Limiting the Damage Right After a Sunburn
Get out of the sun quickly when you notice you’re peeling. If you’re in the sun and your skin starts to feel hot, tingly, and red, it’s important to limit the damage by getting out of the sun as soon as possible. The longer you stay in the sun, the worse your sunburn will be, and the more likely it is to peel. The faster you start treating your sunburn, the more you’ll limit the damage—which could help keep peeling to a minimum. Limit your exposure to the sun as much as possible while your sunburn is healing. Try not to go outside when the sun is strongest, between about 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Wear SPF 30 sunscreen or higher and cover your skin with lightweight clothing if you do have to go outside.
Get in cool water to stop the burn right away. Immediately cooling down your skin may help limit the damage from your sunburn. If you’re swimming in a cool lake, pool, or ocean, hop in for a quick swim to help stop the burn. Or, go inside and take a cool bath or shower. Don’t stay in the water for too long, as this can dry your skin out even more. To avoid irritating your sunburned skin, skip the soap and don’t scrub your skin while you’re in the bath or shower. After your swim or shower, use a soft towel to gently dab at your skin. Don’t rub yourself with the towel—this can irritate your skin even more. Stop drying your skin while it’s still a little wet.
Apply a moisturizing cream or aloe gel. After your shower, while your skin is still damp, gently smooth a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturizer onto your sunburn. The moisturizer will help trap water against your skin—and that extra moisture may help your skin heal faster. The faster your skin heals, the less likely you are to peel. Aloe vera gel can help reduce inflammation and may promote faster healing. Soy-based moisturizers may also help you heal faster. Us3 1% cortisone cream to help reduce some of your redness and swelling for the first few days—but don’t use hydrocortisone creams on babies or small children unless directed by their pediatrician. Avoid using creams or lotions made of petroleum or other oils. These can trap heat against your skin, making you uncomfortable and potentially worsening the burn. And don’t use creams that contain benzocaine or lidocaine—these may cause an allergic reaction, which can make your sunburn worse.
Use cool compresses if you’re still uncomfortable. Make a cool compress by wrapping an ice pack in a clean, soft towel. Then, hold that against the sunburn. This will help relieve some of the pain from your burn, but it may also reduce inflammation, which might help prevent some peeling. Don’t put ice directly on your sunburn or you could damage the skin even more.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. OTC pain medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxin can help take away some of the stinging, burning feeling of a sunburn. And taking it right after you get sunburned might help prevent some swelling, which may help limit peeling. Be sure to read the label before taking any medications, and talk to your doctor about which medications are safe if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or on a prescription that might interact with OTC meds. Don’t give aspirin to teens or children under 16 due to the risk of Reyes syndrome.
Reduce Peeling as Your Sunburn Heals
Drink plenty of water to avoid getting dehydrated. Sunburns pull moisture to the surface of your skin. This can leave you dehydrated, so it’s especially important to drink extra water for the first 2 or 3 days after you get a sunburn. Staying hydrated may also help your sunburn heal faster, which can help your peeling go away sooner.
Soothe your skin with cool showers, baths, and cold compresses. For the first few days after you get a sunburn, your skin will be tender, and it could become more inflamed if it gets irritated. Taking cool showers or baths and applying cold compresses can help reduce that inflammation, which may help limit how much you peel. Spending too much time in the water can dry out your skin, so limit your baths or showers to about 10 minutes each. However, it’s okay to take several cool baths a day if you need to. If your sunburn starts to blister, take baths instead of showers—the water from a shower could pop the blister.
Moisturize frequently with lotion or aloe gel. Moisturizing won’t prevent peeling, but it can help speed up the healing process. Moisturizer will also soften the dead skin. This may make your peeling less obvious, and it could help you avoid the temptation to pick at your peeling skin. Softening the skin may also speed up the natural sloughing process, helping your peeling go away faster.
Don’t pick at your peeling skin. It’s important to let your skin peel away naturally. Don’t peel away the dead skin—just let it come off on its own. Dr. Pierre-Louis advises that if you peel at the skin, you could pull off more than you mean to, which could lead to scarring. Avoid using exfoliating products, and don’t scrub your skin to try to make it peel faster. Also, don’t pop any blisters, as this increases your risk of getting an infection.
What causes skin to peel after a sunburn?
Peeling occurs as your body gets rid of dead skin cells. A sunburn damages the top layers of your skin—more serious sunburns mean the burn goes into deeper layers. As your skin starts to heal, those damaged layers of skin separate and fall off, resulting in a peeling sunburn.
When to See a Doctor for Sunburn
Get medical help if you have a lot of blistering or a fever. Severe sunburns can turn into a medical emergency, so check with your doctor if you have large blisters, burns over a lot of your body, or a fever and chills. Other signs that you should see a doctor include: Dizziness Lightheadedness Confusion Headache Muscle cramps Swelling of the face Rapid breathing or increased heart rate Signs of infection, like red streaks radiating from your sunburn or pus coming from the burn The sunburn is on a baby under 1 year old
How to Prevent Sunburn
Avoid going outdoors from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The best way to prevent peeling is to avoid getting a sunburn in the first place. Dr. Goldinberg says going outdoors when the sun is strongest makes you more likely to burn. If you do have to go outside during this time, cover up, try to stay in the shade, and wear sunscreen.
Wear SPF 30 sunscreen every day. Dr. Pierre-Louis says the best way to prevent sunburn is to apply a thick layer of SPF 30 sunscreen to any exposed skin every day before you go outside—you should be able to see the sunscreen on your skin. Reapply your sunscreen every two hours, or sooner if you go swimming or sweat the sunscreen off. She also says that if you’re using a mineral sunscreen—one that contains zinc or titanium and looks white when you put it on—you’ll be protected from the sun right away. If you’re using a chemical sunscreen that looks clear, wait about 20 minutes before going out in the sun.
Cover up with tight-weave fabrics that block the sun. Dr. Goldinberg advises that covering up with sun-protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat can help reduce your exposure to the sun. Look for clothing made with UPF fabrics—these are especially good at blocking the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
FAQs
Do sunburns always peel? No, not all sunburns peel, but many do. The best way to avoid peeling is to prevent sunburn in the first place.
Is it bad to peel a sunburn? It can be tempting, but you shouldn’t peel your sunburn. Let the peeling happen naturally to give your skin time to heal.
How long does it take a sunburn to heal? Most sunburns take about a week to heal. You’ll usually stop peeling once the sunburn is healed. If you have a more serious sunburn, like one that blisters, it can take up to two weeks to heal.
Does aloe vera help treat sunburn? Yes, aloe vera is a gentle moisturizer that can help soothe a sunburn. It may also help your sunburn heal faster.
How can I fix my peeling sunburn overnight? Unfortunately, there’s no way to speed up the healing process once a sunburn has occurred—it will usually take anywhere from a few days to a week to heal, or longer for a severe burn.
How can I stop my sunburn from peeling on my face? Moisturizing your face while it heals may help limit how much your skin peels. However, the only way to fully prevent peeling is to avoid getting a sunburn on your face in the first place.
Why is my skin peeling if I don’t have a sunburn? Peeling skin can be caused by skin conditions like dry skin, dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. It can also be due to certain infections. Also, some medications and skin care products can lead to peeling skin, including some acne and anti-aging treatments.
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