Whether you got preoccupied with the elaborate picnic spread or simply forgot your sunscreen bottle at home, the relentless summer sun doesn’t play any favourites.
If your skin now resembles the scaly, flaky shed from reptiles, you have been left with the unkind souvenir of a sunny day in the form of sunburn.
From soothing aloe vera to taking frequent cool showers, whatever you do to ease the painful condition shouldn’t involve peeling.
Following a series of TikTok videos where people peel off their skin, an expert has issued a stark warning against attempting this trend on sunburned skin.
Group Director of Aesthetic Services, at Élan Laser Clinics, Lisa Mason-Poyner, said: “While many people have the misconception that peeling sunburn turns into a tan, the opposite is true.
“When burns turn into blisters, not only are they incredibly uncomfortable and painful, but they actually prohibit the skin from tanning.”
The expert advised against attempting to remove the burnt skin even when it starts peeling on its own.
Mason-Poyner said: “You should never peel off burnt skin and should even avoid active exfoliation during the healing process.
“Allow it to slough off your body on its own and keep it cool and hydrated with a soothing aloe vera gel.
“Peeling usually stops when the burn has healed — about seven days for mild to moderate burns.”
Worryingly, peeling sunburn could put you at risk of a whole host of health problems.
The expert explained it could spur on infection due to the exposure of germs but also leave you with scarring and painful blisters.
What’s worse, this harmful practice could also spell bad news for your risk of cancer.
Mason-Poyner added: “It also increases your risk of further UV damage, the leading cause of skin cancer.”
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