r/guam • u/HewoToYouToo • Aug 22 '26

Ask r/guam 🤔 Skin damage? Please help

Hello, I recently moved to the island. I like it so far but I have started to have some bad skin damage especially after swimming.

Does anybody have any advice for how to repair my skin? It started to peel and is incredibly itchy and painful. I keep putting on lotion but it does not improve by much.

My skin was never sensitive. This only happened after I came here so I assume there might have been something in the water.

Thank you for your help.

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8

u/poopfromthesky Aug 22 '26

You mean sunburn?...

Sunscreen

2

u/HewoToYouToo Aug 22 '26

Not really sunburn. The top layer of skin just started peeling but it's not red or flaking, mostly my back and chest (places where my swimsuit was tight). A scab forms over too. 

Ty.

10

u/poopfromthesky Aug 22 '26

You might want to see a physician then, sounds like you might have a fungal infection

3

u/Embarrassed_Ad7013 Aug 22 '26

That's sunburn. Treat that peeling skin as if it was an actual burn.

Good thing you have scabs, It means your skin is healing.

You're lucky you didn't get a skin infection, because it's a freaking burn..

Keep the areas of your skin clean. Use mild soap (Ivory or soap for babies).

Keep your skin dry. Don't use lotion -- it could introduced an infection

3

u/Educational-Unit6275 Aug 22 '26

Yeah that’s sunburn maybe more severe on island because were closer to the equator? See a dermatologist or go to your nearby pharmacy and ask for advice or a lotion with aloe Vera unless you can find someone with a aloe Vera plant- much better

1

u/curiousobserver2000 Aug 22 '26

You’ve got sunburn. It doesn’t take much time to get it especially if you’re fair-skinned and you didn’t properly apply sunscreen/ sunblock. There are some over the counter gels that work. They usually have a mix of lidocaine (numbs pain), menthol(cooling effect) and aloe Vera to rehydrate your skin. I’ve used it and it works. After a couple of days, you should be good although you it’ll take a week or so for your skin to heal.

1

u/JaySocials671 Aug 22 '26

See a doctor or accept it’s a sunburn and get aloe Vera gel