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Sunburn is one of the most common causes of flaking skin. As the weather gets warmer, it’s tempting to lay out in the sun. But your skin reacts to the sun’s UV rays and burns if you don’t use sunscreen or sunscreen, which can lead to flaking skin after sunburn. Sunburn is caused by a variety of factors, including how long you spend in the sun, the time of day, the intensity of the UV rays, your skin type, and whether you’re using a topical or internal treatment. Sunburn not only causes flaking skin and irritation, but also increases the risk of skin cancer. So what can be done to prevent it? Is there a way to get rid of it? We’ve answered everything in this article. Read on!
The sun damages the skin cells in the epidermis when your skin is over-exposed to the harmful UV rays. Your body’s immune system, which is designed to protect you from damage, becomes overwhelmed, causing the damaged skin to peel off (1).
Wondering how long does your skin take to peel after a sunburn? Read on to find out.
Fortunately, peeling skin after a sunburn is a type of short-term skin damage (1). Your skin can start peeling anywhere from three days to a week after a sunburn. Generally, peeling stops after the skin has fully recovered. The whole process can take up to two weeks.
James Stewart, an evangelical blogger, shares his story of severe skin peeling after a sunburn: “Not only did I have the hottest, worst sunburn in the world, but I also had the longest period of skin peeling anyone has ever experienced after a sunburn. My skin literally peeled for months afterward (i).”
Once the damage is done, there is no way to completely prevent peeling. However, you can help maintain and heal the healthy skin underneath. How? Let’s look at the next section to find out!
Using a cold compress or taking a cool shower/bath does not guarantee that peeling will subside. However, if your sunburn is particularly hot, inflamed, and uncomfortable, the cool temperatures may provide temporary relief.
You can make a cold compress at home by filling a thick cloth bag with ice cubes or wrapping ice cubes in a washcloth. Never apply ice directly to sunburned skin, as the extreme cold can cause further damage to the skin, worsen peeling, and delay the healing process.
Aloe vera gel applied topically soothes and moisturizes sunburned skin while reducing inflammation (2). These combined properties help speed up the sunburn healing process and reduce the time it takes for skin to peel.
Apply the gel from aloe vera leaves directly to your skin or use a natural, over-the-counter aloe vera gel product. Avoid store-bought aloe vera gel that contains chemical preservatives, as it could worsen irritation.
Colloidal oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties (3). Therefore, it can relieve dryness and irritation caused by sunburn. It also supports the skin’s ability to retain moisture, which aids in the healing process.
Colloidal oatmeal is not the same as breakfast oatmeal. Still, whole grain oats can be used to make colloidal oatmeal. Place some uncooked whole grain oats in a food processor or blender and grind them into a fine powder. Pour 2-3 cups of this powder into a lukewarm or cold bath and soak for 10-15 minutes.
Sunburn and tight clothing are an uncomfortable combination. Instead, wear loose, soft clothing to allow your skin to breathe and avoid friction and further irritation.
One of the worst things you can do after a sunburn is to peel off the excess skin. You risk infection and expose skin cells that aren’t ready to be exposed, which can lead to scarring.
Taking aspirin or ibuprofen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, can soothe the skin and reduce some of the pain and swelling associated with sunburn. You can also apply over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to the affected areas (1).
You can also crush some aspirin or ibuprofen tablets and mix them with water to form a paste that you can gently apply to the affected area.
Avoid petroleum or oil-based lotions and moisturizers until your skin has completely stopped peeling.
In addition to external treatments, you should now tackle flaky skin from the inside out. Honestly, nothing is better for your skin than a big glass of water. Staying hydrated is essential for healthy skin. Water becomes even more important when your skin is damaged, such as after a sunburn.
There is not much scientific evidence to support the use of some home remedies for sunburn. However, they are safe unless you are sensitive or allergic to them. You can try the following:
Apply menthol shaving cream to the skin.
Add baking soda to a cool bath.
Apply honey to the affected area.
Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every two hours.
Stay out of the sun as much as possible.
Cover your skin as much as possible with long-sleeved clothing, hats and light scarves.
Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat when you go out.
Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Matthew W. Turcotte, a pop culture blogger, talks about using sunscreen with at least SPF 50 to recover from bad sunburns in one of his blog posts. “Believe me, I know all about sunburns that cause blisters. I got a few of them in my early childhood that were horrible, causing the skin to peel. Once you’ve experienced a few of those, you definitely don’t want to experience another one. And I’ve also learned that only applying sunscreen once a day isn’t necessarily the right thing to do unless you’re outside for 30 minutes or an hour. Me? I usually reapply sunscreen during recess and lunch breaks (ii),” he says.
A 2018 online survey study was conducted with 3,106 participants to determine the causes of sunburns in American adults. 50.7% of participants reported being outdoors for 1–3 hours, while 38.9% reported being outdoors for 3–6 hours. The most commonly cited context was swimming (32.5%), while working outdoors (26.2%) and vacation (20.7%) were cited. Only 5.5% wanted to tan. Overall, 79.6% reported using sunscreen.
Sometimes peeling skin can get bad enough to require medical attention. Read the next section to learn when to seek medical attention.
Peeling skin after sunburn is rarely a cause for concern and usually does not require medical attention. However, you should seek medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms:
Swelling
Fluid oozing from the affected area.
Blisters that become inflamed or turn yellow.
Fever, nausea, or chills.
You can also consult a dermatologist to learn more about the best sunburn treatment options for your skin type and skin concerns.
Sunburns heal over time. This healing process occurs in several stages. You’ll learn more about them in the next section.
Initial redness: The first stage involves tenderness and inflammation of the affected skin, often accompanied by warmth and pain. It can occur within a few hours of sun exposure.
Flaking and blistering: In some cases, sunburn can also develop into blistering. These blisters may be filled with fluid and cause theaffected skin peels.
Healing and repair: The body begins to repair the damaged skin over time. The skin begins to regenerate. New, healthier skin cells replace the damaged ones.
Itching and flaking: After the initial healing, the sunburned area may itch as the damaged skin continues to peel.
Although the skin returns to its normal state over time, it may still be sensitive to sunlight for a while.