How to Treat Swollen, Sunburned Feet

What’s the best way to treat sunburned, swollen feet?

When your feet are swollen and sunburned, you want to focus on measures that reduce swelling and create cooling sensations while your skin heals. Examples of these steps include:

• Soak in cold water: Create a cool water foot bath by getting a small tub (available at most drugstores) and filling it with cool water. Soak your feet for about 10 minutes. Gently pat your feet dry, and apply a moisturizer to protect against dryness. Don’t use ice in the water. Water that’s too cold can damage your skin.
• Add soothing ingredients: Add extra ingredients to the foot bath, if desired. Examples include apple cider vinegar to promote healing, baking soda to reduce inflammation, or oatmeal to reduce itching.
• Cover with cool compresses: Apply cool compresses by dipping soft washcloths in cool water and draping them over your feet.
• Apply moisturizer: Apply moisturizer to keep the skin soothed. Those containing aloe vera or soy are usually excellent choices.
• Go shoeless: Minimize the amount of time you wear shoes in the first few days after the sunburn. Shoes can increase friction and pressure, which slows healing. They will also likely cause pain since your feet are swollen.
• Reduce friction: Wear open-toed shoes like flip-flops when you do need to wear shoes. Know that you may need to loosen straps on sandals if they feel especially tight.
• Stay hydrated: Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Sunburn can lead to dehydration by drawing water to the damaged cells. Ensure you are drinking enough water, so your urine is pale yellow in color.
• Don’t pop blisters: Refrain from popping blisters that may appear on your feet. While it can be difficult to resist popping these blisters, doing so could reveal vulnerable skin that hasn’t had time to heal.
• Take anti-inflammatory medication: Take an over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen.

Avoid applying products that contain local anesthetics — these will end in the letters “-caine.” Products containing anesthetics may actually do more harm than good by causing allergic reactions and irritation.

How will a doctor treat swollen feet from sunburn?

There are times when you are better off seeking a medical professional’s care for severely sunburned, swollen feet.

Think of it this way: Severe sunburns can be the same as second- and third-degree burns. You would definitely seek a doctor’s care for a severe burn.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, symptoms that show you should call a doctor regarding your sunburned feet include:

• chills
• fever greater than 100.5°F (38°C)
• pus oozing from blisters (signs of an infection)
• severe blistering

A doctor may suggest different treatments based on the sunburn’s severity. In some instances, you may need:

• intravenous (IV) fluids to treat dehydration
• prescription topical creams like steroids to treat skin irritation
• antibiotics and oral steroids to reduce your body’s immune response
• wound care if blistering or skin irritation is significant

What’s the best way to prevent swollen feet from sunburn?

Your feet are often an overlooked part of your body when it comes to applying sunscreen. But they can burn easily. Besides the obvious discomforts of a sunburn, the skin damage from ultraviolet radiation from the sun can increase your risks for melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

Several types of skin cancer can affect the feet, most commonly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Sun exposure can contribute to the development of SCC and less common types.

As a result, it’s best to prevent sunburned feet whenever possible. You can do this by:

• applying sunscreen to your feet (and whole body) at least every 2 hours when you’re exposed to direct sunlight, such as at a beach
• choosing water-resistant sunscreen to apply on the feet (even if you aren’t swimming, your feet are vulnerable to sweating)
• applying sunscreen and waiting a few minutes before putting on shoes to ensure the sunscreen has had time to sink into the skin
• applying sunscreen to the bottom of the feet, not just the tops
• wearing protective clothing, such as socks or leggings made with sun protection for outdoor activities

Protecting your skin from excess sun exposure can be vital to protecting against melanoma and other skin cancers.

How to tell the difference between sunburn and sun poisoning

Excess sun exposure not only causes sunburn. It can also cause a condition known as polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) or sun poisoning. Sunburn is a “local” reaction to the sun, affecting your skin where the damage occurs. PMLE is a systemic (body-wide) reaction.

Symptoms of sun poisoning include:

• scaly eczema-like lesions
• fever
• headaches
• hives
• itchy rash
• nausea

You will usually experience these symptoms within a few hours to days after your sun exposure. They represent an immune system reaction to the sun. Sunburn doesn’t usually cause the body-wide symptoms, such as nausea, fever, or chills.

If you experience the symptoms above, call a doctor. Treatment for PMLE may include steroids and other immune-suppressing medications like chloroquine or azathioprine. These can minimize your body’s immune response to allow your skin to heal and reduce symptoms.

Takeaway

Ideally, you can take preventive steps to keep sunburns from occurring. But if you do find yourself with sunburned, swollen feet, taking quick action to soothe your skin and maintain internal and external moisture can help.

Remember, however, that excessive sunburned and blistering feet may require a doctor’s attention.