Exfoliation is one of the essential parts of the skincare routine. Even though people are aware of exfoliation and the tremendous benefits it offers, they often question its frequency.
How often should I exfoliate becomes a matter of concern when a person wants to indulge in a healthy and effective skincare routine. At the same time, how to scrub off properly also needs enough attention, as incorrect methods can cause more harm than good.
So, let’s find out everything about exfoliation- its types, frequency for the face and body, and benefits.
What Is Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. Different methods can be used for the purpose of revealing newer skin cells underneath, giving healthier skin.
While exfoliation is beneficial, doing it properly is equally important. It is because when scrubbed too vigorously, the pores may clog, causing dull skin, and scrubbing too little will have zero effect on the dead skin.
Besides, it is equally important to know the right scrubbing tool for the purpose. From pumice stones to chemical exfoliants, there are plenty of products used to exfoliate the body. It is important to know which one is better and what ingredients should be present in chemical exfoliants.
Types of Exfoliation
Usually, two types of exfoliation are used to remove dead cells from the body. These are-
1. Chemical Exfoliation
Products like chemical peels are often used for exfoliation. These products contain acids like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). As one uses it on the skin, the bond between dead skin cells dissolves, leading to their removal.
Likewise, certain natural enzymes are also used for the purpose, such as those found in papaya or pineapple.
2. Mechanical Exfoliation
It involves the use of physical scrubs like beads or grains or tools like brushes and sponges to scrub off the dead skin cells manually by massaging over the targeted areas.
Irrespective of what type of exfoliant you use, gentle scrubbing is essential. When scrubbed too aggressively, the natural oils from the skin scrub off, making the skin dry and prone to breakouts.
How often should I exfoliate your body?
How often to exfoliate the body differs from its frequency on the face. It is mainly because the thickness of the skin on the face and the rest of the body is different.
A: Exfoliating Body
Even though exfoliation removes the dead skin cells from the body, the skin still needs some of them as they act like a protective layer and skin barrier. So, the answer to how often I should exfoliate my body depends upon the amount of dead skin cells present in the skin barrier.
Usually, the frequency of exfoliating the body is twice, at the maximum, thrice a week. It is enough for cell turnover. Overdoing it can remove all the dead skin cells, opening the pores and making the skin prone to acne.
People with dry and sensitive skin should exfoliate only once a week. Overdoing will make the skin drier and dull. For the rest of the days, using a gentle cleanser will ensure the skin retains the oil and moisture content.
B: Exfoliating Face
The answer to how often I should exfoliate my face depends upon my skin type. Since exfoliation not only removes dead skin cells it also strips off natural oils, it is essential to maintain the right exfoliation frequency and technique to get fruitful results.
- Dry skin: Exfoliate not more than twice a week, or the skin may get drier.
- Oily skin: Such skin is prone to acne, so the frequency can be increased to thrice a day.
- Combination skin: Since such skin type is oily in some areas and dry in others, you can exfoliate twice or thrice depending upon the oil on the face.
Irrespective of your skin type, make sure to use gentle, hydrating, and mild exfoliators that have natural ingredients. It will ensure that only the excess oil is removed along with the dead skin cells and the natural moisture is retained.
Also, remember that body exfoliator and face exfoliating scrub should not be the same. Since the face’s skin is thin, it requires gentle exfoliation, whereas body scrubs can be hard or have a thicker consistency.
Sings That You Are Exfoliating Too Much
Sometimes, due to a lack of information and the growing urge to get clearer skin, we end up scrubbing too often and too hard. In such cases, the opposite results are experienced. Some telltale signs that you are exfoliating too much include-
- Irritation
- Redness
- Inflammation
- Rough patches
- Rashes
- Dry and flaky patches
What Is The Best Time To Exfoliate Skin?
Our body sheds around 40,000 dead skin cells and replaces them. While most of the dead skin cells slough off naturally while washing due to friction with clothes, etc., a fine layer still stays at the top of the epidermis.
When this layer builds up an excess of dead skin cells, the skin starts appearing dull, rough, and sallow. If you witness something similar, maybe it’s high time to give a thought to exfoliation.
Scrubbing off the dead skin cells using the right method (chemical or manual) assists the skin’s natural sloughing process and removes the dead cells from the skin’s surface.
The best time to exfoliate the skin is usually in the nighttime skincare routine. It is because our skin goes through a lot throughout the day, accumulating dirt and pollutants. When they combine with dead skin cells, the chances of acne increase. Therefore, exfoliating at night allows the skin to breathe and regenerate overnight.
Besides, you can also exfoliate the body after taking a shower, which makes the process refreshing and effective.
Conclusion
While exfoliating skin is important, using the right product and doing it correctly is equally important to attain desirable results. At the same time, it is essential to know how often to exfoliate the body so that the skin’s natural hydration is maintained and keeps it well-nourished.
