounted that people with this health issue said it was "like fire ants are biting you under the skin" and that when they scratched their skin, they experienced "stabbing pain." Unsurprisingly, Dr. Piliang advises against scratching one's sunburn if you have hell's itch, not only because scratching can worsen the symptoms, but also because scratching can break the skin, which "can be a portal of entry for bacteria and could lead to infection."

Even if you don't have hell's itch, you might be tempted to scratch or peel a sunburn, especially if it's on your scalp. But according to Reliant Medical Group, that not only hinders your sunburn's healing, but also potentially damages your skin and increases your chances of developing an infection. They also recommend carefully cutting away dead skin that's dangling with a scissors rather than pulling it off your body.

Arguably, nothing is more relaxing than a nice, long, hot shower. It's not just soothing; psychologically, it can feel like you're washing away the stresses and problems of the day. However, if you have a sunburned scalp, hot showers are one of the things you might have to forgo for a while.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, cool showers rather than cold or hot ones are best for sunburned skin. You also don't want to stay in the shower too long (even if it's at the right temperature) since that can wind up drying out your skin. Also, what you use in the shower makes a big difference. As Healthline explains, shampoos that contain sulfates and conditioners that have dimethicone can both be bad for a sunburned scalp. And of course, harsh soap is a no-no for sunburned skin in general.

Once you're done with your shower, put a moisturizing lotion that doesn't contain petroleum or oil-based ointments on your wet scalp to help it heal (via the Skin Cancer Foundation). And if you use hair products to get your perfect style, you'll probably need to do without them (or at least cut down on them) until your sunburn heals. As Healthline notes, these products can contain chemicals that could make your sunburned scalp more irritated. You also shouldn't use flat irons or blow dryers until your scalp is fully healed.

Just as you can improvise and use frozen food to make a cold compress (via Healthline), there are other items in your kitchen that might help soothe a sunburn. But be careful — one common food that's sometimes recommended online for sunburns could actually do damage, per Insider.

According to St. Luke's Health, milk can help reduce inflammation and safely remove dead skin cells from the surface of a sunburn. To apply the milk on your scalp, St. Luke's recommends placing a washcloth in a bowl of milk and putting it in the fridge until cool. This way, when you put the washcloth against your scalp, the coolness will help soothe your skin. Another item you might want to consider is honey, since it can help moisturize a sunburn, as well as make it less inflamed. And if you've heard oatmeal can also help with sunburns, you're right — although the kind St. Luke's recommends, colloidal oatmeal, is typically found in skin products and lotions rather than in one's pantry.

While milk, honey, and colloidal oatmeal might all be good for a sunburn, Insider warns that using vinegar to treat sunburns is both ineffective and unsafe. Dermatologist Dr. Carol Cheng told Insider that applying vinegar to a sunburn could increase inflammation and pain, as well as slow the healing process and result in "a serious chemical burn."

A word that probably comes to mind when you hear "chamomile tea" is "soothing." And yes, Roman chamomile might help soothe a sunburned scalp (via Healthline). However, not everyone should use it.

According to Healthline, Roman chamomile in essential oil form could be a useful treatment for sunburns, but there are some important guidelines for using it. These include diluting first and never ingesting it. A  small amount of the oil can be added to a cool bath to help with sunburned skin. Also, sunburns can be stressful, but Roman chamomile oil as an aromatherapy treatment can be mentally and emotionally soothing. The scientific community is still researching essential oils, though, so the jury is out on their effectiveness. 

Although Roman chamomile might sooth a sunburn, WebMD warns that pregnant women might experience a miscarriage if they ingest it. The site even advises against using Roman chamomile in any form if someone is pregnant, including topically and as aromatherapy. Additionally, someone who is breastfeeding or allergic to certain plants might want to avoid Roman chamomile. Lastly, essential oils can be bad for infants, children, and the elderly, per WebMD.

One of the reasons why a sunburn on the scalp or otherwise can be unpleasant is because sometimes, blisters form, per Marist College. But these small, fluid-filled bumps are more than just an annoyance (via Medical News Today). In fact, if you develop them, then your sunburn is a second degree burn. And unfortunately, the bad news doesn't stop there.

According to Medical News Today, sunburn blisters might not appear until as long as 24 hours after someone is sunburned. When they do show up, however, they are typically itchy and painful, via Marist College. And even after they heal (which typically takes about a week), they can leave behind spots, which are actually scars that could remain for as long as 12 months after getting sunburned.

As unpleasant as they can be, however, the American Academy of Dermatology Association points out that blisters are your body's way of helping your skin heal. In fact, if you break blisters, you're more likely to develop a bacterial infection, per Medical News Today. Also, if you have a severe sunburn (and if you have blisters, you probably do), you also could experience dehydration, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, elevated body temperature, and chills. But even if you don't have blisters, you should still seek medical help if you're experiencing any of these symptoms.