D.I.Y. Cures For Summer Burns

It's only fitting that I burned my arm the day before publishing this article. How did it happen? Picture a hot sheet pan and me foolishly trying to open a door while holding it — not the best move. Maybe it was work on the mind? Or more likely, I was just being careless. Whether the result of a cooking casualty or too much sun, burns happen, especially in the summer. Instead of reaching for that bottle of aloe vera gel or pricey ointment, we decided to take a look around our kitchen for some natural food cures for burns. Who knew that your refrigerator or cabinets could hold the solution to your throbbing skin?

Click here to see the D.I.Y. Cures for Summer Burns Slideshow.

Instead of buying expensive creams, try growing a pot of the aloe vera plant on your windowsill to use in case of emergencies (we keep one here at TDM just to be safe). Can't stop the burning? Try soaking a cloth in cold milk and applying it on your skin to ease away the pain. Skip drizzling that honey on top of cut fruit and, instead, spread a little on your skin to speed up the healing process and minimize scarring. Of course, we are cooks here and only use these natural remedies for minor burns, so anything with an open wound or that is severely blistered should be treated a doctor.

Check out these natural solutions below and feel free to share any tips you have or cooking burn stories below!

Click here to see the D.I.Y. Cures for Summer Burns Slideshow. 

What to do after the burning pain stops? Stay moisturized. This will help lessen the long-term damage so you're hopefully not stuck with this scar for too long. Try using lotion or vitamin E oil on the burn throughout the day as needed to prevent it from drying out.