How to Treat Peeling Skin After a Sunburn, According to an Expert

I’ll admit, I have some pretty bad skin-care habits, especially for a beauty editor! I don’t know what it is, but I am awful at resisting the urge to pop my own pimples, squeeze the dirt out of the pores of my nose and, my favorite, peel my sunburned skin. Recently, after one very sleepy experience at the beach, I got a bad sunburn that resulted in peeling skin. Despite hearing rumors that you’re not supposed to peel sun-damaged skin, I did it anyway. Then, I realized the reason I never took this tip seriously was because I never knew if there was any truth to it — so, I finally asked an expert. Here, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare, Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., explains why skin peeling sometimes happens after a sunburn, plus why I (and you) should leave this peeling sunburned skin alone.

Why Does Your Skin Peel After a Sunburn?

To understand why we shouldn’t peel the skin after a sunburn, it’s important to know what causes the peeling in the first place.

“Our skin constantly goes through a very subtle, invisible shedding process where dead cells fall off the skin's surface,” says Dr. Ciraldo. “But when we are exposed to UVB rays, it kills off the top layers of skin cells prematurely and causes the damaged skin cells to die and start to shed in a more massive, visible way.”

Why Shouldn’t You Peel Sunburned Skin?

“It is healthiest to leave these dead cells to peel off and shed by themselves,” says Dr. Ciraldo. “If we try to pry them off prematurely, we can often take living skin along with it and trigger poor or prolonged healing, increased irritation and inflammation, and even possible infection.”

What’s the Best Way to Prevent Peeling Skin?

The best way to handle peeling skin is to prevent it all together (and maybe don’t do what I did, which is take a nap at the beach — oops). Dr. Ciraldo says prevention in the form of applying and reapplying sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher before you go out is the best way to prevent sun damage.

“Also, remember that you can get sunburned through clouds, so keep reapplying sunscreen as directed on the packaging even if it’s a cloudy day.” If you need a sunscreen recommendation, we like the La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Correct Face Suncreen SPF 70 with Niacinamidebecause it offers maximum protection (and hydration!) and is safe to use on your face and body. Another way to work more sun protection into your routine is to reach for a moisturizer that’s infused with SPF, like the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30.