Apply a gentle skincare routine Over-exfoliated skin is very sensitive, which is why it's important to implement a gentle, mild skin care routine to help the skin recover. Given that over-exfoliation can dry the skin out, moisturisers, serums and cleansers formulated for dry skin are usually your best bet.
Stop exfoliating the over exfoliated areas, first of all, and just baby them as much as possible - cleanse once or twice a day with the mildest gentlest cleanser (like a milk cleanser) and apply moisturizer to the over exfoliated areas and top with vaseline.
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 the over exfoliated areas, first of all, and just baby them as much as possible - cleanse once or twice a day with the mildest gentlest cleanser (like a milk cleanser) and apply moisturizer to the over exfoliated areas and top with vaseline.
But if you've overdone it, your skin will look shiny and artificial instead. Over-exfoliating will smooth your skin's natural texture too much, creating more of a waxy appearance. Removing skin cells and natural oils and exposing the underlying skin before that new skin is ready can cause the skin to look waxy.
Aside from switching up your cleanser, be sure to allow your skin time to restore. Set acne skincare products to the side, revert to washing your face once a day, and keep your skin product-free for a few days. Doing so will allow your skin to reset, restore, and replenish until you have healthy looking skin.
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.
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.
Scrubbing too hard or using an exfoliator that is too harsh for your skin can cause micro-abrasions, causing breakouts.
CeraVe Healing Ointment is formulated to temporarily protect and help relieve chafed, chapped, or cracked skin. It helps soothe and hydrate dry skin and is formulated to help restore the skin's protective barrier.
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.
Next, seek out formulas with skin soothing and replenishing ingredients, like allantoin, Centella asiatica (AKA cica), ceramides and hyaluronic acid. These will gradually calm and fortify skin's barrier so it can return to a healthy, non-irritated state.
When your barrier is weak because you don't have enough lipids in your skin, Vaseline acts as a substitute for these lipids. Remember the brick-and-mortar analogy? Vaseline fills in the cracks in your skin's “mortar” so that your barrier starts to act in a healthy way again.
A classic sign of a broken skin barrier is an inability to hold on to moisture. Skin that's dry and flaky despite your best efforts is one example of how this might manifest. Your skin might also peel away or look patchy.
Marisa Garshick's, top do's and don'ts when it comes to repairing a damaged skin barrier. “It is important to avoid any ingredients that can worsen irritation or further compromise the skin barrier such as harsh soaps, abrasive scrubs, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids or salicylic acid.
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.
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.
Here are three tell-tale signs of over cleansing your skin: Your complexion looks super-oily. New breakouts are popping up. Your skin looks and feels super-dry.