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your skin is blistered or swollen. your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery. you feel very tired, dizzy and sick. you have a headache and muscle cramps. your baby or young child has sunburn. Severe sunburn can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which can be very serious. You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Sep 30, 2019 · Learn how long sunburn lasts, from mild redness and peeling to blisters and scarring. Find out how to treat sunburn at home and when to see a doctor.
- Overview
- Do more severe burns last longer?
- Factors that affect duration of a sunburn
- How long does sunburn redness last?
- How long does sunburn pain last?
- How long does sunburn swelling last?
- How long do sunburn blisters last?
- How long does sunburn peeling last?
- How long does sunburn rash last?
- How long does sun poisoning last?
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Sunburns typically appear two to six hours after sun exposure, peaking within 24 hours and fading within about 48 hours. It may take longer in severe cases.
A sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Although sunburns only last a few days in most cases, long-term damage, such as the increased risk for skin cancers, can take years to appear.
Mild sunburns
Mild sunburns usually come with redness and some pain, which can last anywhere from three to five days. Your skin may also peel a bit toward the last couple of days as your skin regenerates.
Moderate sunburns
Moderate sunburns are typically more painful. The skin will be red, swollen, and hot to the touch. Moderate sunburns typically take about a week to heal completely. The skin may then continue to peel for a few more days.
Severe sunburns
Severe sunburns sometimes require a visit to a doctor or even a hospital. You’ll have painful blistering and very red skin. It can take up to two weeks to fully recover. Even if you don’t need to go to a hospital, you’ll likely have to stay home and rest to recover from a severe burn.
A number of factors might affect how long your sunburn symptoms last. Not everyone reacts the same way to sun exposure.
In general, the following factors make people more susceptible to severe sunburns that generally take longer to heal:
•fair or light skin
•freckles or red or fair hair
•exposure to sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. (when the sun’s rays are most intense)
•high altitudes
Your redness will typically start showing up about two to six hours after sun exposure. The redness will hit a peak after around 24 hours, and then will then subside over the next day or two.
The redness from more severe burns may take a bit longer to subside.
Pain from a sunburn usually starts within 6 hours and peaks around 24 hours. Pain will usually subside after 48 hours.
You can reduce pain with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Aleve) or aspirin (Bufferin).
Shop for ibuprofen or aspirin.
Applying cool compresses to the skin may also offer some relief.
Swelling may persist for up to two days or longer for severe burns. You can take anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or use a corticosteroid cream to help reduce swelling.
Blisters from a moderate to severe burn start to show up between 6 and 24 hours after UV exposure, but sometimes can take a couple days to show up on the skin. Since blisters are usually the sign of a moderate or severe burn, they might persist for up to a week.
If you get blisters, don’t break them. Your body made these blisters in order to protect your skin and allow it to heal, so breaking them will slow down the healing process. It also increases your risk of infection.
After you’ve been burned, the skin will normally start to flake and peel after about three days. Once peeling starts, it can last for several days.
In general, peeling will stop when the skin is fully healed. For a mild to moderate burn, that should be within seven days, but small amounts of peeling can occur for several weeks.
Drink plenty of water to help your skin heal more quickly.
Be gentle when removing dead skin cells from peeling skin. Don’t pull or exfoliate — the skin will shed by itself. Your new skin is delicate and more susceptible to irritation.
Try taking a warm bath to help loosen the dead cells. Moisturizing skin is helpful too, as long as the moisturizer doesn’t sting. Try plain petroleum jelly if needed.
Never vigorously pull or pick at peeling skin.
A rash can develop within six hours of sun exposure, and it may last for up to three days depending on the severity of your burn.
Apply a cool compress and aloe vera gel to help soothe the skin and make your rash go away faster.
Despite its name, sun poisoning doesn’t mean you’ve been poisoned. Sun poisoning, also called sun rash, is the name for a more severe type of sunburn. Symptoms include:
•rash
•blisters
•rapid pulse
•nausea
•vomiting
Sunburns usually last from three to seven days, depending on their severity. Learn how to recognize the symptoms, when to see a doctor, and how to prevent sun damage and skin cancer.
- Jacquelyn Cafasso
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Sunburn is red, painful, damaged skin from being out in the sun for too long. Learn how to recognize the signs of sunburn, how to treat it at home and how to prevent it from happening again.
Oct 17, 2024 · Sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. It usually causes the skin to become red, sore, warm, tender and occasionally itchy for about a week. The skin will normally start to flake and peel after a few days and will usually fully heal within 7 days. While sunburn is often short-lived and mild, it’s important to try to avoid it ...
Jul 28, 2023 · But if you have a more severe, blistering burn, this could last up to 10 days," Dr. Klein said. Pain from a sunburn usually starts within two to six hours of sun overexposure and peaks at about 24 ...
Jun 26, 2023 · Sunburn is the skin’s response to UV light damage and can last from a few days to more than a week. Learn how to ease the symptoms, when to see a doctor, and how to protect your skin from the sun.
