 One expert says sunburns do take time to heal, but you can speed up the recovery process with a gentle hydrating and repairing approach. That approach is best taken with things like cool baths, aloe containing moisturizers, and ibuprofen to reduce pain, redness, and discomfort. What about using ice on that burn? Ice is a common remedy to reach for, but experts say applying it directly to your injured skin can actually cause more harm than good.