To understand the reasons behind peeling skin one needs to understand the structure of the skin. The skin consists of three basic layers: the outer layer or epidermis, the middle layer or dermis and the inner layer referred to as hypodermis. Each of these layers provides a particular function and is in a continuous state of change. Every 28 days the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, is completely replaced once. The 28 day change, in the outer cover of the skin, is influenced by various factors such as hydration, friction, sun exposure and various other environmental issues.
Peeling skin is therefore a temporary problem and is known to heal in a few days as the new skin surfaces. Though there are few exceptions such as: in case of infections or medications that cause the skin to peel or a hereditary disorder known as Peeling Skin Syndrome, all of which may require medical consultation to cure peeling skin. Some of the known causes leading to this skin disorder are: excessive perspiration, staph or viral infections, or excessive sun exposure resulting in sunburn.
Sunburn is one of the most common causes known that lead to peeling skin. As sunburn heats the top layers of the skin it begins to peel naturally. Therefore, peeling skin is rarely ever considered as a fatal or harmful disorder. One can regain natural skin in a couple of days or a quick visit to the general physician or through natural sunburn remedies will ensure faster recovery.
Symptoms for Peeling Skin:
Choose an acid. Citric acids (from fruits) do not provide deep cleansing and require more than one application, but are milder. Glycolic acids (from sugar cane) help to exfoliate skin. Lactic acids (from sour milk, sour cream, yogurt and blackberries) help to remove dead skin. Malic acid (from apples, apple cider, apple cider vinegar or applesauce) provides a similar cleanse to citric acids. Tartaric acids (from grapes, grape juice, wine or cream of tartar) provide results similar to those of other fruits.
Apply the peel. Use restraint as you experiment with different acids. About a half-teaspoon of any liquid is a good start. Gently rinse (not wash) your face with cold water. Apply your acid directly from the fruit or with your fingers. Do not harshly rub the liquid into your skin with an abrasive cloth or pad. Leave the juice, milk or other agent on your skin for 10 minutes or less. Some natural skin peel recipes require creating an accompanying paste, made from gelatin, egg whites, oatmeal, mayonnaise, etc. to apply the peel.
Rinse the peel. Just as you applied the peel without using an abrasive cloth or pad, rinse your peel gently and thoroughly with cold or warm water.
Advice:
Peeling skin is therefore a temporary problem and is known to heal in a few days as the new skin surfaces. Though there are few exceptions such as: in case of infections or medications that cause the skin to peel or a hereditary disorder known as Peeling Skin Syndrome, all of which may require medical consultation to cure peeling skin. Some of the known causes leading to this skin disorder are: excessive perspiration, staph or viral infections, or excessive sun exposure resulting in sunburn.
Sunburn is one of the most common causes known that lead to peeling skin. As sunburn heats the top layers of the skin it begins to peel naturally. Therefore, peeling skin is rarely ever considered as a fatal or harmful disorder. One can regain natural skin in a couple of days or a quick visit to the general physician or through natural sunburn remedies will ensure faster recovery.
Symptoms for Peeling Skin:
- Erythroderma, may cause thickening and flaking of the skin.
- Exfoliative dermatitis, causes the skin to flake.
- Hand eczema, lead to rashes and itches on the hands due to increasing use of harsh soaps and detergents.
- Eczema causes chronic skin rash which progresses to skin inflammation and may lead to skin peeling
- Psoriasis surfaces on the skin by scaling and inflammation of the skin causing it to peel
- Ichthyosis is a rare disease caused mainly due to dryness, the resulting roughness leads to scaly fish-like skin
- Kawasaki disease, a disorder usually found among in infants and young children causes rash and swelling of the hands.
- Scarlet fever sometimes causes rashes over the upper body which spreads through the entire body.
- Vitamin A overdose shows symptoms of skin peeling.
Choose an acid. Citric acids (from fruits) do not provide deep cleansing and require more than one application, but are milder. Glycolic acids (from sugar cane) help to exfoliate skin. Lactic acids (from sour milk, sour cream, yogurt and blackberries) help to remove dead skin. Malic acid (from apples, apple cider, apple cider vinegar or applesauce) provides a similar cleanse to citric acids. Tartaric acids (from grapes, grape juice, wine or cream of tartar) provide results similar to those of other fruits.
Apply the peel. Use restraint as you experiment with different acids. About a half-teaspoon of any liquid is a good start. Gently rinse (not wash) your face with cold water. Apply your acid directly from the fruit or with your fingers. Do not harshly rub the liquid into your skin with an abrasive cloth or pad. Leave the juice, milk or other agent on your skin for 10 minutes or less. Some natural skin peel recipes require creating an accompanying paste, made from gelatin, egg whites, oatmeal, mayonnaise, etc. to apply the peel.
Rinse the peel. Just as you applied the peel without using an abrasive cloth or pad, rinse your peel gently and thoroughly with cold or warm water.
Advice:
- Be mindful if you have allergies to any of these ingredients, allergic reactions are more likely to occur even though you are not directly ingesting the items but are using them as a skin care recipe. This is because many ingredients are easily absorbed directly through our skin.
- As you being to experiment with homemade peels, leave one week or longer between applications. Do not go into direct sunlight immediately after your first peels.
- Some types of gelatin are not vegetarian!
- If possible, consult with a dermatologist or other skin-care expert regarding the home skin peels you are considering making and using.
