How to treat sunburn peeling

Along with sunshine comes lifted spirits and a general sense of relaxation, however excess sun exposure can lead to sun damaged skin – that is, if you’re not taking the necessary precautions against it. 

Ever wondered why your sunburned skin started to peel? This article explores the causes, symptoms, and what to do about the peeling skin from sunburn.

Sunburn can lead to parts of the body, face or scalp feeling painful, warm to the touch, looking red or developing blisters.

You may also notice that your skin is peeling or flaking after being exposed to the sun for too long. This is because your body tries to remove the damaged cells. Here are some causes of sunburn peeling:

• Direct damage to the outermost layers of our skin from Ultraviolet (UV) rays
• Artificial sources of UV light such as tanning beds or sunlamps

Read more about what causes sunburn, the degrees of sunburn severity and how to treat it here.

As the sunburned skin peels off, new skin cells free from direct sun-damage regenerate. Here are some ways to get relief while your skin heal from a sunburn:

• Moisturise your skin if it becomes dry, using the Eucerin Sensitive Relief After Sun Cream Gel and UreaRepair PLUS product range to soothe sunburned skin.
• Drink sufficient amounts of water to boost hydration and aid skin repair.
• Take cool baths to calm sunburned skin and use a soothing product such as Eucerin Hyaluron Mist Spray.
• Be gentle with your skin and do not pick at the site of peeling as this can exacerbate sunburn symptoms.
• Avoid further sun damage by protecting the skin with Eucerin’s sun range.
• Wear protective clothing to reduce direct sun exposure.

There is no hard and fast rule to the timeline of the peeling, but it usually goes away once the burn has healed. This can be anywhere from two days to a week, depending on the severity.

Dealing with peeling skin from a sunburn can leave your skin feeling itchy or tender, and you might be tempted to scratch at the skin or peel off the sunburn.

Do not exfoliate sunburned skin as this will aggravate the peeling and can lead to scarring. Also, you should avoid hot showers or steam, as this can worsen the sunburn and increase pain.

Shielding your skin from the sun as it peels can reduce the risk of additional sunburn peeling or formation of blisters. In order to minimise the impact of UV radiation, dermatologists advise everyone to apply Sun Protection Factor (SPF) daily, re-applying it every 2 hours where possible.