Lying out in the sun can be a relaxing way to spend a summer weekend. However, too much sun exposure can damage your skin. Even with proper SPF usage, sunburns can happen easily if the sun is strong and you’re not careful to reapply your sunscreen often. Mild sunburns usually go away on their own with time. However, a common side effect of a sunburn is your skin peeling once the burn is healed. Skin peeling after a sunburn is common and happens because the burn kills the top layer of the skin, causing it to flake off. Peeling skin usually is not a symptom to worry about, but keep reading to learn more about potential complications of sunburns and when to seek medical care.
If you’re experiencing discomfort from a sunburn or your sunburn was severe and has caused symptoms like blistering, you may need medical care. At AFC Urgent Care Medford, our walk-in clinic is available 7 days a week to provide rapid same-day care for sunburns and complications of sunburns. Simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient, or save your spot online in advance below.
Why Does Your Skin Peel After a Sunburn
When you get a sunburn, you are damaging your skin. In the case of mild sunburns, the damage typically only affects the outer layer of the skin. The burns dry out the skin, and eventually, once the skin is fully dry and dead, the damaged layer will peel off to reveal new and healthy skin underneath. Peeling skin after a sunburn does not hurt; however, you shouldn’t peel it off yourself because this could cause too much skin to peel and lead to complications.
Understanding When to Seek Medical Care for Sunburns
Mild sunburns will heal on their own. While mild sunburns are no reason for concern, repeated sunburns can cause your skin to be more sensitive to the skin and cause long-term damage. If your sunburn is slightly red, and only causing slight discomfort, it will heal on its own with a little time. However, more severe burns can damage deeper layers of the skin and cause other complications like scarring and infections. If your sunburn is blistering or you have additional symptoms like a fever, chills, severe pain, or a rash, you should seek urgent care for treatment.
Treatment for Healing a Mild Sunburn Quickly
If you’re sunburnt, the first thing to do is get out of the sun. This will stop the damage to your skin from continuing to worsen. Avoid sun until the burn is fully resolved, and if you do go outside in the sun, try to cover up the area with loose clothing or high SPF sunscreen. If you’re experiencing discomfort, taking a cool shower and applying moisturizers without fragrance or active ingredients will hydrate the skin and help it heal. If your sunburn starts to peel, do not force the skin off. Peeling it before it’s ready could result in more layers of skin coming off and cause complications like bleeding or scarring.
Walk Into AFC Medford for Convenient Same-Day Sunburn Treatment
If you’re sunburnt and your burn is peeling, don’t panic. Treat your burn by keeping it hydrated and staying out of the sun while it heals. If you’re experiencing complications from your sunburn like blistering or bleeding, you may require medical care for treatment. At AFC Urgent Care Medford, our walk-in clinic makes it easy to receive prompt same-day care for common conditions like sunburns.
Our board-certified medical providers are available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm to provide patients near Medford, M, with walk-in care. We treat patients of all ages, and we work with most medical insurance plans. Our clinic has competitive rates for patients paying out-of-pocket for their healthcare. To learn more, walk into the clinic for same-day care, or give our team a call at (617) 582-2800.
