7 Healthcast: Sunburn relief

Heather Schoppelrei knows the dangers of spending too much time in the sun.

Even with regular sun block application Heather's fair skin is susceptible to burns.

"I always get burned three to four times in the whole entire summer," she says.

Dermatologist Mark Theberg sees patients like heather all too often in the summer.

"They don't just look bad, they hurt, but they can realistically double your risk of melanoma in a lifetime so you should take them seriously," he says.

There are lots of myths out there about how you should take care of sunburns, but the doctor wants you to know the facts starting with how to cool one off.

"Just cold compresses maybe a wash cloth under some ice cold water," he advises.

You can also use a solution of half milk and half water.

"My favorite is taking clear aloe vera gel, putting that in the refrigerator and you can put that on three to four times a day, it's very soothing," says Dr. Theberg.

The doctor also suggests aspirin or ibuprofen to help calm the pain.

Of course, the best thing to do is avoid burns all together.

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