Can Exfoliating Cause Acne? Typically, exfoliating does not cause acne. In fact, in most cases, exfoliating can help minimize acne when performed properly as part of an acne treatment program. Beware though, if exfoliating is done improperly or too often, it can bring on problems.
While physical exfoliants may buff away dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling smooth, the friction involved may irritate your already-inflamed skin, leading to increased redness and breakouts.
However you choose to exfoliate, doing so more than is necessary could cause long-lasting damage. Pamela says: "If you are exfoliating the skin too often, the skin's barrier function can become compromised, skin can become dehydrated and capillaries can become damaged. It can ultimately make acne worse." Eesh.
Whether your acne is mild or more severe, regular exfoliation will smooth and soften the skin and brighten your complexion. It also helps reduce breakouts by keeping the pores from becoming clogged with the pus of dead cells and sebum (skin oil).
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.
While it's generally beneficial to your skin, exfoliating can also cause harm if you do it too frequently or use the wrong kind of exfoliant. Exfoliating every day can cause your skin to become highly sensitive, which can be both annoying and harmful to your skin's overall health.
Most experts advise that you exfoliate two to three times per week — as long as your skin can handle it. Chemical exfoliants tend to be fine to use more regularly. Physical methods, on the other hand, may be too abrasive to use multiple times a week.
Too much of a good thing really can happen, especially when it comes to exfoliation. While getting rid of skin impurities on a regular basis is good, doing it too much can aggravate the skin. Over-exfoliation can lead to redness, irritation, and may leave the skin inworse condition than what you started with.
Purging is a sign that the product is working and you should continue with the treatment as prescribed. After a few weeks of purging, your skin and acne will have noticeably improved. Breaking out is when your skin is reacting because it is sensitive to something in the new product.
“Purging is neither good nor bad. It can happen after using excellent products but, equally, it also frequently occurs when the skin barrier is compromised prior to starting with a product or treatment.
If you want to prevent skin purging or limit a purge's severity, make sure you introduce your new acne treatment products slowly into your routine. This is true of other skincare products for most skin conditions! Slow and steady usually wins the race.
Adult skin that's not regularly exfoliated may experience acne and more rapid visible aging. It is often not very vibrant in tone, and easily becomes clogged with dirt, excess oil, and dead skin cells. Blackheads are also more likely to occur.
You can start exfoliating your skin as early as your teen years, from 14 onwards. During this time you may find your skin to become imbalanced and a lot more oily than it was before. This excess oil can lead to some problems, like breakouts, blackheads and spots.
For most skin types, Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL recommends daily chemical exfoliation, and then incorporating mechanical exfoliation into your regimen about once a week.
The best time to exfoliate
If you tend to wear makeup throughout the day, it may be better to exfoliate at night, Dr. Gonzalez says. “Exfoliating at night helps clear out makeup and dirt on the skin,” she says. Exfoliating at night also removes oil and debris from the day.
You may be wondering: “How often should I exfoliate my acne-prone skin?” Experts typically recommend exfoliating 2-3 times per week if your skin is prone to acne. Depending on the severity of your acne, you may need to reduce that to 1-2 times per week.
Your skin needs moisture, especially after you exfoliate. Using a super-hydrating facial moisturizer after you exfoliate helps replenish any moisture loss from exfoliating. Apply sunscreen. “If you can't tone it, tan it” might be your mantra for your midsection, but the sun isn't going to do your face any favors.
Start by washing your face with your regular cleanser. Then, take a quarter-size amount of your face scrub and apply it to your face in circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Gently massage the scrub onto the skin for as long as your specific product recommends, usually from 30 seconds to a full minute.
Try to exfoliate your body at least once every 10 days, but we recommend one to two times a week if you have sensitive skin, and three to four if your chest and back are on the oily side. Follow these tips for glowing skin without the damage caused by over-exfoliation.
While some people believe that this improves the appearance of their skin, it's not for everyone. If not done properly, it could do more harm than good. If you choose to exfoliate, it's important to do so safely so that it does not damage your skin or lead to increased redness or acne breakouts.
Sudden acne breakouts can be because of numerous reasons, including hormonal changes or hormonal imbalance, an unhealthy diet including lots of deep fried and junk food, release of cortisol hormones because of excessive stress, excessive production of sebum and much more.
Purging can last for anything from one or two weeks to one or two months. Breakouts can last a while; there is no time period that indicates when the breakouts will go away. The cell turnover speed is usual. The purging of the skin starts after a few days of using a new product.
A purge can last as long as two months, and you should start seeing an improvement by the six-week point, if not sooner. On the other side of a purge is cleaner, clearer skin!
If an area feels dry and/or rough, it might be time to exfoliate. Important: if this same patch of skin is also irritated, red or itchy, that is a sure sign not to exfoliate.