This is How Often You Should Exfoliate

Exfoliation 101: What It Is, Why to Do It, and Top Exfoliation Tips for Success

We’ve all heard the word exfoliation by now, but not all of us can explain or define it properly. In essence, exfoliation is when we intentionally remove dead skin cells from the uppermost surface of our skin. While human skin sheds dead cells on a 30 day cycle, it doesn’t hurt to speed it up and get newer, healthier and more radiant cells to the surface.

Why should we exfoliate if the skin does it on its own? We just noted one reason – because it helps your skin to look its best – but there are other reasons. They include:

• Incomplete shedding that leaves skin dry and flaky
• Clogged pores caused by cells that refused to shed or flake off on their own
• Ensuring skin has the best texture and tone
• Cueing skin repair, which actually improves the overall health of the skin
• Allowing skin care products to be absorbed much deeper into the skin
• Fading spots and age spots
• Shrinking pores
• Fading scars
• Reducing fine lines and wrinkles

Related: Tips on Wrinkle Prevention and Reduction

As one skin care expert noted, “Your skin is constantly repairing and replacing itself. Because of this, you can be left with layers upon layers of dead skin all over your body. Exfoliating helps rid your body of these leftover dead skin cells, revealing healthier, brighter skin immediately after.

While brighter skin is certainly a perk, exfoliation can actually help improve the health of your skin as well. If your skin is riddled with dead cells, your skin care products may not be able to penetrate deep into the skin and do their work. By removing the top-most layer of skin, you’re making it easier for your topical skin treatments to sink deep below the surface where they could make a difference.”

And it is important to note one part of that quote in particular – the “all over your body” part of the quote. You can and should exfoliate from head to toe. It can be tempting to focus on the face and neck, but as skin is the largest organ in the body, it makes a lot more sense to give yourself periodic head to toe exfoliation, too.

However, every type of exfoliation is not for every skin type, and if it is done improperly (even if a good match to the skin type), it can cause harm to the skin.

Let’s start to help you decide which type of exfoliation and how often to do it, by determining who should and shouldn’t use frequent exfoliation treatments.

Who Should Exfoliate?

If you ask experts, including those at the American Academy of Dermatology, it is important to exfoliate “safely so that it does not damage your skin or lead to increased redness or acne breakouts. Since every type of exfoliation may not work for every skin type, it’s important to consider your skin type before choosing an exfoliation method.”

If you do not yet know your skin type, let this guide you:

• “Sensitive skin may sting or burn after product use
• Normal skin is clear and not sensitive
• Dry skin is flaky, itchy or rough
• Oily skin is shiny and greasy
• Combination skin is dry in some areas and oily in others”

You may not be aware of your precise skin type, and now would be the time to figure it out. If you are unsure, consult with a skin care professional to help you determine whether you have sensitive, dry, oily, combination or normal skin. Then you can make the best choice for exfoliation options.

What Are the Different Exfoliation Methods?

Next, you need to know the two kinds of exfoliation you can use at home on a regular basis, and they are:

• Mechanical
• Chemical

You need to select your method based on your skin type. Mechanical is the most common and will involve things like brushes and scrubs along with soaps or oils full of granules or sugars that remove dead skin cells. Chemical options use gentle acids, and other compounds to dissolve and/or loosen the cells.

What Exfoliation Method Works Best for Your Skin Type?

Which is best for the different skin types? If you talk to the professionals, they issue general rules of thumb, including  that “acne-prone and highly sensitive skin responds very well to chemical exfoliants as they are less likely to cause irritation.”

Most experts also warn against the use of both chemical and mechanical treatments on the same day as it is bound to irritate any skin type. Some even advise that you use physical treatments on the tougher skin of the body, but avoid the face, neck and décolletage area of the upper chest. However, there are products specifically formulated for mechanical exfoliation of the face, and they will not do any harm if used properly.

Related: Body Cleansers – Bar Soaps vs. Liquid Body Gels

We suggest the following:

• Dry, acne-prone and sensitive skin types – Use a washcloth for mechanical exfoliation and/or a mild chemical formula
• Oily skin types – Use a stronger chemical/mechanical treatment
• Scarred or darker skin types – Skip strong chemical and mechanical treatments as they may darken the skin in an uneven manner
• Normal skin types – Opt for whatever types of exfoliation desired

Regardless of skin type, if focused on the chemical exfoliants for the face and neck, you’ll want to consider the two most common types: AHA and BHA.

Alpha hydroxy acids or AHA exfoliants are ideal for those with sensitive or dry skin. They are, as the team at Cosmo explained, “water soluble, meaning they exfoliate the surface of your skin, drawing in moisture while they work to keep your face hydrated. They’re superheroes at “ungluing” dead cells to make skin brighter and smoother with consistent use.”

They are found by an array of names, including glycolic and lactic acids. When just beginning to do exfoliating treatments, it is best to work with a gentler lactic acid and see how your skin responds. If you have no negative results, you can then advance to the stronger glycolic acid formula.

Beta hydroxy acids are oil soluble and able to cleans pores, even those clogged or already forming pimples. They are anti-inflammatory compounds, as well, meaning that they are less likely to cause serious irritation. One of the most well known among them is salicylic acid.

You will also see that many chemical exfoliants use enzymes to break down the dead cells. These are ideal for those with the most sensitive skin type, but they also work for all skin types and are some of the gentlest solutions.

Mechanical exfoliants vary much more widely and you will find that you can choose from any number of brushes and sponges as well as products you apply to the skin. The most common types of applicable products include:

• Granule exfoliants – These will feature large or small granules or beads suspended in an easy to apply formula. The larger granules are ideal for oily skin and acne-prone skin, while smaller granule formulas are for more sensitive skin types.
• Natural ingredients – You will find everything from ground up seeds and nutshells to pumice and oatmeal used to rub away the dead and dried skin cells. You will also see apple, coffee grounds, salt, milk, honey, yogurt, papaya, lemon juice, and baking soda used.
• Microbeads – Skip these products (if you encounter them – they are being banned in many areas) because the beads are tiny pieces of plastic that are washed away into water supplies where they cause tremendous problems

Many people also forgo scrubs and exfoliate with things like exfoliating gloves, dry brushing (not ideal for the face, neck or chest, though), specialty brushes that use battery power, and even overnight lotions that do all of the exfoliating without any chemical ingredients or mechanical work. The most sensitive skin types can also try centella asiatica as it is soothing and improves skin health.

How Often Should You Exfoliate?

As one skin care professional said of this question, “The jury’s still out on this one”! Basically it all boils down to skin type, lifestyle and other factors. Everyone is different and even the rate at which we shed and replace skin cells varies. It should be seen as a key part of skin care, but you will have to gauge for yourself whether it should be part of your nightly skin care routine or something you do just one or two times per week because it causes a bit of irritation or discomfort.

Again, as that same expert said, “Pay attention to how your skin responds after exfoliating to help determine what’s best for you and your skin.”

Of course, you also have to remember that exfoliation is not meant to be done on its own, but is part of a process of skin care and treatment. Regardless of the method used, you will also always follow up with other products after the exfoliation is done.

Related: To Use or Not to Use – Facial Cleansing Brushes

How to: Exfoliation Tips for the Face and Neck

As already noted, exfoliation can be done on the entire body. When using it to improve the skin of the face, you will begin by washing with a cleanser chosen for your skin type. After that, you need to apply the product and treatment.

For the mechanical exfoliation, you will:

• Wash, but do not dry the skin
• Apply the scrub product (such as a cream or lotion with beads or other granules)
• Apply using a firm, circular movement and massage it into the entire face and neck area for the time indicated on the product instructions (often a minute or less)
• Rinse gently and completely with warm water and pat dry
• Always follow up with a hydrating serum and moisturizer for the best results

For chemical exfoliation, you will:

• Wash, but do not dry the skin
• Apply the exfoliant evenly over the face, neck and décolletage
• Allow the appropriate amount of time for the product to sink into the skin
• Do any “peel” or halting process (for example, some products require a rinse or stop bath) and a quick wash or rinse
• Always follow up with a hydrating serum and moisturizer for the best results (read labels carefully to know the right treatment)
• Don’t forget to exfoliate your lips!

Skin care professionals will also offer the following exfoliation tips:

• Always use a gentle hand – It can be tempting to vigorously scrub the skin, but you never want to damage the skin by rough handling. Gentle, but firm, circular motions and massaging movements are the best. If using a brush or cloth, just use short, light and even motions.
• Skip exfoliation on damaged, burned or healing skin – Whether you have a bad sunburn, a wound almost finished healing, or an active wound, it is always wise to skip the exfoliation until the skin is healthy.
• Always finish with moisturizer – No matter what method is used, exfoliation can be very drying to the skin. This is why all skin types need to follow up any exfoliation treatment with (at least) moisturizer.
• Use an appropriate schedule – Experts agree that the more aggressive your choice in exfoliation, the less often you need to do it. Overdoing exfoliation can leave your skin dry, red, irritated and unhealthy. Take the time to figure out the right schedule for your specific skin issues.
• Always use sunscreen – Any type of exfoliation treatment is going to increase your skin’s sun sensitivity. Ensure you are protected by choosing a daytime moisturizer with high SPF as part of the formula.

Now that you know the benefits of exfoliation, who should do it, and which products to try, you might wonder about professional exfoliation treatments from skin care providers. They are certainly an option for body scrubs, peels and more.

More Exfoliation Tips:

• Chemical peels that are far stronger than anything available for home use
• Microdermabrasion that uses special tools and products that eliminate and wash away dead skin cells from head to toe
• Dermaplaning is a more extreme technique that uses a blade to remove dead skin and fine hair from the neck and face
• Body scrubs are a spa-like treat that will provide exfoliation on the soles of the feet, elbows, all areas of the body and the face and neck

Related: Is It Time For A Skin Detox?

Think of them more as a boost to your daily or weekly at-home options and you’ll start to enjoy the healthiest skin possible – from head to toe – all year long.

More Great Exfoliation Tips:

7 natural ingredients to exfoliate your skin

9 Ways to Exfoliate Without a Scrub

How to Properly Exfoliate Your Skin