Sunburn: Duration and Treatment Tips

Do I only have a light or a severe sunburn? What does the duration of sunburn depend on and what helps against discomfort? You can find out more here!

Sunburn: Duration depending on severity

The duration of sunburn depends mainly on how severe the burns are. About four to eight hours after sunbathing the first symptoms usually appear. 24 to 36 hours after UV radiation from the sun, the symptoms are at their worst. Depending on how severe the sunburn is, the symptoms usually subside one to two weeks later.

How do I know how bad my sunburn is?

Sunburn is divided into three different degrees, which have different symptoms and also determine whether sunburn home remedies can alleviate the symptoms or whether a doctor needs to treat the burns, for example, from sunstroke. The degrees of severity are thus differentiated according to the respective inflammation of the skin:

• 1st degree sunburn: In the case of light burns, the skin is reddened, taut, itchy, overheated and sometimes slightly swollen. Touching the skin often causes pain. This type of sunburn can usually be treated well with home remedies or after-sun lotion. It makes sense to cool the skin – this can reduce the duration of sunburn. Adults can cool the burned skin areas for one to two hours, children and babies for a much shorter time, as they will hypothermia more quickly. After one week at the latest, the symptoms should have subsided.
• 2nd degree sunburn: The skin peels off, blisters form in addition to redness. These should be pricked by a doctor so that the liquid contained can drain off. Under no circumstances should you prick them yourself – otherwise infections can occur. It can take up to two weeks for this type of sunburn to subside.
• 3rd degree sunburn: The most severe sunburn is like a severe burn in which the uppermost skin layers are destroyed – the skin comes off. Blisters appear here too, and sunburn hurts even without touching. Scars are often left behind. In addition to the classic symptoms, nausea and fever can also occur. This sunburn should definitely be treated by a physician, depending on the size of the burns, treatment in hospital may even be necessary. The duration of sunburn can last up to six weeks.

Tips for sunburn

In general, sunburn is best prevented – because every sunburn can increase the risk of skin cancer. How to prevent sunburn is explained here. How long we can be in the sun without protection depends primarily on our skin type:

• Skin type I: Very light skin, often with freckles, reddish to blond hair, blue or green eyes. This skin type can only stay in the sun for five to ten minutes without protection, without risking sunburn.
• Type II: Light skin, blond to dark blond hair, blue or green eyes. In this case, one should stay in the sun for a maximum of ten to 20 minutes without protection against sunburn.
• Type III: Slightly darker complexion, dark blonde to brown hair, often brown eyes. After 20 to 30 minutes, people with this type should apply cream or go into the shade.
• Type IV: Brownish to black skin, dark brown to black hair, brown or black eyes. People of this type can enjoy the sun for 30 to 40 minutes without protection.

On the basis of the type determination it is also possible to determine how high the required sun protection factor is.

In order to be able to stay in the sun and prevent sunburn without worrying, the use of sunscreen is essential – and protection should be renewed regularly. It is also important to protect sensitive areas of the body that are difficult to cream – for example the scalp by wearing a hat. If you want to be on the safe side, wear a light T-shirt over your bikini – clothes protect well against UV radiation. If you have been in the water, you should apply the cream again immediately after drying off.