How Long Does Sunburn Last?

Maybe you fell asleep outside in your patio chair. Perhaps you got caught up in a competitive game of beach volleyball and spent hours in the sun. Either way, you’re now dealing with a red, angry sunburn that makes taking a shower and putting on clothes a painful experience.

How long must you suffer the consequences of your most recent mishap in the sun? While the immediate effects are fortunately rather short, the long-term effects are far more serious because they can increase your risk of skin cancer. But right now, you’re probably more concerned about how long your skin will remain painful and red.

Without further ado, here are several things you should know about the duration of the average sunburn:

• Redness, swelling and pain are the most common symptoms associated with sunburns.
• Symptoms may appear within hours and fade just as fast, while others last for days.
• You can often find relief from sunburn through home remedies.

Here’s What Happens When You Get Sunburned

In a perfect world, no one would ever get sunburned because they know how to properly apply sunscreen and when to wear their daily moisturizer with SPF (hint: the answer is every day, rain or shine.) Unfortunately, we don’t live in a dream world, and sunscreen mistakes happen all too often.

1. DNA Damage (Occurs Within Minutes)—When you incorrectly apply sunscreen (or forget it altogether), the sun’s ultraviolet rays can penetrate the skin and begin mutating the skin cells. According to a 2015 study published in Science, researchers discovered that melanoma-causing mutations can occur for hours, even after you’ve escaped the sun’s harmful rays (see claim: “…in melanocytes, CPDs are generated for >3 hours after exposure to UVA, a major component of the radiation in sunlight…”) These mutations can happen well before any redness or pain appear. Even a slight tan is a sign of sun damage, which ultimately increases your risk of skin cancer.

2. Redness and Inflammation (Occurs within a Couple of Hours)—Redness and inflammation are the most common symptoms of sunburn. This is due to your brain sending more blood consisting of white blood cells to the sunburned site to help it heal the damaged tissue and fight possible infection.

3. Pain (Peaks Within 24-36 Hours)—While it often takes less than an hour for redness to appear, pain from your sunburn can show up in hours or even after a full 24 hours. The pain will grow worse, peaking at 24 or 36 hours before slowly fading.

The pain can catch people by surprise, which is why we recommend taking some form of pain relief before the full brunt of the pain shows. If you’re allergic to NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), taking a cold bath or wearing a cold compress can also help decrease the swelling and alleviate the pain.

When Will the Pain and Redness Go Away?

So, how long does sunburn last? Typically, mild sunburns will go away completely within three to five days. Severe burns may last for more than a week.

However, you’ll probably notice some of your symptoms vanishing within a few hours or days. For example, redness from sunburns is usually the first symptom to appear and the quickest to go away, often fading within a day or two. The pain of a sunburn can first make itself known after a full 24 hours, peaking for a day and falling sharply after the third day.

The severity of the sunburn will be the biggest factor in how long your sunburn lasts. However, there are also things you can do to make your sunburn heal faster.

Speeding Up Your Sunburn’s Healing Process

Even when your sunburn is mild, it can be annoying and painful. The good news is that there are plenty of home remedies for sunburn and fast-working techniques that will speed up the healing process.

In addition to using tried-and-true remedies such as Aloe Vera, you can also boost your skin’s healing process by applying potent antioxidants to your skin, such as Vitamin C. According to a 2003 study published in Experimental Dermatology, Vitamin C can combat the negative effects of free radicals from the sun by reversing signs of sun damage (see claim: “…led to a clinically apparent improvement of the photodamaged skin and induced modifications of skin relief…”)

Along with taking better care of your skin, the most important thing you can do to speed up your sunburn’s healing process is to stay out of the sun. Limiting your sun exposure will prevent further sun damage and give your skin time to heal properly.

The Takeaway

While your sunburn itself may disappear within a few days, the long-term effects are far more concerning than temporary skin peeling and discomfort. Research has shown time and again that cumulative sunburns can increase your risk of skin cancer, making it critical for all guys to start taking better care of their skin and following sun safety practices.