What should you know about skin dry and peeling?

Peeling happens when the outermost skin cells loosen and shed faster than usual. Dry air, hot water, harsh cleansers, friction and sun exposure can strip protective oils. Asteatotic eczema may create fine cracks and a rough, dry surface; atopic dermatitis often brings itch and inflammation; psoriasis can produce thicker, well-defined scale. The location matters too: peeling between toes, around nails or in a moist fold may suggest a different problem from peeling on the shins or hands.

Wash with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser. Pat rather than rub, then apply emollient therapy to damp skin. Wear gloves for cleaning, avoid picking loose flakes, and pause scrubs, exfoliating acids, retinoids and fragranced products until the barrier settles. If a new product preceded the peeling, stop it and keep a note of the ingredients. A clinician may recommend a condition-specific medicine when moisturising alone does not settle the scaling.

Book an assessment if peeling is painful, cracked, bleeding, blistered, spreading or accompanied by marked redness, swelling, warmth, pus or fever. Get prompt advice when the face, eyelids, genitals or large areas are involved, or when peeling follows a medicine or chemical exposure. Persistent peeling despite gentle care should be examined rather than repeatedly exfoliated.

What is the likely trigger for my peeling? Does the pattern fit eczema, psoriasis, contact irritation or infection? Which emollient therapy and cleanser suit my skin? Should I stop any current product or medicine, and when should I return if the skin does not improve?