Easy Patch-Ups for 8 Common Summer Mishaps

By Miranda Crowell

Every season has its share of ouches, eeks, and uh-ohs, but summer seems to have the most. From grill burns to sunburns and bug bites to cuts, this first-aid primer covers the prep work, so you can get on with the fun.

The knife will slip, the bee will sting -- and you’ll be ready to fly to the rescue. Here’s your rip-out-and-save guide to summer setbacks (superhero cape not included).

Use This

Ibuprofen, cold compress, skin cream or petroleum jelly

Do This

Take ibuprofen right away, says Lisa Garner, a professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Apply cold compresses to relieve pain, and a thick cream (such as Cetaphil) or petroleum jelly to hydrate.

Call the Doctor if

The burn is blistering or widespread.

Use This

Ibuprofen, cold compress, petroleum jelly, nonstick bandage or gauze

Do This

Dermatologists recommend treating a first-degree burn (red but not blistering) much like a sunburn, running cool water over it, but also covering it with a bandage. “The faster you can take the temperature down, the better,” says Garner.

Call the Doctor if

The burn is blistering or larger than a couple of inches.

Use This

Juice or sports drink

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Get out of the sun; rehydrate with a non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverage. “One with sugar, salt, or electrolytes works better for rehydration than plain water,” says Lisa Dabby, an emergency-room doctor at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.

Call the Doctor if

You have symptoms of heatstroke: fainting, nausea or vomiting, confusion, seizures, weak breathing, or a fever of 104 degrees or higher.

Use This

Seawater, credit card, hot water, oral antihistamine or calamine lotion

Do This

Rinse it with seawater (not fresh); brush off the stinging cells with a credit card. Then immerse the sting in hot water, which deactivates the toxin. If the spot remains painful, take an antihistamine or apply calamine for up to two weeks.

Call the Doctor if

You have any signs of an allergic reaction: trouble breathing, extreme swelling, low blood pressure, or seizures.

Use This

Pain reliever (such as acetaminophen), elastic bandage, ice pack

Do This

Take a pain reliever, then wrap the area and keep it elevated while applying an ice pack. “Non-weight-bearing movements speed up recovery,” says Thomas Kaminski, director of athletic-training education at the University of Delaware.

Call the Doctor if

You can’t walk, the area is swelling, or the pain is severe.