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As temperatures continue to soar across most of the country, the UV index is expected to remain high this weekend.

Here are three DIY sunburn relief remedies


Rachel Schoutsen
Presenter, The Weather Network

Friday, August 19, 2016, 12:52 PM - As temperatures continue to soar across most of the country, the UV index is expected to remain high this weekend.

Despite experts touting the benefits of wearing sunscreen, sometimes sunburn happens.

Naturopathic Dr. Justin Gallant of Hamilton, Ont., has several things you can do to ease the pain. Nothing beats preventing sunburns, but these natural remedies can help.


RELATED: See 'hot' trend on social media dermatologists warn against


Sunburns activate heat-receptors in our body. So, one trick we can take advantage of is activating cold receptors with either Biofreeze gel or peppermint oil. Biofreeze has a strong effect and can cool the skin off significantly. Peppermint oil can also have a cooling effect and it can be mixed with coconut oil as a carrier to keep it on the skin for a longer amount of time, while covering a larger area of the body.


Image courtesy: Peter Stevens -- Creative Commons

Creams with the herb arnica can have an anti-inflammatory effect, which reduces the inflammation caused by sunburns, while speeding up the healing process.

Arnica should be avoided if you have a ragweed allergy since it is in the same family. Be sure to patch test anything you are applying to your skin to ensure you won't react to it.

A pleasant distraction is also a good idea to pass the time so you are not constantly thinking about the pain. Something like a good book, movie or video game will distract your brain while your body is doing the healing.

Watch more: What is humidity and why do we hate it?

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