Skin Peeling on Face - Causes and Remedies

Alternatively known as desquamation, skin peeling can be an uncomfortable condition to deal with. This refers to the unintended damage meted out to your skin and the resultant damage and loss of the upper layer of the skin, also known as the epidermis.

Causes Of Peeling Skin

While the most common cause is sunburn, this is not the only cause and there are several other causes of this discomforting condition.

1. Environmental Elements

Your skin is the largest, most visible organ constituting your body and is regularly exposed to several environmental elements such as heat, Sun, wind, rain, dryness, all of which can injure and/or damage it. These can also lead to irritation. Repeated irritation causes the skin to peel.

2. Sunburn

This is the most common cause of skin peeling. If you are exposed to the UV rays of the sun for extended periods without sufficient protection (Sunscreen with enough SPF value), it will cause your skin to peel. The rays will kill or damage your skin cells causing redness, itching, a burning and painful sensation. Discover more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment for sunburn.

3. Allergies

While less common, allergies of different kinds too can lead to skin peeling. As an example, allergic reactions to cosmetics can cause the skin to peel as well.

4. Genetic Disease

While this is very rare, there exists a skin disorder called acral peeling skin syndrome which causes painless peeling of the epidermis.

5. Skin Conditions

Skin conditions like eczema often lead to skin peeling as well. Skin peeling often results from a disease or condition which may originate from a point which is not on your skin. This type of peeling is accompanied by itching.

6. Dryness

This is a common factor for skin peeling, often resulting simply either due to not adequate moisturizing. This can be either due to weather conditions which do not provide enough hydration or because of inadequate water consumption or not using moisturizing products on the skin.

7. Chemical Burns

Chemical treatments including chemical peels are popularly in use these days and can another reason for peeling skin in some people.

Tips To Stop Skin Peeling

The following ways or tips might prove helpful in preventing skin from peeling.

1. Stay Hydrated

It is generally advised that people should drink 8 glasses of water a day. This is beneficial for various reasons, one of them being it keeps your skin moisturized, preventing skin peeling. However, in tropical countries where one tends to sweat a lot such as India, especially during the summer months, water requirement varies due to loss of water. So it's recommendable to drink enough water as required. Essentially, water is important for hydration purposes.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Medication

Anti-inflammatory medication such as a cream like cortisone can reduce inflammation, pain, redness caused by sunburn. Thus these are important to treat sunburn.

3. Home Remedies

Different home remedies have been popularly in use for skin issues including for skin peeling. They range from using honey on the peeling skin, using baking soda (in a bath, not topically) to using cucumber slices on the skin etc. Your doctor may or may not be prescribing these but many people have used these as a natural, inexpensive and effective solutions. More recipes in the next section.

4. Natural Moisturizers

Aloe Vera can act as a naturally derived moisturizer. It can soothe irritated skin with its cooling effect, particularly proving helpful after a sunburn. It accelerates the healing of burns. Additionally, it can even help improving skin health and to prevent wrinkles by keeping the skin compact and the pores from expanding.

Also Read : Top 15 Homemade Moisturizers For Dry, Oily And Sensitive Skin

5. Prevent Skin Irritation

If burnt, avoid anything that might increase skin irritation such as contact with cold water or hot water. Avoid extremes of temperature, stay out of the sun, do not scratch the affected areas. Be vigilant of avoiding causing more irritation to skin.

6. Avoid Direct Contact With The Sun

While this seems obvious, it is important to maintain this. Unless absolutely necessary, do not step out in the sun, and if it is necessary, step out only with high-SPF sunscreen, and with protections such as a hat and gloves and so on.

7. Avoid Exfoliators

After being sunburnt, avoid exfoliators because they will aggravate your inflammation even further. Exfoliators aid in clearing the dead skin cells on your epidermis, it will pull off the dry skin before its ready, exacerbating skin underneath, causing a great deal of pain. Use a moisturizing body wash or face wash until then.

8. Cool Compress

Applying a cool, wet compress to the affected areas on your skin will help in the process of healing. Keep it on your skin for 20 to 30 minutes to soothe irritation and stop the peeling process. Be careful of not applying ice directly to your skin as that can cause further irritation.

Home Remedies For Peeling Skin

These are the various skin peeling treatments you can adopt or try at home. Any skin peeling treatment at home should be employed with care. Especially if your skin has recently been through a burn or distress, or is still aggravated, it's best to delay using these recipes until it is already healing. Also, a visit to a doctor is needed if the problem is severe and persistent. Some of these recipes work for certain kind of problem, so go on and educate yourself about these recipes and when and how they should be used.

1. Gentle

While you should not use harsh exfoliators while struggling with skin peeling, using a mild natural exfoliator should not only be fine it could also help with peeling skin. Do not use this scrub if you have a skin condition, or if your skin is burnt recently. Use this only when your skin starts to heal. This home-treatment is suitable for chemical burns, sunburns and dry and flaky skin.

What You Will Need

• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¬Ω cup coconut oil(solid or coarse)

Method

1. Mix together the sugar with the oil until the mixture is smooth.
2. If this mixture is loose, put some more sugar in it.
3. Apply on the affected, peeling area.
4. Use this exfoliator on your skin gently in circular motions.
5. Wash off with lukewarm water.

Time Required

It takes 4 to 5 minutes.

How Often To Apply

Once, twice or thrice a week, depending upon how sensitive your skin is.

Why This Remedy Works

If you have a skin condition, do not use this scrub. Use only when your burn or peeling starts to subside or heal. The sugar scrub works as it clears away the dead cells on the epidermis leaving your skin soft and clean, helping prevent any residue from exacerbating your condition.

2. Lemon Juice

This is useful only for skin which is not aggravated or inflamed.

What You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¬Ω cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl until you get a coarse mixture.
2. Massage the mixture gently onto the affected area in soft, circular motion.
3. Rinse it off with cool water.

Time Required

5 minutes.

How Often To Apply

Twice or thrice a week.

Why This Remedy Works

Lemon juice is a potent astringent which helps in eliminating the dead skin cells on your epidermis. This helps reduce the visual effect of peeling on your skin.

3. Olive Oil

This treatment is suitable for all sorts of peeling skin or aggravated skin.

What You Will Need

• Olive oil.

Method

1. Heat the olive oil. If your burn is fresh you do not need to heat the oil.
2. Apply the oil onto the area where the skin is peeling.
3. Massage onto your skin for 2-3 minutes, gently.
4. Leave the oil on your skin.

Time Required

5 minutes in totality, more or less.

How Often To Apply

Thrice daily, for best results.

Why This Remedy Works

Olive oil is a great natural moisturizer as it contains fatty acids which help hydrate or moisturize your skin. Due to its high content of antioxidants, it helps fight against any skin conditions as well, which is why it is suitable for all skin types. The olive oil thus helps in maintaining skin health and keeps it fresh and supple.

4. Baby Oil

Baby products are made so as to not aggravate their soft and fresh skin at all. Thus baby oil can be useful for all skin types suffering from peeling skin.

What You Will Need

• Baby oil only.

Time Required

2 minutes to apply.

How Often To Apply

Whenever your skin feels irritated or aggravated.

Why This Remedy Works

It soothes your skin and moisturizes it. This oil is particularly useful for people suffering due to extremely sensitive skin. Baby oil helps while not aggravating or irritating your skin further, allowing it to heal.

5. Aloe Vera

All types of skin can be treated with aloe vera.

What You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel only.

Method

1. Apply the aloe vera gel onto the affected area on your skin.
2. Allow it to dry completely.
3. Wash off with warm water.

Time Required

5 minutes to apply.

How Often To Apply

Whenever your skin feels aggravated, apply this gel.

Why This Remedy Works

Aloe vera gel is mostly (99 per cent) water only and has a cooling effect on your skin. It helps to nourish, moisturize and heal skin. It even reduces inflammation, redness, itchiness and pain.

6. Glycerine

This is particularly useful for those people who have dry, peeling skin or peeling skin due to chemical burns or sunburns.

What You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons of glycerin.
• 4 tablespoon pure rose water.
• A spray bottle.

Method

1. Mix the glycerin and the rose water in a bowl until they are mixed well.
2. Pour the contents of the bowl carefully into the spray bottle.
3. Spray this onto the affected areas of your skin.

Time Required

2 minutes to prepare.

How Often To Apply

Whenever your skin feels irritated or aggravated, apply.

Why This Remedy Works

This mixture is light and keeps your skin hydrated and moisturized for long durations. It is very convenient due to ease of usage and helps especially during the summer.

Also Read : 13 Magical Benefits Of Glycerine for Skin Care

7. Coconut Oil

This home-made treatment is suitable for all types/kinds of peeling skin.

What You Will Need

• Coconut oil.

Method

1. Take a shower to let your skin calm down and be cool.
2. Pat dry and then apply the coconut oil.
3. Ensure that the temperature of the coconut oil isn’t too extreme (hot or cold).
4. Massage gently for a few minutes in a circular motion.
5. Leave the oil on your skin without washing it off.

Time Required

2 to 5 minutes.

How Often To Apply

As soon as your skin starts to feel aggravated.

Why This Remedy Works

Coconut oil is a great natural moisturizer due to its high content of saturated fats. It helps people with all skin-types suffering from various skin conditions. It soothes the skin, relieves itching and pain.

8. Vitamin Oil

This is suitable for all types of skin.

What You Will Need

• Vitamin E oil capsules.

Method

1. Poke holes in the capsules and squeeze the oil out in a bowl.
2. Apply this oil onto the affected areas.
3. Leave it on your skin.

Time Required

2 minutes to make and apply.

How Often To Apply

Once or twice daily.

Why This Remedy Works

Vitamin E oil is extremely useful in healing skin and maintaining skin health. It soothes your skin, and due to its high antioxidant content fights off skin damage and helps prevent other skin conditions. It is useful in fading scars as well. Thus it can help treat sunburns without aggravating the skin.

9. Oatmeal Scrub

This natural exfoliator is useful for dry skin, sunburns and chemical burns. Use only when your skin has calmed down and started to heal.

What You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons of powdered oatmeal.
• 1 tablespoon sugar.
• 1 tablespoon fine, powdered sugar.

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl to get a coarse mixture.
2. Apply this mixture onto the affected areas on your skin.
3. Gently massage in a circular motion using 2 to 3 fingers to exfoliate your skin.
4. Leave the mixture on for a couple more minutes.
5. Rinse off the mixture with cool water.

Time Required

5 minutes.

How Often To Apply

Twice or thrice a week.

Why This Remedy Works

This primarily treats the visual part of the problem, removing the layer of dead skin cells leaving a soft, clearer skin with the reduced appearance of peeling.

10. Cocoa Butter

This is suitable for all skin types and all types of peeling regardless of the intensity of the burn.

What You Will Need

• Only cocoa butter.

Method

1. Take a cool shower to let your skin calm down and cool.
2. Once dry, apply the cocoa butter onto your skin, especially focussing on the affected areas.
3. Massage gently in circular motions for a couple of minutes.
4. Leave it on your skin.

Time Required

Two minutes for the application, half an hour for showering.

How Often To Apply

Whenever your skin starts to feel aggravated, use cocoa butter.

Why This Remedy Works

Cocoa butter is known primarily for its moisturizing properties. It helps heal cracked, dry, peeling skin.

11. Epsom Salt

This home treatment is suitable for all sorts of skin types.

What You Will Need

• A cup of Epsom salt.
• A warm bath.

Method

1. Prepare for a warm bath(if you have a bathtub) or a bucket full of warm water.
2. Mix the Epsom salt into this mixture.
3. Soak in the bath for half an hour to an hour. Pour the water over your body slowly, with a mug, otherwise.
4. Afterwards, pat yourself dry gently with a towel.

Time Required

This can take half an hour to an hour.

How Often To Apply

Once or twice daily.

Why This Remedy Works

Epsom salt acts as a natural exfoliator without aggravating your skin too much, at the same time nourishing it with minerals. It soothes aggravated skin and even helps treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Also Read : 20 Wonderful Benefits of Epsom Salt for Skin, Hair and Health

12. Vaseline

This is another widely found daily used household article. It is useful for treating peeling skin of all skin types.

What You Will Need

• Just vaseline.

Method

• Wash your skin with cool water and pat dry gently with a towel.
• Apply vaseline onto the affected areas.
• Leave it on.

Time Required

Barely five minutes.

How Often To Apply

Whenever your skin starts to feel aggravated.

Why This Remedy Works

Apart from moisturizing, vaseline creates a protective barrier around your skin which helps in keeping dirt, oil and moisture in your skin. This helps give your skin space and time to heal, hastening the process.

13.Yogurt

This almost daily used ingredient is suitable for treating skin peeling for all skin types.

What You Will Need

• Two tablespoons of honey
• Two tablespoons of yogurt

Method

1. Mix the required ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth mixture.
2. Apply the mixture onto the affected areas.
3. Let the yogurt dry on your face.
4. Wash your face, rinsing out the yogurt with warm water.

Time Required

20 minutes.

How Often To Apply

Once or twice a day.

Why This Remedy Works

Yogurt cools, moisturizes and due to its soothing property it is useful for healing peeling skin. It also contains acids, enzymes and minerals which help or aid in the healing process.

14. Milk

This naturally moisturizing, daily utilized, ubiquitously found ingredient is suitable for all skin types.

What You Will Need

• 1 cup refrigerated milk.
• A washcloth.

Method

1. Keep a cup of milk in the refrigerator till it is ice-cold but not solidified.
2. Soak the washcloth in this cold milk.
3. Place the cloth on the areas affected on your skin.
4. Leave it on your skin for 10 minutes.
5. Afterwards, remove the cloth and wash your skin with cool water.

Time Required

Ten minutes to apply, an hour to half an hour to refrigerate.

How Often To Apply

Thrice daily, for best results.

Why This Remedy Works

Milk is a natural moisturizer and its fatty acid content contributes to its hydrating properties. Due to the presence of lactic acid, it soothes your skin and controls irritation and itching.

How Long Does Skin Peeling Last?

Once the skin starts peeling, it takes on an estimate a week for the skin to heal. However, skin heals depending upon the intensity of the sunburn, or the other causes of skin peeling. It takes 3 to 5 days for the skin to heal when the intensity of the sunburn is mild. However a sunburn of moderate intensity can take up to a week to heal, and a severe sunburn may require a trip to the doctor. Moreover, factors such as the amount of melanin in your skin (the pigment in your skin which decides factors such as darkness, fairness), whether you have freckles, whether you live near the equator or at higher altitudes where the sun’s rays prove much harsher, ozone holes, etcetera, also contribute to the severity or degree of sunburn. Peeling due to other causes such as allergies or environmental elements can subside with use of hydrating and moisturizing products and usually within a week. Peeling skin due to cancer requires doctor care. It takes time but the uncomfortable condition of skin peeling usually subsides within a month or a few weeks, with only a few exceptions. Don't hesitate visiting a doctor if the condition is severe and if the problem persists for too long. Take good care of your skin and ensure that you stay hydrated and moisturized.

 

 

 

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