The Truth About Over-Exfoliation and Skin Damage

Exfoliation is good for the skin, right? Well, yes, it is, until you do it too much. Over-exfoliating skin is a sure-fire way to cause problems, like sensitivity, irritation, breakouts, dryness, and even accelerated aging.

But how much is too much? That’s the million-dollar question…

Skin Exfoliation: the good, the bad, and the ugly

First things first. What is over exfoliation?

Well, it can be different things. It could be that you simply do it too regularly. More than 2 or 3 times a week, even gently, can be too much, especially if you use the wrong products, your skin is sensitive, or in poor condition.

Even a single, harsh exfoliation can cause damage, and the risk of this increases if any chemicals are involved.

In short, over-exfoliation is anything that weakens and disrupts the integrity of the skin barrier, which is the upper layer of cells that prevent toxins and irritants from reaching the sensitive cells beneath.

Signs of over exfoliation and a damaged skin barrier include:

• Irritated, sensitive skin
• Redness and/or inflammation
• The skin feels overly tight and might also look shiny or waxy
• For some, the skin might become excessively oily
• Increased breakouts

How to Treat Over Exfoliated Skin

The number 1 piece of advice is to stop exfoliating. This means a cessation of physical scrubbing (yes, even with that super-soft cloth), using retinol products, chemicals, and anything else you might have in your armory of skin exfoliating products.

Ideally, your next step should be to consult a dermatologist. Not only will they advise on what product to use, but they’ll be able to carry out specific barrier-repair treatments. These are designed to support and increase natural lipid production, which helps accelerate skin cell turnover and restore the skin barrier to health. These could include LED light therapy and/or gentle HydraFacials both of which soothe inflammation, as well as promote recovery.

If you prefer a more DIY solution, then as well as stopping all harsh skin care, consider:

• Soothing cold compresses, which are great for red, irritated skin treatment
• Swap to very simple skincare cleansers and moisturizers that contain barrier-repairing products, such as glycerin, lipids, and fatty acids
• Don’t use any fragranced products
• Use the best hydration moisturizer you can buy, especially those that contain hyaluronic acid

And, crucially, use a high factor SPF suncream. Every… Single… Day… Yes, even if it’s cloudy and raining. This is because a disrupted skin barrier allows UV rays to penetrate deeper, further exacerbating irritation, as well as worsening skin cell damage.

How to Prevent Over Exfoliation

One thing that many people fail to realize is that many types of skin care products have an exfoliating effect. Layering them up is a surefire way of causing issues. Additionally, failing to introduce new exfoliating products gradually to your skin is also a hallmark of over exfoliation.

The following 5 tips will help you not fall foul of exfoliation side effects:

1. Don’t mix exfoliating products: Like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and retinol
2. Beware of vitamin C: Similarly, these shouldn’t be combined with Retinol products or other exfoliating ones. If you’re using a vitamin C product, apply it in the morning to benefit from the skin-brightening effects, and don’t use any other exfoliation in the meantime.
3. Don’t overload on glycolic or salicylic products: It’s easily done, because they might be present in both a cleanser and a toner, meaning that it’s simple to unintentionally double up. Check the ingredients of all your products before use.
4. Introduce exfoliating acid products gradually: All such products should only be used intermittently, especially at first. Most people can tolerate their use once a week to start with, but if your skin is especially sensitive, then even this could be too much.
5. Don’t double up on chemical and physical exfoliation: Even the gentlest of facial cloths can exfoliate if used too harshly. This, followed by a chemical exfoliation, can easily be excessive.

The good news is that most over-exfoliation symptoms are temporary. Careful steps should soon restore the skin barrier, especially in conjunction with good dermatological care. The key is not to cause the damage in the first place, which is why we always recommend following a regime that’s put in place following a skin care consultation, rather than something recommended by some random Tik Tok or Insta influencer.

Enter Bayou City Dermatology, Houston’s doctor-led skin clinic with professional services that support your gorgeous skin journey in the way that suits you. Whether you require regular treatments or just the odd visit for advice, we believe that everyone deserves to love the skin they’re in.

Discover more at Services | Bayou City Dermatology