How To Exfoliate the Right Way

Your body is constantly shedding its skin. Out with the old, in with the new, and you’re left with a fresh, healthy glow. But as we age, that process slows down, leaving behind cracked, dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles.

If you’re looking for possible solutions, exfoliating can help.

Aesthetician Ashlyn Yanke, LE, explains how exfoliation works and which types of exfoliators to try.

What is exfoliating?

Think of exfoliating like spring cleaning for your skin. Like dust on a shelf, dead skin cells have a way of building up over time. Exfoliating removes that weather-beaten, damaged or aging skin with tools, textured surfaces and chemicals to bring healthy cells to the surface. Many exfoliators are available over the counter, but some, like chemical peels or microdermabrasion, are done in-office by a dermatology specialist.

“The change of seasons is a great time to refresh your skin, especially after long winter months or a hot season when you’ve been sweating a lot,” says Yanke. “Exfoliation helps clean everything out.”

Benefits

A good clean goes a long way, and exfoliating can be an important step to your skin care routine if you have dry skin or calluses. Exfoliants can help:

• Brighten your skin
• Smooth your skin
• Unclog pores
• Improve moisture absorption
• Even out pigmentation

“Exfoliators are like cleansers, except they give you a deeper cleaning,” says Yanke. “And because they do the same thing, you want to use one or the other, not both.”

Types of exfoliants

In general, you can exfoliate your skin in two ways.

Mechanical (or physical) exfoliation involves using some type of tool or granule-based product to physically remove dead skin. Simple forms of physical exfoliation include dry brushing, using a washcloth, a loofah, beaded body scrubs or face washes to rub away dirt and dead skin cells. Other physical exfoliants are also available as in-office treatments from dermatology specialists and include:

• Microdermabrasion
• Microneedling
• Dermaplaning

Chemical exfoliation is another way to exfoliate. “Chemical exfoliation involve some kind of acid, like lactic acid or salicylic acid, that deeply penetrates your skin, stimulates collagen production and removes dead skin cells over a period of hours or days,” explains Yanke.

Chemical exfoliants also tend to be more thorough and cover more surface area than physical exfoliants. Types include:

• Chemical peels
• Enzyme powders and cleansing gels
• Retinol creams or serums

How to exfoliate your skin

If you want to add exfoliation to your skin care routine, follow these steps:

1. Prep your skin. Gently wash your face or body with lukewarm water before exfoliating. You can use that as an opportunity to check for any cuts or open sores.
2. Exfoliate gently. Some physical exfoliants are rough by nature, so use light pressure with little strokes. When using a chemical exfoliant, apply a thin layer. “You don’t have to scrub vigorously,” states Yanke.
3. Rinse off or leave on. Some exfoliants work best when they’re left on to penetrate the skin. Others are stronger and should be rinsed off after using for a specific period of time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you rinse, use lukewarm water instead of hot water to avoid causing irritation.
4. Moisturize. Exfoliants can dry your skin, so lock in extra water with a gentle moisturizer. That will provide a smooth finish that’s healthy for regrowth.

How often should you exfoliate?

Yanke recommends exfoliating your face once or twice a week in the morning or at night. When it comes to exfoliating the skin on the rest of your body, she says two or three times a week should suffice.

“Your body can handle more exfoliation than the skin on your face, but I still wouldn’t go over the top with it,” she recommends.

If you have oily skin, you may want to exfoliate more often. But if you have sensitive or dry skin, you might want to pare back.

“If you’re not sure what’s best for your skin type, talk with a dermatologist,” Yanke advises. “They can help you avoid over-exfoliation, which can cause redness, irritation or cracked skin.”

Additional tips and precautions

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your first-time exfoliation, consider these suggestions:

• Start mild. Patch test a chemical exfoliant on your arm to make sure your skin can tolerate it. Lactic acid peels are gentler and increase ceramides in your skin.
• Use different exfoliants for different areas. Body scrubs tend to be more on the rough side, so don’t use them on your face, as the skin there is thinner and more delicate than your thigh.
• Use one exfoliant at a time. You don’t want to use a physical exfoliant after a chemical exfoliant, as it can make your skin more sensitive and cause irritation. Use one kind of exfoliant at a time, and let your skin rest and recover before your next exfoliation.
• Always moisturize. “Use a moisturizer and sunscreen every day, even when you’re exfoliating,” advises Yanke.

A little goes a long way with exfoliation. If you’re looking for a clean sweep on smooth skin, there are plenty of tools and skin care products to help you exfoliate safely.