No. It’s not a good practice to go tanning when your skin is peeling. It is most likely going to result in a patchy, uneven tan. This is because the skin peels off in an uneven fashion. Even if you’re able to get a good tan, it will start peeling off the following day. This is why you need to wait until the peeling stops.
Here, you’ll learn the link between tanning and skin peeling. Skin peeling is a common skin condition that has several causes, including sunburn. Of course, skin peeling affects tanning. It is not a good idea to get a tan while your skin is still peeling.
First, UV radiation is likely to make the situation worse, depending on the cause of the peeling. Also, after tanning, if your skin is still peeling, it can result in a patchy, uneven tan.
Regardless of the cause of the peeling of your skin, you need to wait for it to heal up before you get into a tanning bed. Here, you’ll also learn some of the steps to take to hasten the healing of skin peeling. In addition, you’ll find out the deficiency that can trigger skin peeling. So, let’s get to business right away.
What Does It Mean When Your Skin is Peeling?
In simple terms, peeling of the skin is when your skin begins to peel for some reason. It is actually a medical condition. It is an inflammatory process and it could also be in reaction to certain things. Sunburn is the major cause of peeling of the skin. Also, other medical conditions like infections, eczema, dermatitis, and other diseases could trigger the peeling of your skin.
Burns can also make your skin peel. Another major cause of skin peeling is reaction to certain drug. Your skin may be reacting to certain topical medicines. A classic example is topical retinoids. The drug is used to treat acne. It triggers skin peeling in some people.
Chemotherapy can also trigger skin peeling. What matters is to first find the cause and tackle it before taking any other step.
Is Peeling Skin a Good Thing?
Skin peeling isn’t a welcome development. First, it can be embarrassing and discomforting when your skin suddenly begins to peel. It makes the tone of your skin uneven. Also, in some cases, it can be a sign of any underlying medical condition. Another reason why people don’t enjoy the experience is that it hinders the tanning of the skin.
What Deficiency Causes Skin Peeling?
If your body has inadequate Vitamin B-3, also known as Niacin, it may lead to the disease called pellagra. This disease can make your skin peel. The level of inadequacy will determine the severity of the medical condition. Vitamin B-3 is known to help convert food to energy.
In addition, vitamin B-3 also helps the body to use fats and protein effectively. Finally, it keeps the skin, hair, and nervous system healthy. Pellagra appears when the body does not have enough vitamin B-3, and skin peeling is one of the symptoms of pellagra.
On the other hand, if you have too much vitamin A, your skin can begin to peel too. So, what does vitamin A do? It helps to maintain healthy skin, bones, and teeth.
Does Peeling Skin Take Away Tan?
Yes, of course. It peels off your tan. If you go ahead and tan your peeling skin, it may look great initially, but as the skin peels off, so will the darkened tan. And it won’t peel off evenly. This will leave your skin with a patchy tan. Your tanned skin may end up looking worse than it was before your tanning session.
Why is My Skin Peeling After Tanning?
When your skin starts peeling off after tanning, it is a sign of prolonged exposure to UV radiation. Post-tanning skin peeling is the way by which the skin gets rid of the damaged topmost layer of the skin. If you decide to tan under the sun, you may experience sunburn. And when your skin is burned, peeling is the way by which it heals faster.
How to Stop Peeling Skin from Tanning
In most cases, the peeling of the skin will eventually stop. However, you can facilitate the healing process with any of the treatments below.
- If your skin peeling is a result of sunburn, it will also include pain. So, you may have to take some pain relievers to reduce or eliminate the pain. Aspirin and Ibuprofen are effective pain relievers.
- Another remedy is to use anti-inflammatory cream on your peeling skin. Cortisone cream or Aloe Vera will help in this situation.
- Apply moisturizer. Dry skin is the breeding ground for all skin diseases. When your skin remains dry, it will peel more and more. When you moisturize it properly, the peeling will reduce.
- Shower with cold water as it soothes sunburn. However, if the peeling includes blisters, don’t shower. Showering may pop some of the blisters and make the peeling worse. Whether it has blisters or not, don’t use bath oil or soap. Both products make peeling worse.
- After taking a shower, allow your body to dry up on its own. Do not rub it with a towel, as it will make your skin peel even more.
- Soothe the irritation of the skin by compressing it with a wet piece of cloth. Do it for about 20 -30 minutes every day until the peeling stops completely.
- Protect your skin from further peeling by covering the affected part with sunscreen. It is advisable to use sunscreen with an SPF of 45 or higher.
How Long Does Peeling Last?
In most cases, peeling lasts for about three to seven days or a little longer if the case is severe. Nevertheless, you can make it heal faster when you apply some of the tips listed above. Some milder burns may not even last up to three days.
Final Words
Always remember that it is not advisable to go tanning when your skin is still peeling. You may end up with a patchy tan. And even if the tan looks good, it will peel off prematurely. So, it is better to wait for the peeling to cease before you tan up your skin.
You can use any of the therapies listed above to treat your peeling skin. Most importantly, peeling of the skin usually lasts for about three to seven days. So, it is a period you can easily wait for.
