Give Your Skin Enough Time to Heal From Over-Exfoliation For some, it takes just a few days. For others, it can take weeks.
Generally, it may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks for the skin to recover. Here are some factors that can influence healing time: Severity of Exfoliation: Mild over-exfoliation may heal in a few days, while more severe cases can take longer.
Stop Exfoliating Altogether
Give your skin a rest from physical and chemical exfoliation for a few days to a couple of weeks and assess your skin's condition. The break will also allow your skin to recover and replenish itself. Once healed, you can slowly reintroduce 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. To achieve clearer, brighter skin, exfoliation on a consistent basis is what works well.
Irregular or improper cleansing can prolong the presence of dead skin cells by leaving oils and cosmetics on the skin. Exfoliating only needs to be done either once or twice a week, not daily.
In fact, it may take several weeks for your skin to bounce back from the wear and tear of over-exfoliation. During this healing phase, your best bet is to pamper the affected area with a gentle, restorative skin care product.
Don't panic, the damage isn't permanent, and you can still save your skin! The first step in over-exfoliation recovery is to put your exfoliator to one side and give your skin a chance to repair. If you instantly feel irritation and burning after overuse, then try using a cold compress to start to ease the sensation.
The lipid barrier is critical for locking in moisture and keeping harmful aggressors out. Excessive exfoliation breaks down this essential lipid barrier, leaving your skin defenceless and more prone to skin discomfort. This can appear as tightness in your skin, a waxy appearance due to dehydration.
After exfoliating, you can apply a hydrating serum followed by a great moisturizer for your skin type. Your hydrating products will absorb further into your newly resurfaced skin.
Water softens dead skin, so it's very easy to rub off both dead and live cells when the skin is moist. Avoid rubbing washcloths on the treated area or sonic cleansing brushes after a chemical peel. Only pat dry.Do wear sunscreen after a chemical peel.
After peeling, your skin is even more sensitive. Therefore, avoid direct sun exposure, which can lead to even more visible signs of aging. If you must expose yourself to the sun, use a broad spectrum physical sunscreen. Avoid strenuous workouts, dry saunas and steam baths.
To help the stratum corneum heal, use a thick moisturizer each day that contains ingredients to support the skin barrier, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Ceramides and occlusive moisturizers are also beneficial.
“The best practice is to avoid over-scrubbing because you want to maintain a healthy and intact skin barrier,” Dr. Khalifian notes. Going too hard can leave your skin red and irritated. Use it after cleansing, and always follow with moisturizer to lock in hydration.
Below are dermatologist-recommended and NBC Select staff-favorite products that contain exfoliating ingredients like AHAs and BHAs and are in line with experts' guidance. Although some of these products may be safe for daily use, experts recommend exfoliating one to three times a week.
When it comes to morning versus night exfoliation, you're going to reap the best benefits from exfoliating in the morning time. This is due to the oils your skin produces overnight. You'll be able to more smoothly remove all impurities, dead skin, and oils, when you exfoliate in the morning, rather than at night.
Your recovery routine should include a gentle cleanser, moisturizing creams, SPF, and repair creams that help to treat the skin barrier. Seek ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalene, zinc oxide, shea butter, and glycerin. These ingredients are all hydrating and calming.
Treating Over-Exfoliated Skin
Prioritize hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and make sure to use SPF. Keep exfoliating to a minimum, 1-3x a week, depending on your skin type.
The very outer 3-4 layers of dead cells that comprise the Stratum Corneum are often referred to as the Stratum Disjunctum (the outermost layer that is affected during exfoliation).
Give Your Skin Enough Time to Heal From Over-Exfoliation
For some, it takes just a few days. For others, it can take weeks. Meanwhile, for the unlucky few, they have a few months to wait. Either way, you need to give your skin as much time as it needs to heal.
Your Skin Feels Dry and Tight
Just as over-cleansing strips the skin of beneficial natural oils, so does over-exfoliation. Without some of these natural oils, the skin becomes dehydrated, tight and uncomfortable.
Skin purging is said to last 4-6 weeks, however, everyone's skin is different (2). This is only temporary and will eventually subside as your skin adjusts to the new treatment. In the meantime, it is important to cleanse gently and avoid picking at your skin, as this can cause further irritation.