Is It Bad To Peel Dead Skin

SUNBURN tin exist really painful...and embarrassing.

As if turning into a human being lobster wasn't humiliating enough, your skin starts to peel and shed once the colour has started to die downwards.

Tempted to pick? It's definitely not a good idea - unless you're OK with scarring and infection — Tempted to pick? It's definitely not a good thought - unless yous're OK with scarring and infection Credit: Corbis - Getty

And when that happens, information technology tin can exist tempting to tear off the peeling pare so that you're not flaking all over the place.

But you really don't desire to pick your skin after a sunburn - because doing so tin can leave you lot with a skin infection or longterm scar.

Peeling is a sign that significant damage has occurred. It's your trunk's way of getting rid of damaged cells that could potentially become malignant.

"When the skin peels after sunburn, it'southward a result of the expressionless pare cells being eliminated from the body while a salubrious new layer recovers underneath," explained Dr Walayat Hussain, consultant dermatologist and British Peel Foundation spokesperson.

He told The Sun: "If you lot pick at the skin, it tin potentially cause scarring and permanent skin discolouration - so we definitely advise against this."

When nosotros become sunburned, our skin is damaged by UV radiation.

To counteract that, the body tries to heal itself by forming a new layer of skin underneath - just that process can take upwardly to vii days.

When the skin peels after sunburn, it's a result of the dead skin cells being eliminated from the body while a healthy new layer recovers underneath — When the skin peels after sunburn, information technology's a result of the dead skin cells being eliminated from the body while a healthy new layer recovers underneath Credit: Getty - Contributor

Past peeling the skin, might think that you're but removing "dead" stuff, only you could actually be damaging perfectly salubrious skin in the process.

And peeling skin before it'south ready to come off tin can interfere with the healing process - leaving you open up to infection.

Picking away can also cause acne-like scarring on the undamaged layer.

Skin doesn't always skin at the same time, so ripping off $.25 of flaky peel can atomic number 82 to accidentally removing salubrious skin.

Our skin is a barrier to infection so if that'southward compromised, you open up the floodgates to leaner.

Go an infection and yous're leaving yourself open to scarring.

So, how can you stop your sunburn from peeling?

You tin can't really stop it from happening only you may be able to speed the process along.

Moisturise

"It is important during this time to use liberal quantities of moisturiser to assistance reduce the symptoms of soreness and itching," said Dr Hussain.

Aloe vera is great for cooling the skin, reducing inflammation and reducing the pare's peeling process.

One study recommends slathering your skin in an unscented moisturiser and applying it as ofttimes as needed.

Don't exfoliate

You lot don't want to aggravate the pare whatsoever more than than information technology already is, so avoid using harsh scrubs, exfoliants, loofahs, sponges and whatever yous do, don't scratch.

Have ibuprofen

If it'southward painful, accept an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen which will too reduce inflammation and decrease peeling.

Avoid using petroleum-based creams

Petroleum and other oils can trap heat and make sunburn worse, so make sure that you check what'due south in your moisturiser.

How to stay safe in the sun

"Apparently prevention is better than a cure - a unmarried episode of astringent baking sunburn tin can increment your gamble of skin cancer so cover upwardly, seek the shade and keep reapplying that sunscreen!" said Dr Hussain.

Peeling peel is gross simply it might just serve every bit a reminder to take extra care in the sun.

Getting sunburnt once every ii years triples your risk of peel cancer, so it's admittedly imperative that you take measures to avert it happening.

Everyone needs to apply around two tablespoons for the head and neck expanse, and 2 tablespoons for the body.

Yous tin't utilize enough - and when information technology's actually warm, you need to think well-nigh how ofttimes you lot're applying it.

"Lots of people apply suncream twice during the 24-hour interval every bit they are aware it does article of clothing off, and while this is a expert start, suncream really does need applying more than than twice particularly on really hot days," says dermatologist Dr Jennifer Crawley.

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"It's too important that whatever your skin blazon you await for one with a high SPF of 30+ and ane that volition protect the skin against both UVA and UVB rays."

Fifty-fifty when it's overcast, you lot all the same demand to be applying suncream to your face.

Roofing up as much as possible and sticking to the shade - peculiarly when the sun is at its highest and strongest (12pm-3pm) are also good ideas.

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