how to get rid of sunburn peeling

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn - the one thing to NEVER do

SUNBURN starts off hot, red and sore but can cause your skin to flake and peel after a few days. Here's the one thing to NEVER do when it comes to peeling skin.

Kim Kardashian covers her sunburn with makeup

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There is no safe or healthy way to get a tan, even if people call a tan a 'healthy glow'. Sunburn doesn't just happen abroad, the sun is normally strong enough to cause sunburn from mid-March until mid-October in the UK, depending on how strong the rays are and how sun-sensitive your skin is. If you've got burnt by accident, your skin might have started to flake and peel. Express.co.uk reveals how to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn and the one thing you should NEVER do.

Up to nine in 10 cases of melanoma skin cancer could be prevented by enjoying the sun safely.

Whether you're working from home indoors or spending time with friends in a park, you need to protect your skin.

Cancer Research UK stresses the importance of spending time in the shade, wearing loose clothing with a wide-brimmed hat and UV protection sunglasses, as well as wearing suncream on areas of skin you can't cover with clothes.

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How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn:

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn: Peeling skin sometimes comes alongside sunburn (Image: Getty)

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn:

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn: Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer (Image: Getty)

People with naturally dark or brown skin burn less easily, but if you're fair-skinned or even darker-skinned but have burnt anyway you're putting yourself at higher risk of skin cancer.

Sometimes just sitting in the shade with suncream on exposed areas isn't enough, particularly if you have light or fair skin, hair and eyes, lots of freckles or moles, a history of sunburn or a family history of skin cancer.

You don't need your skin to peel to be sunburnt - as soon as your skin is a bit red, pink, itchy or tender - you are burnt.

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn:

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn: Always wear SPF and suncream on your body (Image: Getty)

Why does skin peel when burnt?

A sunburn happens when your body's defences are overwhelmed by too much UV light - it is a toxic reaction.

First degree burns affect the outer layer of the skin and heal within a few days but second-degree burns are more serious.

These serious sunburns can cause swelling, blistering and are a sign that a deeper layer of skin and nerve endings have been damaged and it will take longer to heal.

Peeling can happen no matter how serious the burn is because your body is trying to shed the damaged cells.

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According to information from Dr Natalie Curcio on theSkinCancer.orgblog, the first thing you should do is heal the skin.

She said: "To relieve pain, you can take cold showers or baths and take ibuprofen or aspirin.

"Also, the best thing to do is moisturize the area with an aloe-vera or soy-based product.

Moisturizing will help soothe sunburned skin, but be careful to avoid petroleum-based or other oil-based creams. These may trap heat and make your sunburn even worse.

"In addition, don't forget to drink extra water to prevent dehydration."

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn:

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn: Don't try to exfoliate or remove the peeling skin (Image: Getty)

How to get rid of peeling skin from sunburn

Once your skin starts to peel, Dr Curcio recommends continuing to moisturise, protect and cover your skin to help it heal faster.

The one thing you should NEVER do when it comes to peeling or burnt skin is to exfoliate or peel it off.

Dr Curcio wrote on the blog: "Do not pull off your peeling skin and avoid active exfoliation.

"Instead, allow it to slough off your body on its own.

"Peeling usually stops when the burn has healed — about seven days for mild to moderate burns."

A peeling burn is healing so keep wearing sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher, keep your skin protected and out of the sun as much as possible and avoid getting burnt again.