It’s finally springtime, and the weather is warming up… granted, in some areas faster than others! But whether you’re staying local or taking a tropical trip on your Monterey, your eagerness might lead to some unpleasant sunburns once you get on the water. It seems inevitable, but your red skin doesn’t have to stick around; here’s how you can heal a sunburn quickly so you can get back on the water soon!

Cool off. This step may be the most obvious, but it is also the most fast-acting one you can take to start getting over your sunburn. Drench a washcloth in cold water, wring it so it’s not dripping, and apply it to your head, chest, or wherever you feel the most severe burn. (You can also use bags of frozen veggies!) You can do this multiple times a day, in addition to taking cool showers or baths when you’re feeling particularly warm.

Moisturize with aloe vera. Using moisturizing lotion, especially one with aloe vera, will help to soothe your skin and get it back to normal quickly. Apply lotion right after your bath or shower, after you’ve dried yourself off almost completely—the water you leave on your skin will be absorbed with the lotion and help keep you cool and moisturized.

Avoid blisters. Bad sunburns often come with tiny blister clusters in especially burnt areas of your skin; take care to not pick at or irritate these blisters so your skin can heal faster.

Drink lots of water. Sunburns don’t just dehydrate your skin—they can also dry you out inside. Keep yourself from getting dehydrated by taking in lots of water (at least nine to 13 cups a day is the recommended amount for women and men, respectively).

Relieve your pain. If your sunburn is particularly painful, you may want to turn to Ibuprofen or a hydrocortisone cream to soothe your skin and lessen the impact of any head or body aches you have due to the burn.

Cover up. This is good advice, sunburn or not, but when your skin is sunburnt it is especially important to cover up with tightly-knit fabrics (those that are not sheer and will not let in sun) and use sunscreen if you have to go outside. Of course, the best course of action might be to stay indoors and heal, if you can help it!

The best advice we can offer on sunburns is to prevent them in the first place. Cover up and apply ample amounts of sunscreen when you’re off to the beach or on your family boat trip, so you can enjoy yourself without having to worry about the effects of sunburnt skin later!