there are three important components when it comes to tending to a sunburn or other kind of mild burn.

First, relieve the discomfort of the burn. Second, protect the damaged skin from infection. Finally, help the skin heal as quickly as possible. The quicker the skin heals, the less time you’ll have to worry about the first two issues!

There are some simple ways to relieve discomfort. For mild sun or other burns, a cool compress or a cool bath may do the trick. Do not use ice directly on burned skin, as this may cause further damage and discomfort. Aloe vera is a traditional soothing remedy for burns. If you don’t happen to own an aloe plant, aloe vera gel is available at most grocery stores, drug stores, and natural health stores. One excellent brand is Aloe Life.

Aside from the discomfort of the burn itself, sunburn can also cause headache and dehydration. Drink plenty of fluids and take antioxidant supplements and juices, including green tea, berries, and goji.

As you tend to the sunburn, stay alert to the signs of infection including: increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the affected area; red streaks extending from the affected area; drainage of pus; swollen lymph nodes; fever of 100°F or higher; or chills. Obtain medical attention if in doubt.

These symptoms are more likely to occur with more severe burns, especially burns that result in blistering; however, even mild burns are susceptible to infection.

Sunburns often cause the skin to become dry and itchy, which can pose a problem, especially in children.

Scratching dry or irritated skin can create open sores that invite infection from a variety of microbes. Discourage scratching and keep a gentle, all-natural moisturizer on the area. Avoid lotions with artificial additives and chemicals, as these are likely to cause further irritation. You’ll also want to apply an antimicrobial treatment to the area to discourage infection.

SILVER SHINES

Silver has always been used in medicine for burns, and is a mainstay in burn units in one form or another.

For ordinary consumers who are simply trying to stay healthy and deal with minor nagging burns, the best choice is nano-silver, or silver hydrosol.

Silver hydrosol is crystal clear, looks, smells, and feels like water, and does not sting at all. It can be sprayed, swabbed or soaked into the affected area with a silver impregnated compress.

Silver has been shown to be effective both in clinical studies and in experiments against a broad spectrum of microbial invaders, including bacteria, fungi and viruses.

“Silver is not disease specific, but structure specific,” says Paul Bateman, executive director of The Silver Institute in Washington, D.C. “The action of silver is different than other types of antibiotics. Any bacteria, virus, fungi, or protozoa lacking a sufficiently protective cell wall has no defense against silver.” (On the other hand, cells with antioxidant systems, such as all mammalian cells, are unharmed by the presence of by silver.)

Silver has regenerative properties that can help with all kinds of healing, including burns. In in vitro and in vivo studies spanning two decades, Dr. Robert O. Becker found that silver ions actually help to regenerate tissue. In studies using silver as an antimicrobial for wound healing, Dr. Becker observed that silver spurred significant growth stimulation in damaged tissues.

After several hundred cases, Dr. Becker believes that the technique works in three stages. The first stage is the chemical combination of highly active free silver ions with all bacteria or fungi present in the wound, which are inactivated within 20 to 30 minutes. The second stage occurs over the next few days. Silver acts on fibroblast cells to cause them to revert to their embryonic state, becoming stem cells. These cells are universal building blocks whose role is to reconstruct new tissue. In the final stage, silver ions form a complex with the living cells in the wound area to produce immediately convertible stem cells. The end result of this conversion is that the stem cells supply all the building blocks necessary to completely restore all anatomical structures.

Silver has been prominently used for burn treatment for many decades. One of the most wellknown applications is an ointment called silver sulfadiazine, also known as Silvadene. It was formulated in 1967 and has been used ever since for treating mild to severe burns. However, Silvadene has its limitations; for example, consumers should be cautious about using it on the face (one of the prime areas where sunburn strikes) and people who have allergies to sulfa drugs should refrain from using it. Plus, the technology for using silver to treat burns has grown immensely since 1967.

As researchers gain a better understanding of the way silver works to help the body heal, and a better understanding of the silver ion and safer, more effective products are being developed. One particularly promising new material, a textile impregnated with nanocrystalline silver, has shown exceptional results in healing even the most severe of burns by utilizing silver ions. This new generation of silver products is able to utilize silver nanoparticles, rather than having to rely on a silver compound.

While there is still much research and development being done on silver nanoparticles and burns, consumers can find quality silver preparations if they know what to look for.