After a long day in the sun without protection, a sunburn paired with peeling and redness can occur. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that at least 42 percent of people get at least one sunburn per year. The peeling skin is your body's reaction to the first-degree burns of a typical sunburn. Next time you're in the sun, ensure that you cover up to skip the painful after effects altogether.
Step 1
Mix an oatmeal paste to gently exfoliate your tender skin without pain. Using a loofah or sea sponge is too harsh to use on your sensitive skin directly after a sunburn. Instead, mix a cup of dry oats with enough water to create a paste. Use a washcloth to gently apply the oatmeal scrub your skin in a circular motion. Stop the process if you feel pain. Rub for at least two minutes before rinsing away for smoother skin.
Step 2
Replenish the moisture in your skin to avoid further peeling after you've removed the dead skin. Dermatologist Jerold Z. Kaplan, medical director of the Alta Bates Burn Center, tells MotherNature.com that any good-quality moisturizer will help seal in moisture. However, look for ones especially made for burned skin, such as those containing aloe vera and vitamin E to calm and cool irritated skin.
Step 3
Apply an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream if you experience pain and itching with your peeling skin, suggests MayoClinic.com. Hydrocortisone cream essentially constricts the blood vessels in your nerve endings to relieve the itching and burning sensations that can come along with a sunburn and peeling skin.
Step 4
Avoid picking, peeling or scratching your peeling skin. By peeling your skin away manually, you open yourself up to the germs and bacteria on your hands entering the broken skin on your body and eventually causing infection. If you feel the need to itch, reapply your hydrocortisone cream. If you want to peel away the dead skin, wear clothes that cover the area so you aren't as tempted.
Step 5
Wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 or higher every day, warns the Skin Cancer Foundation. Each time you receive a sunburn that causes you to burn and peel, you're damaging your skin and weakening its defenses against skin cancer. You can also protect your skin from future burns by staying out of the sun during the hot afternoon, wearing clothes that cover you and reapplying sunscreen often.
Things You'll Need
- Oatmeal
- Washcloth
- Moisturizer
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Sunscreen
