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Exfoliation is a necessary procedure for your skin because it ensures the healthy growth of new cells by removing dead cells. However, over-exfoliation can lead to other problems like dryness, redness, flaking over body parts, over sensitive skin, etc.
What is Exfoliation?
Exfoliation is a procedure that helps to shed off the top layer of dead cells from your skin. Exfoliation can be done mechanically, chemically, or manually. Chemical exfoliation means using chemicals to remove dead skin cells whereas mechanical exfoliation refers to removing dead cells through physical scrubbing or wiping over body parts.
Manual exfoliation means scrubbing or wiping over body parts with any suitable tools to cleanse the skin. Exfoliation is necessary for your skin because it gets rid of the dead/old cells and aids in making way for the healthy growth of new cells under skin layers.
Exfoliation prevents ingrowths around hair follicles, reduces acne occurrences (if done effectively), keeps skin pores clear, reduces wrinkles and crows feet, evens out pigmentation, etc.
If you exfoliate your skin regularly then you will see the following benefits on your skin:
1. Younger looking radiant skin
2. Reduced acne breakouts
3. Clearer, smoother skin less prone to clogged pores and breakouts
4. Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
5. Even skin tone with more even pigmentation
6. Dull, dry skin turns vibrant healthy-looking skin
7. Removal of dead cells making way for new cell growth allowing your natural glow to shine through
What Is Over Exfoliation?
Over exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells to such an extent that your natural skin oils and moisture get removed along with it. This leaves our skin dry, flaky, wrinkled, and patchy.
Over exfoliation can affect both men and women. It makes the skin sensitive to sun exposure which causes tanning, pigmentation, or redness of the skin.
Over-exfoliation might be due to wrong products used, harsh scrubbing over skin parts, using scrubs/wipes over the body too often, etc.
Over exfoliated face And Healing
You over exfoliated your face. Your skin appears red, like sunburn. Is it normal? How long should you wait to use other cosmetic products on your skin after an exfoliation treatment ?
Exfoliation, like bleaching or peeling the skin has a temporary effect. We will not be able to find any ingredient in our make up that can reduce or influence this effect – unless hypothetically speaking they are moisturising ingredients.
It is therefore normal for your skin to react after an aggressive exfoliation. If it has turned red, then most probably something has irritated the skin or most likely they were just too aggressive in their treatment with you. It can also be a slight erythema or even dryness – which is temporary.
In any case, it is advisable to wait a couple of days after the exfoliation treatment before using other products on your skin. That way you will be able to know whether or not a particular product might influence this redness. How long should you wait? It really depends on how intense and aggressive was the exfoliation treatment .
If it was a mild one (such as light microdermabrasions), you can wait around 3 days before using other products on your face.
If the exfoliation treatment was more intensive, then wait about 5-7 days before using make up or other products on your skin.
Finally, if the exfoliation treatment was very aggressive and your skin is still red or irritated, you can wait around 2-3 weeks before starting to use other products on your skin.
Exfoliation in the hands of an expert esthetician should not be a problem for your skin. However, if something goes wrong (and it could happen) – don’t panic, do not worry and know that everything will heal up in a couple of days or weeks, depending on how irritated the skin was.
You can apply a soothing gel for a few days after the exfoliation treatment to calm your skin. Also, you can use a mild facial cleansing product while waiting for the redness to fade away naturally. When done correctly, exfoliation is an excellent treatment for your skin.
Signs of Over Exfoliation
The following are signs of over-exfoliation of skin:
1. Dry, rough, flaky, and patchy skin
2. Wrinkles over areas where regular exfoliation is done with scrubs or wipes
3. Inflamed breakouts on the face which can be red in color due to an increase in sun exposure
4. Over sensitive dry skin with a stinging sensation on scrubbed areas
5. Sudden appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over exfoliated skin
6. Dull patchy skin with dead cells all around which no longer has a natural radiance
7. Stretch marks due to dryness over body parts where regular exfoliation is done
8. Sun exposed skin which breaks out with redness and inflammation
9. Dry patches on skin revealing clogged pores or ingrowths around hair follicles
10. Itchy, irritated, red blotchy dry skin on scrubbed areas
11. Skin pigmentation due to excess sun exposure following exfoliation over body parts
12. Loss of natural glow of skin due to the removal of natural oil and moisture
13. Flaking off of skin on scrubbed areas
14. Over sensitivity/overreaction to products applied over exfoliated skin
15. Loss in the elasticity of skin following heavy exfoliation
16. Dryness on scrubbed skin leading to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks, etc.
How To Avoid Over Exfoliation And Its Side Effects?
1. Use suitable products to exfoliate your skin at home
2. Avoid using scrubs or wipes over the body if you have dry sensitive skin
3. Take a shower instead of bath daily which will limit the time for any exfoliation
4. Never go overboard with manual exfoliation, gentle wiping is enough to cleanse skin thoroughly
5. Limit exfoliation to once or twice a week only if you have very dry sensitive skin
6. Use mild cleansers which are soap-free and do not contain any harsh chemicals
7. Apply good quality body lotion after a shower to lock in moisture
8. Always apply sun protection of SPF 15 or above on scrubbed areas for at least 4 weeks
9. Never use scrubs, wipes over skin with active acne as it can lead to redness and inflammation
10. Apply hydrating masks once a week if you have dry skin to nourish and restore your skin’s natural moisture
11. Apply anti-aging cream or any other suitable product if you have signs of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation
12. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day to keep the body hydrated and well moisturized from inside
13. Wear protective clothing like a hat and full sleeves shirt to avoid tanning and redness of the skin due to sun exposure
14. Use mild cleansers which are soap-free and do not contain any harsh chemicals
15. Apply good quality body lotion after a shower to lock in moisture
16. Always apply sun protection of SPF 15 or above on scrubbed areas for at least 4 weeks
17. Never use scrubs, wipes over skin with active acne as it can lead to redness and inflammation
18. Apply hydrating masks once a week if you have dry skin to nourish and restore your skin’s natural moisture
19. Apply anti-aging cream or any other suitable product if you have signs of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation
20. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day to keep the body hydrated and well moisturized from inside
21. Wear protective clothing like a hat and full sleeves shirt to avoid tanning and redness of the skin due to sun exposure
22. Keep your face clean with a mild cleanser and moisturize correctly
23. Do not exfoliate when your skin is sensitive, red, sunburned, or windburned
24. Always perform final skincare products like serum and moisturizer after washing the face to seal in all the benefits of your skincare routine
25. Use gentle makeup removers which are alcohol-free, oil-free and fragrance-free
26. Cleanse makeup brushes regularly with a gentle cleanser to remove all traces of makeup
27. Put sunscreen on before you step out to avoid getting tanned or redness of the skin due to sun exposure
28. Read the label of any product being applied onto your skin thoroughly
29. Never share makeup products with others as it can lead to bacterial infection and breakouts
30. Avoid using scrubs or wipes over the body if you have dry sensitive skin
31. Take a shower instead of bath daily which will limit the time for any exfoliation
32. Never go overboard with manual exfoliation, gentle wiping is enough to cleanse skin thoroughly
33. Use mild cleansers which are soap-free and do not contain any harsh chemicals
34. Apply good quality body lotion after a shower to lock in moisture
How many times a week should I exfoliate?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but there are some guidelines. Exfoliation removes the top layer of dead cells from your skin’s surface and allows new ones to develop. Exfoliating once a week will help new healthy skin cells grow, maintain cell turnover and keep pores free from congestion.
However, if you have acne, blackheads or clogged pores, you should exfoliate more often. Some people find that exfoliating helps to reduce acne breakouts because it helps remove bacteria from the skin’s surface. If your skin is sensitive, over-exfoliating can further irritate it by causing redness, inflammation or peeling. You’ll need to experiment a little to find out how often your skin can tolerate exfoliation.
If you have acne-prone or oily skin, daily exfoliating might be helpful. Again, it’s up to you and your dermatologist to determine the right frequency for you. You’d need to wash your face in the morning and at night before applying moisturizer. If you sleep in a pillowcase, make sure it is washed often to prevent bacteria from building up and causing acne or other breakouts.
If your skin feels smooth and hydrated after exfoliation, then you’re probably doing the right thing for your skin. As with any medical treatment, check with your dermatologist if you experience severe side effects or your skin conditions worsen after starting an exfoliating regimen, especially if you have rosacea.
On the other hand, if the skin is red and irritated after using a scrub or other exfoliating products, it’s time to cut back. Your skin has had enough. Sometimes, all that your skin needs to look and feel great is a moisturizer and sunscreen.
Is it normal to have a red face after exfoliating?
Having a red face after exfoliating is not normal. If you’re experiencing this reaction, it’s possible that your skincare products are too harsh for your skin type or that you’re using the wrong cleanser.
Why do I break out after exfoliating?
If you experience an inflamed or irritated skin condition after exfoliating, it’s possible that the product was too harsh for your skin type. The irritation may be due to additives in the product such as alcohol, menthol, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, and salicylic acid. These can cause breakouts in sensitive skin types.
Will over exfoliated Face/skin heal?
The skin can take a few days, up to several weeks for redness and irritation to fade away. The skin can also take around two weeks for the redness and irritation to completely disappear.
Exfoliation is temporary – it only lasts a few days. As such, exfoliated skin will heal as usual after waiting for a certain amount of time (depending on how much the redness lasted).
Key Takeaway
Exfoliating is a great way to keep your skin looking fresh and vibrant. But if you’re exfoliating too much, it can lead to an over-exfoliated face with dryness, flakiness, redness or scaling. If this sounds like what’s happening on your skin right now, don’t worry!
There are some simple ways that you can take care of the signs of over-exfoliation for both short term relief as well as long term solutions. Check out these tips below for more information about how to heal from Over Exfoliation quickly so that you have healthy glowing skin again soon!
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About the author
I am Amelia Varley, a blogger, and beautician. Here you can see my skills which give you small ideas on understanding all the concepts with different themes. I love to write blogs on different topics, like health, beauty, home décor, Automotive, Business, Food, Lifestyle, etc.