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Pretty cool, if you ask us.

person with peeling sunburn on shoulders

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Why does a sunburn peel?

Any redness, and especially peeling, signifies that there has been damage to the skin."

(Not enough protection to forgo sunscreen, of course.

EltaMD UV Restore Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 on white background

Don’t get too excited.)

What are the stages of sunburn healing?

And even without obvious blisters, this shockwave causes skin peeling.

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How long does it take for a sunburn to fully peel?

On the other hand, a blistering sunburn is actually a second-degree burn to the skin.

This can take seven to 10 days to heal.

How do you treat peeling sunburn?

Need to take it to the next level?

If youre peeling, youre in one of the final stages of your sunburn.

But dont eventhinkof trying to manually speed up that part of the process.

That means no picking or peeling it with your fingers, and no exfoliating products.

What happens to the burnt skin that doesn’t peel?

So youve stopped molting (great!

), but see that some leftover charred skin (not so great).

(See more of thebest sunscreens right here.)

“Even a single sunburn increases your risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

This risk doubles if you develop a blistering burn.”

Does a peeling sunburn scar?

It may heal with an uneven appearance.

This is due to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or freckling that may arise after the healing process.

The best way to avoid post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and to minimize scarring is with strict photoprotection, Dr. Maguinness says.

Protective clothing and sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater applied every two hours.

How can you prevent sunburn peeling?

It’s really as simple as it sounds.

Treat your skin like your favorite article of clothing you wear it every day.

More on sun care:

Now, find out how to soothe your sunburn with a single tea bag: