Safe Your Skin: Home Remedies for Sunburn

The lure of beautiful weather has a dark side:  if you're not properly protected from the ravages of those rays, you're going to get more than the tan you bargained for: sunburns are serious business... and they can be seriously painful, too.

Unless it's a severe burn that requires a doctor's attention, try one of these home remedies to deal with the bite of a sunburn.

Apply aloe. Take it from a native Floridian who's had her share of sunburns... and keeps aloe plants growing in her garden; it feels great and heals your skin, too. Pick up bottles of prepared aloe gel alongside the sunscreen at your supermarket or local pharmacy. Store it in your fridge, because applying cold aloe gel on damaged skin provides a double benefit, and it feels great. Bonus: you can use it on any bug bites you got while enjoying the weather. Aloe is amazingly easy to grow, too, so it's always a good idea to keep a plant or two nearby. They thrive on neglect, and won't hold it against you.

Apply cucumber paste! If you've ever wondered why spas show photos of women with cucumber slices over their eyes, it's the same reason cucumbers are an excellent sunburn treatment: chilled cucumbers are anti-inflammatory, contain antioxidants, and contain analgesic properties. To treat a sunburn, blend up cold cucumbers into a paste and apply to injured skin. It doesn't simply work to heal skin... it relieves the pain from a nasty burn.

Use cold compresses. Do not use ice directly on skin. A washcloth or towel soaked with cold water, or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a dish towel, soothes skin and help provides relief.

Drink lots of water. Being out in the sun naturally leeches your body of its necessary hydration, and a nasty sunburn exacerbates your need for lots of water. Stay away from sugary drinks or anything with caffeine. Drink plenty of cool water and you'll rehydrate your body, cool your body down, and help it heal.

Take a cool, soothing oatmeal bath. Find prepared oatmeal bath products in the skin-care section of your nearest pharmacy. In most cases, packets are added to bathwater and provide an anti-inflammatory treatment for sunburn, bug bites, or other skin irritations. Want to make it at home and keep some on-hand? It's easy. Blend one cup of unflavored oats in a food processor until it reaches a powdery consistency and stir it into bathwater, or store oatmeal powder in a cool, dry place until you need it.

Protect damaged skin by wearing light, loose clothing that covers all of the red skin and the tender new skin under it. Avoid scratching at peeling skin, and by all means don't think that you're "helping" it along by peeling off blistered or loose skin prematurely; there's tender new skin underneath that lizard-look, and by exposing it too early or removing skin that's not ready to go, you risk exposing it to infection.

The best thing you can do to protect your skin, however, is to avoid sunburns in the first place. Make sure you wear sunscreen every day and re-apply it when necessary.

How to Save Money on Prescription Lenses

Think about your wallet, your shoes, your purse: they naturally accumulate wear and damage with everyday use. The same applies to your glasses; whether they're scratched, worn, or even if your prescription changes, you're going to need to replace them at some point. Between the exam, frames and lenses, however, the cost adds up!

Don't suffer with old prescriptions, damaged lenses, or broken frames because replacements are cost prohibitive. Here's how to save big on your prescription eyewear.

Replace Lenses on Frames You Already Own

My insurance includes a vision care plan, but glasses are still a little pricey. A few years ago, I bought good frames for a new prescription for progressive lenses. The problem? I hated using them and only wore the frames a handful of times. After my next vision exam, I received a different prescription and replaced the lenses...and without the added expense of new frames, I saved a bundle. In fact, I was able to refit my old frames and purchase a second, less expensive "backup", complete with lenses, for next to nothing.

Swap Frames With a Friend!

If you're bored with your frames or they don't suit your features, exchange them with a friend and replace the lenses. You might even be lucky enough to share the same prescription. If not, it's much more affordable to replace old lenses with new lenses, although it doesn't work with some styles. Check with your eye care provider, but ask around. Vision centers make money on the frames, so keep that in mind.

Order Online

If you've got a pair of frames that fit well and have a current prescription, order online. To get the best fit, use the numbers on the nose and arm of your current frames as a guide. Important measurements are the eye size, another at the bridge of your nose (the smallest measurement, the space between lenses) and the temple (the arm length, on the side of your glasses), measured in millimeters. I have a small head, so glasses around 135 in temple length fit me best.

A few sites to check out include Glasses USA, Frames Direct, Zenni Optical and Eye Buy Direct. Shop around for the best deals, but you'll want to look into return and exchange policies before you place your order.

Check Insurance Terms

Even if your employer doesn't offer separate eye care coverage, your regular health plan may include annual eye exams and may even pay for a percentage of your lenses and frames. Call the number on your insurance card and talk to a representative, or check out the specifics of your health plan online. With some plans, you may have to obtain pre-authorization first, but it's worth investigating.

Take advantage of discounts 2-for-1 specials when they're advertised, but be willing to shop around for the best deal.

Keep your eyes in tip-top shape and save money in the process.