Terrible Sunburn on My Face, Bad Peeling and Bleeding.

I went to the beach the other day, and sadly neglected to put sunscreen on my face/nose. Long story short, I was 'blessed' with a sunburn. It soon turned into a tan, but my nose was still red from sunburn. Around two days ago, it began to peel, I picked at it because I didn't like the way it looked and felt. I went home that night and washed the dead skin off with a washcloth and soap, although there was some pain, my nose was then tan-- I was happy!

But yesterday it began to peel again, this time my nose was becoming more and more red. Now, it will not stop peeling to the point where if I pick at it, it bleeds a little. I tried washing my face in hot water with a washcloth, and I tried to get it off with soap again, this only took off some dry skin. I don't know what to do. Not only is this an eyesore, but I'm in pain. I put a band-aid on my nose, will that help the skin heal faster? How long will it take? Is it really that bad to pick at the peeling skin? What can I do to get rid of the peeling skin?

Thank you so much for your time, I'm sorry if this is silly; it's my first time here and I'm desperate.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
For sunburn on the nose, apply cool compresses on the area and take bath with cool(not very cold) water. Do not scrub your skin or shave your skin and use a soft towel and gently pat your skin dry. Also use a sunburn Over-The-Counter remedy containing aloe vera and a light moisturizer or a dusting powder to relieve chafing. You can apply silver sulfadiazine (1% cream) on the skin except face and see if it helps. If the symptoms still persist then you should consult a dermatologist.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.