The Cocoa Butter for Sunburns: Your Guide to Relief

We all love the summer, but it does come with its own set of issues. One of these is sunburn, which can be a painful and irritating problem.

There are many different types of lotions that you could use to soothe your skin after a long day in the sun. Cocoa butter for sunburns is one option that shouldn’t be overlooked!

In this blog post, we’ll discuss what cocoa butter is, why you would want to use it on your skin if you have a sunburn and how to apply it correctly for maximum effectiveness!

What is sunburn?

It usually occurs after sun exposure without sunscreen or sunburn creams and makes red, painful skin that feels hot to the touch. Sunburn often appears on parts of your body rarely exposed to the sun like your feet and hands but can also cover large areas such as your back or shoulders. 

The redness lasts several days before it starts fading away then peeling off in small pieces leaving behind new smooth skin underneath which is not sensitive anymore.

Sunburn has nothing dangerous about it unless you have a special condition called sun poisoning where sunburned tissue gets inflamed causing fever, headache, nausea, etc.

But even so, this should be treated by a doctor because his symptoms are much worse than just sunburn itself.

Also, remember that there are different types of sunburn so be aware of what yours actually looks like before trying any home remedies!

First-degree sunburns affect only your outer layer of skin called the epidermis where blood vessels widen making it red and sunburned.

Second-degree sunburns affect the upper layer of your skin where the sun-burned cells start dying making a blistering effect on top of redness. If not treated, this can progress to third degrees which is very dangerous because sunburn penetrates deep down into your dermis causing even more pain, blisters formation, and scarring!

What is cocoa butter?

cocoa butter is cocoa fat extracted from cocoa beans, often used to make chocolate and some other things like ointments for the body or toiletries.

There are some procedures to extract them from cocoa beans. the cocoa bean is first fermented and then put in a press to extract them. They are then processed into cocoa powder.

It has a cocoa flavor and aroma that melts at just below human body temperature. Its use in making chocolate dates back to ancient times when it was first discovered by the Olmecs of Mesoamerica as early as 1900 BC.

The main chemical components are mainly saturated fats (89%) such as palmitic acid (~44%), stearic acid (~24%) along monounsaturated oleic acid (~11%). 

There are also small amounts of poly-unsaturated linoleic acids (<0.15%) and saturated non-saponifiable cocoa triterpenes (~0.02%).

Cocoa butter is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals.

Why would you use it for sunburns?

Cocoa butter, a natural moisturizer from cocoa beans, has been used to protect against sunburns for centuries. Some people think that it protects them by protecting their skin cells but this is not true; instead, the fat helps trap water molecules lost during the exposure so they don’t evaporate away or crack under high heat as salt does. 

If someone gets burnt through – it will restore moisture and speed up healing time because its chemical composition makes it an excellent remedy when applied topically at home before seeking medical help!

How to apply it?

As we know cocoa butter is a good moisturizer that prevents sunburn. Let’s see how to apply them to our bodies for a sunburn.

If your skin is sunburned, first of all, take a shower or bath with lukewarm water only because cold water would make the situation worse.

Then apply it on sunburned areas or simply on the entire body evenly. You can use hands or gloves for applying them but be careful not to slip and fall down.

Let the cocoa butter absorb for a few minutes and then reapply them and cover yourself with a warm towel or simply put your clothes on.

This method is very effective for sunburns, if you will do this before going out in the sun it will prevent your skin from getting more sunburned.

Always remember that they should not be used alone (without cocoa butter+moisturizer), They should always be combined with some other moisturizers like cocoa butter lotion or cocoa buttercream, etc.

If you want to use cocoa-butter only then make sure that you apply dry skin oil on top of cocoa-butter because cocoa-butter itself does not contain any oils and fats and cocoa-butter will not be able to protect your skin from sunburns and dryness.

Side effects and precautions

When it is used as a sunscreen, side effects include sensitization reactions such as contact dermatitis, eczema, or hives.

It is contraindicated in patients who are sensitive to cocoa butter, cocoa seed butter, or cocoa extract. It should not be used on open wounds, irritated skin, or by people with nut allergies.

It should not be used on damaged skin or on open wounds. It should not be applied to children’s hands, faces, or mucous membranes because it can cause choking if it is accidentally ingested. It has no SPF and should only be used as an addition to conventional sunscreen agents. 

Why should you use it instead of aloe vera gel?

Many people will recommend using aloe vera gel to heal a sunburn, but cocoa butter is actually preferred by dermatologists because it has stronger properties and provides more relief.

Aloe vera gel is generally believed to be about as effective as cocoa butter for relieving redness and swelling from mild burns, but cocoa butter is superior when it comes to moisturizing the skin and making it feel better.

Aloe vera gel serves as a temporary cooling agent, whereas cocoa butter heals the skin at a deeper level through moisturizing. This can be beneficial if your burn is particularly severe and requires something very moisturizing in order to prevent cracking or peeling of the skin. However, cocoa butter does not provide an immediate cooling effect as aloe vera gel does.

Cocoa butter has a cocoa scent and is more solid than aloe vera gel, which has an aloe scent and is more liquid. Both cocoa butter and aloe vera gel can be found at most drugstores and big supermarkets. Aloe vera leaves will not give you the same relief as cocoa butter because they are less concentrated in cocoa butter’s main components— vitamins A, D, & E. When it comes to healing your sunburned skin, cocoa butter might be your best bet!

Conclusion

Don’t forget that the best way not to get sunburned in the first place is by using sunscreen when going out into direct sunlight!

And always wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and hats if possible since sun exposure also causes cataracts later on in life.

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