do you loose your tan? is there something to keep you from peeling so bad. I keep lotion on all the time

Our skin has multiple layers of cells with the inside layers slowly coming outward (typically 25-35 days) as our outside layers are damaged and slough off.  A bad sunburn ...typically a slight 2nd Degree (Partial thickness burn)...damages a portion of the dermis (inner layer where the skin is made).  This damage does not allow the outside layers (already dying naturally) to stick together....ultimately...causing peeling as it comes off in larger then normal pieces.  No stopping it....(just slowing it with lotions).  Burning damages the Dermis layers that have the pigmentation (melatonin) capabilities, and does not help with tan...vs...just getting enough sun exposure to the layer....(no burning).  Please don't take this response as an endorsement for suntanning and the Vit D naturally fan club.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, when the skin has begun changing colors and flaking off as you described, you have literally fried your skin to the point where all the underlying skin cells have died and are no longer useful to your body, therefore, it proceeds to get rid of it by shedding it off. You may already know that your skin sheds everyday on its own, but you speed it up to an unhealthy level when you get sunburn, and the dead, damaged skin MUST come off. So, no matter how much lotion you use, your body is shedding the damaged skin to make room for the new, healthy skin underneath, so stop wasting lotion and wait for your skin to heal properly.

P.S. More bad news! The tan will be gone once you're completely healed. Sorry! Don't cook yourself in the sun! There are hundreds of sunless tanners out there that work wonders, without the damage of UV rays!

On sunburns you will peel

this is a normal process.



If you burned you won't lose your tan

but rather than the skin that got burned.



When you peel after a sunburn

this is because that is getting of the damaged cells.

You loose the tan.



Peeling is because of lack of moisture. Maybe you need aloe vera gel.



Try using a towel soaked in moisturizer and leave it on.

you may lose some of the tan but not all.  The bad thing is you are ripe for skin cancer if you are burning and peeling.