And if your skin is flaking at the moment, you may be wondering how to get it back to smooth and supple, stat. Ahead, experts weigh in on how to get rid of peeling skin. In each case, the protective barrier of the skin is disrupted, which can lead to inflammation, cracks, and irritation—and sometimes, when those skin cells are so damaged that they die, that’s when they tend to slough off in flakes. That said, the best thing to do is wait for the skin to heal on its own. You can soothe the area with certain moisturizers to ward off inflammation and pain (which we explain further below), but in terms of getting rid of the flakes themselves—well, that just takes time. “Exposing fresh skin that hasn’t fully formed a protective barrier can cause discoloration,” celebrity esthetician and dermatological nurse Natalie Aguilar previously told mbg. So you’ll want to shield the vulnerable skin from the sun—and make sure to diligently slather on sunscreen. “One should really keep skin care simple and baby the skin back to a healthy start. After all, baby skin is forming underneath,” says Aguilar. And baby skin loves moisture. “Use bland emollients and moisturizers without fragrances or other additives,” says board-certified dermatologist Michele Farber, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC, and stick to gentle, nonstripping cleansers—like milk or cream washes. “[They] are gentle, don’t burn, and won’t strip skin of its natural moisture,” Aguilar notes. Here, find our best soaps and face washes for sensitive skin. Actually, exfoliating the vulnerable skin (be it with a chemical or physical product) can only lead to more irritation As Farber warns, exfoliating peeling skin can even delay the healing process, as you’re applying more trauma to the area. “Definitely avoid this,” she told us. We always recommend patting the skin dry, but it’s especially important to keep in mind while your skin is healing. Blot your skin post-wash, and perhaps leave it damp before slathering on a moisturizer or cream. You can also consider upgrading to a muslin cloth, which is multilayered, finely woven, and extremely soft on the skin. Rabach seconds the warning: “It’s best to let the dead skin peel itself off naturally without pulling it, as you can tear further into the skin,” she says.
