How to stop skin from peeling

What to do for dry, peeling skin

1. 1Wash with warm water and a gentle cleanser. Limit showers to five to ten minutes, and use cleanser only where needed. Use cool water instead if the skin is sunburned.
2. 2Pat dry rather than rubbing. Leave skin slightly damp, then gently apply moisturizer within three minutes of washing.
3. 3Choose a fragrance free cream or ointment rather than a lotion for dry skin. Reapply after hand washing and whenever skin feels dry, including before bed.
4. 4Remove avoidable irritation. Stop using cosmetic retinoids and products containing fragrance or alcohol while skin is excessively dry. Follow your prescriber's instructions for prescribed treatments.
5. 5Leave peeling skin attached. Picking or pulling can create openings for bacteria and increase the risk of infection.

A thick lather is not necessary to remove dirt and oil, even if it makes washing look more official. For dry skin, use only enough cleanser to get clean.2

Which moisturizer should you use?

Emollients are ingredients that soften skin and relieve dryness and scaling. Moisturizers containing glycerin or hyaluronic acid attract water; ingredients such as petrolatum help hold existing moisture in. If you are prone to acne, choose a product labeled noncomedogenic, meaning formulated not to clog pores, rather than defaulting to a heavy occlusive.4

For sensitive skin, choose a formula with few ingredients and introduce one new product at a time. "Unscented" is not the same as "fragrance free": odor masking ingredients can irritate dry skin. Stop a product that causes burning, stinging or irritation and tell your dermatologist. Prescription creams sometimes need to go on before moisturizer; follow the directions for your treatment.24

What if the peeling follows sunburn?

Cool showers, an unperfumed moisturizer or aloe vera, and soft clothing can make healing skin more comfortable. Do not exfoliate, scratch, pull loose skin, pop blisters or put ice directly on the burn. Avoid petroleum jelly on sunburned skin, particularly while it is hot and swollen.36

Sunburn usually improves within seven days, but peeling can last a week or longer after a worse burn. Moisturizing can make peeling less noticeable rather than prevent all shedding. Cover burned skin from direct sunlight until healed. For exposed skin, use broad spectrum, water resistant SPF 30 or higher sunscreen alongside shade and protective clothing.236

What if your hands or feet keep peeling?

Wash feet daily, dry carefully between toes, change damp socks and wear breathable footwear. Red, itchy peeling feet can reflect athlete's foot, a fungal infection that needs antifungal treatment rather than moisturizer alone. Eczema and psoriasis can also need medication.5

Mention lifelong or repeatedly painless peeling of hands and feet to a clinician. A rare inherited condition called acral peeling skin syndrome can cause this pattern, often starting early in life and worsening with heat, moisture and friction.7

When should you get medical help?

Arrange an assessment for unexplained peeling or dryness that persists despite gentle care. Get prompt medical help for pus, increasing tenderness, swelling, fever or chills. Seek urgent help for sunburn with blistering, dizziness, sickness or muscle cramps, or any sunburn in a baby or young child. If you have diabetes and peeling feet or wounds that heal poorly, have your feet checked.1356