Dry Skin: Why am I Peeling?

This is a phenomenon of accelerated desquamation of skin cells. The skin is often compared to a "crocodile skin", with scales that detach on their own or at the slightest friction and take the form of thin, flaky white layers. A peeling skin can most of the time be associated with itching.

From a biological perspective, peeling skin is due to an overly rapid cell cycle. Indeed, a natural cycle of skin cell renewal lasts approximately 28 days. During this cycle, new cells are born at the level of the basal layer, which is the deepest layer of the epidermis. As the cycle progresses, these cells migrate to the skin's surface. During this process, they lose their nuclei and transform into dead cells. They then make up the horny layer, the most superficial layer of the epidermis. The dead cells or keratinocytes are then shed (either naturally, or through chemical or mechanical exfoliation) and a new cell cycle begins. When the rhythm of this cycle is disrupted or accelerated, we then observe peeling skin.

Dry skin characterized by excessive flaking can be due to internal factors such as heredity or even certain skin conditions and general diseases (eczema, nutritional deficiencies, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis etc...). However, skin can sometimes peel due to external causes such as climate changes, care products containing overly harsh ingredients (like alcohol or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, to name a few), too frequent showers or even certain medical treatments (anti-cholesterol drugs...).

Note: It is common to have peeling skin around the eyebrows and/or nasolabial folds. In this case, it is usually a seborrheic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by erythematous scaly patches. This condition is due to the colonization of yeasts of the Malassezia genus.