Yes. Acne-prone skin needs exfoliation as this will help fight the acne and reduce the occurrence of acne. This is not to mean exfoliation will completely solve the acne occurrence. I will discuss below ways exfoliation will help reduce acne and may also be one of the causes of acne.
Exfoliating cleans the skin
As a makeup enthusiast mostly, my skin is my best feature. Keeping my skin clean when applying makeup is of high importance. In the evening, also taking off makeup usually leads to exfoliating.
This will remove dead skin from the facial skin and any makeup remaining after washing. Exfoliating keeps the skin clear of these dead cells, which block pores and cause acne.
Exfoliation softens Acne skin
With an acne breakout, the skin feels rough to the touch. This is because the pores on the skin are blocked, causing pimples. There are many physical and chemical regimens to solve this.
Exfoliating will clean the skin and make it softer to apply your skincare regimen after. I often do it at night as it is when I am less likely to move about, and also, the dark helps the skin heal itself from walking in the sun the whole day.
Chemical and Physical Exfoliants
Skincare products are sold everywhere. It is important to know which is good for which type of skin. Talking to a dermatologist might help you get the right product for your acne.
Physical items like scrubs and toothpaste applied on the skin might cause the acne to increase further as they might damage the skin. Fluoride in toothpaste might cause further damage. Thus leaving toothpaste for cleaning our teeth might be a good idea.
Chemical exfoliants are manufactured from products and also chemicals. Some might cause inflammation, dry the skin further, and not solve acne problems.
The acids and enzymes might also damage the skin color and tones, causing further acne, as the skin acidic secretions might cause a different reaction. A dermatologist might help find the right composition for your skin.
Exfoliation brings new skin
Clean skin glows and also looks fresh. Exfoliating removes the dead skin, which forms daily. Thus as the dead skins are removed from clogging the skin, new skin cells are exposed and look softer and with a glow. Evening out the skin tone as the skin will appear even and also soft without darker tones caused by acne.
Exfoliation is not always the answer. Overdoing this simple activity can have very bad consequences on the natural skin.
Cracking and dryness
Over-exfoliation can cause the skin to dry and crack. We already saw that exfoliation removes dead cells. This is done by removing the bonds between the skin cells and rubbing them off. During this process, the skin’s naturally produced oil is also removed.
Doing this daily causes the skin to become dry and lose moisture. Dry skin will start to tighten and crack. Acne might not be occurring anymore, but dry cracked skin is also no fun to look at.
Irritation and Inflamation
The oils mentioned do not only keep the skin soft. This is also a natural way for the skin to protect itself and soothe irritation and inflammation. Cleaning away this natural protection can cause a higher risk to these factors.
Skin will become reddened and painful to touch. It is a clear sign to back off the exfoliation at least for a day or two if this occurs.
The skin forms and gets rid of skin cells daily and slows down with age. Thus exfoliating should not be a daily routine, in my opinion. A healthy routine could be two or three times a week. This will reduce the chances of over-cleaning the skin and chances of inflammation and irritation.
With no acne breakouts and just as a beauty regiment once or twice a week is also healthy. We might not all look like magazine models, but with clean skin, it will glow without having too much makeup and shiny lights.
With my regiments, it also helps my makeup. Dead skin cells cause flakiness in the skin and are a headache when applying makeup. After cleaning my skin, applying my foundation on soft clear skin is easier and smoother. This helps my makeup look better and more professional.
As discussed, exfoliating is good for acne-prone skin only if done right. This will reduce the chances of aggravating the situation and also make skin look better in the process.
Following these key points in exfoliating routines, products, and natural skincare can help solve an acne problem. These benefits might be helpful for acne-prone skin;
- Exfoliation cleans the skin
- Exfoliation softens Acne skin
- Exfoliation brings new skin cells
A dermatologist will help choose the best methods and regimens to solve the acne breakout.
