Every thirty days or so, your skin cells shed and make way for new ones. As you age, this process slows down, and there is more time between new skin cells resurfacing.
However, the dead skin cells do not entirely fall away sometimes, resulting in patches, dryness, and clogged pores. This may lead to dry skin, acne, breakouts, and other skin problems.
That’s why it is critical to use exfoliating scrubs and remove the dead skin cells regularly, making scrubbing an essential part of the skincare routine.
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Reasons to Exfoliate
Below are some truly remarkable things that happen to your skin when you exfoliate regularly.
- Regular exfoliation eliminates flakes and unclogs pores, preventing acne and other unpleasant skin conditions.
- Scrubbing can bring out a new layer of skin, smooth in texture and without discoloration.
- Exfoliation can reduce acne scars and improve blemished skin care overtime, giving you clearer skin than before.
- Once the dead skin cells are cleared, your skin can better absorb all the skincare products you use.
- It can also prevent ingrowth of hair, reducing the chances of pimples and other breakouts.
Exfoliating Methods
There are two primary exfoliating methods – manual and chemical. Most women prefer the manual method and do it once a week while saving the chemical treatment for more intermittent use.
Below are popular exfoliators to choose from.
Exfoliating scrubs
There are a variety of exfoliating scrubs to choose from, depending on your skin type and condition. For instance, you can pick herbal scrubs for sensitive skin, mild ones for damaged skin, or regular scrubs for normal skin. Exfoliating your face and body using these at least once or twice a week is a good idea. It will keep your skin clean of dead cells, healthy, youthful, and glowing, among other things.
Loofahs or Mitts
These are great for exfoliating the body and scrubbing away dead skin cells. Use a mild body wash and scrub your body gently all over with a loofah or a mitt. Afterward, you can wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry your skin. Finish off with a good-quality moisturizer to ensure the skin stays hydrated.
Pumice Stones
Pumice stones are very effective tools to scrub the bottom of your feet. Typically, you should soak your feet in warm water for about twenty to thirty minutes before cleaning them. This softens the hardened dead skin accumulation, making it easy for you to scrub it off.
Dry Exfoliating Brushes
Dry brushes are the best option for those who prefer to clean dead skin cells without wetting the skin. The brush can effectively remove dead skin flakes gently from the skin, revealing a smoother surface beneath.
Derma Rollers
Derma rolling ensures that the top dry layer of your skin peels away, ensuring the regeneration of effective skin cells. Also, it reduces hyperpigmentation such as light or dark skin spots and discoloration, enabling a smoother new layer of facial skin.
Choosing the Right Exfoliator
It is advised to choose an exfoliator that best suits your unique skin type. For instance,
Dry skin can be treated with exfoliators containing glycolic acid ingredients, which can effectively remove dead and flaky skin. They can also moisturize the skin at the same time.
Oily skin can result in pimples and acne breakouts. Therefore, it is critical to choose a product that removes dead skin and has anti-acne ingredients such as salicylic acid.
Sensitive skin should be exfoliated using products with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties such as propylene glycol. Ideally, exfoliators with sugar, yogurt, and turmeric are recommended for hypersensitive skin types.
How Often Should You Exfoliate the Skin?
Typically, it is best to get a chemical or acid exfoliation done once a month from professionals. However, you can indulge in manual exfoliating using the tools mentioned above at least twice a week. Regular exfoliation is essential if you want healthy, young, and glowing skin for a long time.
