Everything you need to know about facial exfoliating
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin using a liquid chemical, granular substance, or exfoliation tool.
There are two categories: Chemical (using topical liquid formulas that penetrate and dissolve the dermis layers) and physical (granular ingredients) or powered brushes to polish the top layers of the skin.
Your skin naturally sheds dead skin cells to make room for new cells approximately every 28+ days. Sometimes dead cells don’t shed completely, resulting in dry, flaky patches, clogged pores and fine lines. Adding an exfoliating step to your skincare routine can help with these issues.
How does exfoliation benefit your skin and can you over-do it?
Exfoliation can leave your skin looking brighter and improve the effectiveness of topical skin care products by enhancing absorption when exposing a brand new layer of skin and cells.
Long-term, calculated exfoliating can increase collagen production. Collagen production is key to glowing, vibrant skin and promotes skin elasticity, minimizing the appearance of fine lines and related sagging.
As we age, we are more susceptible to pigmentary changes (sunspots), fine lines and dryness. Exfoliation becomes more important to help your skin appear with a beautiful glow and diminished texture.
Exfoliation is not one-size-fits-all. In general, most people can benefit from some form of exfoliation. It’s more important to know how to exfoliate for your specific skin needs and what products are best suited for you.
Proper exfoliation for a young adult can help blemishes where there is naturally more cellular turnover and greater sebum production due to hormonal changes and sporting activities. Regular exfoliation can help prevent clogged pores, resulting in fewer breakouts.
Note: Depending on the type of acne, some exfoliants can irritate and potentially spread bacteria causing further issues, seek a professional to determine what is best for your young adult.
However, excessive exfoliation can wreak havoc on the skin at any age.
To maximize its benefits, we must understand what type of exfoliation is best suited for your skin type to help minimize the risk of irritation and achieve the best possible results.
What is my skin type?
Sensitive:
If your skin generally stings or is otherwise irritated after introducing new products, it’s considered sensitive. BHAs are typically less irritating than other chemical or physical exfoliants. Possible underlying conditions such as eczema and rosacea could be at fault. Always talk to a dermatologist or other healthcare provider before using newly inquired products.
Normal:
Normal skin is clear and not easily irritated. Many people who have “normal” skin find that they can try most exfoliating techniques or products without experiencing adverse effects.
Dry:
Dry skin is flaky, rough and dehydrated. AHAs can soften the surface layer of your skin, allowing your moisturizer to hydrate your new skin cells more effectively.
Oily:
Oily skin appears shiny and feels greasy. People with oily skin are often able to use a variety of chemical and physical exfoliators, such as motorized brushes.
Combination:
Combination skin is characterized by a mix of oily and dry sections. Focus on each area individually and alternate products as needed. Consider a chemical exfoliator or scrub on oily areas one day and a low-level AHA on dry areas on others.
Acne-prone:
If you’re prone to breakouts or have mild-to-moderate acne, look for products containing retinoids, salicylic acid, or glycolic acid. Chemical exfoliants often work better than physical (granular) for the sake of spreading bacteria.
What are the different types of chemical exfoliation?
Chemical exfoliation use different chemicals, including hydroxy acids and retinol and enzymes as a topical application treatment to renew your skin, versus a physical exfoliation (granular scrubs and powered brushes).
ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS: AHAs are a group of water-soluble acids typically derived from sugary fruits. These acids help peel away the surface of your skin so new, more evenly pigmented skin cells generate and take their place. Depending on the type, AHAs may also help with mild hyper-pigmentation like age spots, melasma, scars, enlarged pores, fine lines and uneven skin tone.
AHA: Exfoliates the surface of the skin.
Popular AHAs include:
Glycolic acid from sugar cane
Lactic acid found in milk and pickled vegetables
Citric acid found in citrus fruits
Tartaric acid found in grapes
Malic acid found in apples
Mandelic acid found in bitter almonds
BETA HYDROXY ACIDS: BHAs are oil-soluble (vs. AHA are water soluble). These acids go deep into your pores and hair follicles to dry out excess oils and dead skin cells to unclog your pores. BHA products are often used to treat acne and sun damage.
BHA: Exfoliates inside the pores.
Salicylic acid:
This acid is the most common BHA. It’s well known as an acne treatment, but it can also help calm general redness and inflammation. Salicylic acid is a common active ingredient in topical acne creams, usually in concentrations of up to 2 percent. It works by acting as a keratolytic agent which softens the outer layer of the skin, causing the skin cells to shed more readily. It also helps unclog skin pores, but does not affect the oiliness of skin, nor the bacteria which causes acne. Note: Formulations containing 17% and 27% salicylic acid are used for wart removal.
Retinoids:
Retinoids are a class of medications derived from vitamin A. They’re used to address sun-damaged skin, minimize signs of aging, treat acne and noted to promote collagen production. Retinoids all vary in concentration levels, seek professional advice for what is appropriate for your specific needs.
Names of common topical retinoids:
Retinol ● Adapalene ● Alitretinoin ● Tretinoin ● Bexarotene ● Tazarotene
Exfoliating Mistakes to Avoid:
Exfoliating too often, you can easily over-do it: Witnessing positive results from proper exfoliation can be immediate, so it's human nature to want to do it more often than not. Overuse can cause real irritation and sometimes long term damage to the skin.
Scrubbing too strenuously with granular products or using a facial brush incorrectly: Over-scrubbing with a granular product can cause tears in the skin and worsen many conditions. It can wreak havoc and can cause extreme skin sensitivity, worsen acne and cause inflammatory rashes. Facial rotating brushes can produce and house a whole host of bacteria, pay attention to where you house your unit (keep it away from the toilet, ew). Often the stench of mildew will give an indication if the brush needs an extra cleaning or a new replacement of the brush head.
Not using the right product for the area: Pay attention to the exfoliant you’re using and what part of the body you can use it on. The body’s skin is different from your facial skin and products are formulated differently. Scrubs and other exfoliating products designed for your body tend to be more aggressive than products designed for your face. Using a facial exfoliator on your body probably won’t cause any harm, but the formula may not be strong enough to produce the results you’re looking for.
Forgetting to moisturize and nourish post-exfoliation: What you do after you exfoliate makes a difference. Because you’re removing skin that’s sloughed off, you are revealing new skin underneath the surface that needs to be fed and moisturized.
How Often to Exfoliate:
Exfoliating too much can harm your skin. Once a week is generally a good starting point. If you don’t know your skin type or are unsure of frequency you can start incorporating a mild chemical exfoliating cleanser into your routine once a week.
Those with sensitive skin or excessively dry skin may not tolerate exfoliating as much. If you have sensitive skin and you find that your skin burns or stings after exfoliating, you are exfoliating too much. Those with acne-prone skin limit usage, more frequent may strip the skin which stimulates oil glands to produce excess sebum creating more acne.
There are times when you might have to exfoliate more than recommended for the short term. When your skin is flakier than usual, you could possibly benefit from a gentle form of exfoliation with the addition of moisture to achieve more balance in your skin texture.
Should I seek professional exfoliation?
Depending on your individual skin care needs a board certified dermatologist can help you choose the best method or product for your skin. There are numerous options with ever expanding offerings. Here are current popular approaches:
Professional chemical peel: The key difference between at home and professional peels is the acid concentration level. Professional peels are stronger and may be used alongside other prescription topicals for maximum effect where a solution is applied topically to the skin. There are three main categories of peels; superficial, medium, and deep. While superficial peels only turn over the very top layers of skin, medium and deep peels go further down into the dermis of the skin layers.
Dermaplaning: Use of a scalpel blade to remove dead skin and baby hairs from your face and neck.
Microdermabrasion: Use of fine crystals or a special rough-tipped tool to exfoliate the skin in combination with a vacuum to remove dead skin cells.
If you have an underlying skin care condition or are unsure about where to start, (any exfoliation can irritate the skin or cause havoc if done incorrectly). Or if you’re unsure about how to incorporate a chemical product into your routine, seek a board-certified dermatologist.
There are some over the counter products that can be very effective. Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting this category of products:
You should never use a scrub meant for your body on your face. Body scrubs are generally harsher and will likely tear delicate facial tissue.
Always patch test new formulas and use one product at a time. Pace yourself, using multiple exfoliating products on the same area of skin can affect and damage the skin and result in unwanted side effects.
Switch products out. You may need to cycle through different products as your skin care needs change. For example: If your skin has become oily or acne prone, consider using a product with charcoal. If you feel like your more sensitive, scale back or consider a gentler routine.
What are microbeads?
Microbeads (microplastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane) used to be a staple ingredient in exfoliating scrubs. It's an ingredient mostly banned because they go down the drain and contaminate the water supply. Unfortunately they are still added to many popular products today and some still claim to be microbead-free. To save your pores and help save our planet, avoid if possible, there are many other ways to effectively exfoliate your skin.