The time it takes for sunburn to heal is based on its severity. Although measures can be taken to reduce this time, generally, a mild sunburn takes a few days to heal. The UV rays of the sun are the primary reason behind sunburn. Sunburn is actually a sign that your body is repairing your damaged skin cells. Of course, this process will take some time. There are some measures that you can take to speed your recovery and relieve discomfort caused by sunburn.
How long does sunburn last?
When you first get a sunburn, it may not be possible to realize it since the symptoms typically start to show up to 4 hours after exposure to ultraviolet rays. The primary symptoms of sunburn include your skin starting to feel hot, getting sore, and looking red. These symptoms generally become worse 24 to around 36 hours after your skin gets exposed. Usually, pain is at its peak somewhere between 6 and 48 hours after getting sunburn. If your skin starts to peel, it would typically happen 3 to 8 days after it gets exposed.
Usually, mild sunburns continue for around three days, while moderate sunburns take five days and are heeded by peeling skin. On the other hand, severe sunburns can take more than a week to heal and should be treated by a medical professional.
The symptoms and any primary effects of sunburn begin to heal in the first few days of the damage. However, sunburn has a considerable impact on your skin. The UVA rays that damage the skin during sunburn actually gene code the DNA of your skin cells. This damage can eventually lead to more serious health concerns. UVB and UVA rays can also impact the way your skin looks and cause brown age spots, wrinkles, and aging.
When should you consult a doctor?
Here are some cases in which you should consult a doctor immediately:
- If you have a sizeable sunburned area
- If you feel unwell
- If you are severely dehydrated
- If you have a high fever
- If your sunburn is on more than 15% of your skin
- If you are suffering from extreme pain
- If you are noticing signs of infection, such as warmth, redness, or swelling
- If you are noticing signs of heat exhaustion, such as a fast or weak pulse, vomiting, or nausea
How to treat your sunburn?
Since sunburn is essentially skin damage, it is not possible to cure sunburn, and it needs to heal on its own, it depends on how long does sunburn last. However, you can take some steps to reduce your discomfort and gel your skin to accelerate healing:
- Get out of the sun as soon as you feel a burning sensation on your skin. As soon as you notice that you are starting to burn or are suffering from a sunburn, you should step out of the sun to avoid any further damage as well as start the healing process.
- Take a cold shower or bath. Use a wet cloth gently on the affected area to ease some discomfort. This will also help in removing the heat from your skin.
- Drinking water and the sunburn drink prevents dehydration resulting from your body using fluids to repair the sunburn.
- Soothe your skin and keep it from getting dry with a moisturizer. Choose one which contains soy or aloe vera. Make sure that you avoid the ones that contain alcohol.
- If your sunburn is quite painful, you can take some over-the-counter pain relief medicines such as ibuprofen and aspirin to reduce discomfort and swelling.
- If you are suffering from severe sunburn, blisters may develop on your skin to enable healing and control infection. Keep in mind that you should never pop these blisters. If your blisters do break, you need to cover them with a light dressing and keep them completely clean.
- Skin peels after a sunburn to remove the damaged cells from the body. Keep in mind that you should not pull this skin off and let it happen naturally. It is also important to avoid tight clothing that may rub against your peeling skin.
How can you prevent sunburn?
Here are some steps that you can take to prevent sunburn:
- Even though a sunburn may take some time to heal, it is possible to prevent it altogether. Generally, it is advised that you should apply sunscreen that blocks both UVB and UVA rays before stepping out. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunny, snowy, or cloudy outside, as UV rays can penetrate your skin and cause damage virtually all days.
- It is also recommended that you should avoid going outdoors between the hours of 10 and 4. These are the times when the UV rays of the sun are at their peak.
- One of the most vital measures to protect yourself against sunburn is staying hydrated. Consume a lot of water and Sunburn Drink that can hydrate as well as nourish your skin.
- Covering your skin with some light protective clothing is also imperative in preventing sunburn. Ensure that you wear flowy clothing with tight weaving that doesn’t allow UV rays to penetrate.
- To protect your eyes, you should use UV-protected sunglasses and wear a hat to offer your neck, scalp, and face some protection.
Conclusion
Sunburn can have a significant impact on your skin and health and even increase the risks of suffering from more severe health problems. Not to mention that sunburn is unattractive and painful. Even though a mild sunburn will heal in a few days, you can take measures to improve this recovery, such as staying in the shade, applying sunscreen, consuming Sunburn Drink, and covering your skin with light clothing.
