Outdoor play and work are in full swing, and that often means sunburns! Here in the desert Southwest, we have an intense amount of sunshine. Long days spent gardening or playing in water can result in sunburns, especially when I forget the sunscreen. Homeopathy to the rescue!
Here are the two most-often-indicated homeopathic remedies for sunburns. These remedies will take away the pain and prompt the body to heal the sunburned areas much more quickly than if left untreated. Typically, if I get a significant sunburn, during the night I'll alternate between being chilled versus being hot-and-sweaty. However, I've observed that when I treat my sunburns homeopathically, I no longer have those troublesome nighttime symptoms.
Calendula for Minor Sunburns
Homeopathic Calendula works well for minor sunburns. I typically treat such sunburns topically by applying a wet solution (described below) directly onto the sunburned areas. Apply the wet solution as soon as possible after the sun exposure, and re-apply every few hours until the sunburn is healed.
I typically use homeopathic Calendula in low potencies for topical sunburn treatment, such as 6x or 6c potency. If you prefer, you could use an over-the-counter homeopathic Calendula cream instead of making your own wet solution.
Cantharis for Strong Sunburns, Including Sunburns with Blisters
Homeopathic Cantharis works well for treating 2nd degree sunburns, including strong sunburns and sunburns with blisters. It can be applied topically to sunburns; however, for a significant sunburn, Cantharis will be even more effective if it is taken by mouth. I generally use Cantharis in a 30x or 30c potency for treating sunburns. I use Cantharis as soon as possible after the sun exposure, and take doses (or re-apply topically) whenever the pain returns until the sunburn is healed.
One more tip: Cantharis often works well for treating other 2nd degree burns, too, such as burns from cookware or touching hot surfaces. I've successfully treated many such burns on myself with Cantharis, and the remedy quickly helped to alleviate the pain while promoting much-faster healing.
How To Make a Wet Solution for Topical Application
Place 1 homeopathic remedy pellet in 1/4 cup of filtered water in a very clean jar or bowl. Allow the pellet to dissolve and then swirl lightly. OPTIONAL: 2 Tb unflavored vodka can be added as a preservative to make this remedy shelf-stable for months.
Apply the remedy solution directly on to sunburned areas with a cotton ball or clean cloth.
Cover the jar/bowl of remedy with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent the liquid from evaporating.
Store the solution out of direct sunlight and away from heat.
Other Homeopathic Remedies for Sunburns
If there is no positive response to either Calendula or Cantharis, there are other homeopathic remedies that might work better. Causticum (for very severe sunburns) and Urtica urens (for itchy or prickly burns) are both known to provide relief for sunburns. Both of those remedies are taken internally instead of being applied topically.
Enjoy the sunshine, and let homeopathy help if there are sunburns!
NOTE: If you're new to homeopathy and wondering why the Cantharis bottle says "Bladder Irritation" and not sunburn, the reason is that every homeopathic remedy corresponds to many, many different symptoms. The homeopathic remedy manufacturers have to pick just one condition to list on the bottle, so often remedies are successfully used for conditions which are not listed on the bottle.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or licensed healthcare professional. I am a homeopathic practitioner whose services are considered complementary and alternative by the state of New Mexico. The uses of homeopathic remedies described herein are provided for educational use only.
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