Homemade Remedies for Sunburn, Bug Bites, and Blisters

By Linda B. White M.D.
Updated on June 21, 2023
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Discover the best herbs for skin care; and homemade remedies for sunburn, blisters, bug bites, and other minor maladies after gardening and farming.

Hauling compost, digging garden beds, and wrangling ornery livestock are just a few of the farm and garden tasks that can be hard on your body. Even the healthiest homesteaders are susceptible to bee stings and sunburns. Fortunately, your kitchen and backyard are probably already stocked with a multitude of safe and effective cures for a number of minor woes. Here are 12 first-aid tips for ways to soothe everything from bug bites and banged-up shins to blisters, burns, and back pain. These first-aid tips are adapted from 500 Time-Tested Home Remedies and the Science Behind Them, co-authored by Barbara Seeber, Barbara Brownell Grogan, and me.

Poisonous Plants: Ivy, Oak, and Sumac

Prevention. The best way to protect yourself from this itchy, blister-causing trio is to wear protective clothing, including pants, long sleeves, and gloves, whenever you work in areas where these plants may grow. Anytime you think your skin or clothing may have made contact with their leaves, immediately remove and wash your clothing in hot water and take a shower. If you know your hands or arms touched the leaves, wash these areas as soon as possible with a skin cleanser, such as Tecnu, which is designed to remove the blister-causing urushiol oil that these plants produce. Some people are severely allergic to these plants, while others are totally immune. If you know you’re allergic, you may want to apply a preventive barrier cream, such as Ivy X Pre-Contact Skin Solution, before working outside.

Treatment. If you do develop a bad rash with blisters, follow these first-aid tips for making an oatmeal bath or oatmeal paste to relieve the itching. Oats (Avena sativa) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Applied topically, oats moisturize the skin and decrease itching. To draw an oatmeal bath, pour 2 to 3 cups of rolled or colloidal oats into a sock, cloth, bag, or bandana to contain the particles and help with cleanup. (You can make colloidal oats in your food processor by blending oats to a powder.) Place the sock in a tub full of warm water. Climb in and soak for at least 15 minutes. Avoid using soap, which will only dry and further irritate your skin.

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