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As a lifeguard at the officers pool at Ft Hood in 1956, vinegar was our best remedy to ease the pain of sunburn.
I too have had some basal cells removed...and since NY is not viewed as a "sunshine state"..and my days building silos etc, I wore a T-shirt and brimmed hat, I tend to lay the basal cell cancers to that summer.
We all wore white zinc oxide ointment on our noses..after them being well burned.
No really good suntan lotion then.. we used baby oil with a bit of iodine.. shake well before using.
Don't know if it was any good, but we used it..rarely around the pool though, since lotions an doils were banned there.