Sunburn duration depends on its severity:

• Mild sunburns typically cause redness, slight inflammation, and tenderness lasting about 3 to 5 days. The skin may peel toward the end of this period as it regenerates

• Moderate sunburns are more painful with red, swollen, and hot skin. They generally take around 1 week to heal, with peeling possibly continuing for a few days after

• Severe sunburns (sun poisoning) involve painful blistering, intense redness, and symptoms like fever or nausea. These can take up to 2 weeks to fully recover and may require medical attention

In most cases, sunburn symptoms such as redness and pain start within a few hours after sun exposure, peak around 24 hours, and then gradually improve

. The skin damage, however, is permanent and can increase the risk of long- term effects like premature aging and skin cancer

. If pain lasts more than 48 hours, or if symptoms like fever, dehydration, or large blisters occur, it is advised to seek medical care

. In summary, sunburn usually lasts from a few days up to two weeks depending on severity, with mild cases resolving within about a week and severe cases taking longer