Do you know that human skin loses almost 30,000 skin cells every day? With skin exfoliation, you can remove these dead skin cells with particular exfoliating tools and materials.
Your skin may cause dry patches, clogged pores, and skin flakes. This article provides you with a quick review of some common skin issues, skin exfoliation products, and how to exfoliate skin naturally. For severe skin issues, it is highly recommended to consult your skin specialist or dermatologist before skin exfoliation.
Contents
When Should You Start Skin Exfoliation?
Usually, during the mid-twenties, dead skin cells reduce shedding automatically. In such situations, exfoliation is suggested particularly for aging or weather-affected skin. You can exfoliate your skin if you find your skin
- Starts Peeling
- Got acne scars
- Photo aging
- Aging
- Sun tanned
- Flaky
Skin peeling is a natural process and you can perform it yourself in form of exfoliation. It helps your skin recover from damages caused due to various factors like
- Environmental factors
- Allergies
- Skin infections
- Skin conditions &
- Sunburns
The outer layer of skin, called the epidermis, is the visible layer of your skin. It is the thinner outer layer. Still, it protects your body against germs and infections. The epidermis builds new skin cells daily to replace and recover many skin cells that die naturally.
Types of Exfoliation
Here are three major exfoliation types that you can perform at home and seek professional help as well.
1. Physical Exfoliation
This exfoliation is performed manually by applying granular face scrubs. You can use and rub this scrub in a circular motion to remove the outer layer of the skin clogged with dead skin cells and the oil layer.
You can also use a washcloth for your face and a brush for exfoliating your body. It improves blood circulation of the skin and helps regenerate collagen.
This type is suitable for all skin types. But people with sensitive skin should exfoliate mildly.
2. Mechanical exfoliation
This mechanical exfoliation procedure requires the following products and you can follow this procedure safely at home.
- Exfoliating brush
- Exfoliation sponge
- Exfoliating glove
- Exfoliating scrub
Clean your face first, wear gloves, apply the scrub, and gently exfoliate your face with a soft brush. If you find the scrub a little scratchy, use it for your hands and feet.
3. Chemical Exfoliation:
You should always consult skin specialists before trying this procedure. It is suggested to get this procedure performed by some specialist.
- Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs)
- Beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs)
You can use chemical exfoliation you oily or sunburnt skin. It is effective for opening and penetrating clogged pores and killing germs that cause pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads on your skin.
When to Do Skin Exfoliation?
You can start skin exfoliation in your mid-twenties to avoid clogged pores. If you are the one who believes in curing the problem when it appears, you can begin exfoliation at home if you find your complexion getting dull.
You can think of exfoliation when the skin’s dead cells don’t shed automatically and start building dry or problematic skin.
How to Exfoliate Your Face?
Seven Steps
If your skin conditions like aging, sunburn, or peeling from the face, hands, feet, or lips, the first option is to exfoliate at home.
- Cleanse your face first. Then take some moist washcloth and rub it gently in a circular motion on your skin. It helps remove dead skin from your face. Avoid mechanical exfoliation for sensitive or dry skin, as it can irritate your skin.
- Chemical exfoliator or mechanical exfoliation is appropriate for oily skin.
- Avoid strong mechanical or chemical exfoliation for skin with a darker tone, skin burns, or acne breakouts. Exfoliate gently to avoid the emergence of dark skin spots.
- Exfoliate gently in small circular motions for a minute or less. Aggressive exfoliation can cause more damage than benefit.
- Never exfoliate if your skin has wounds, open cuts, or is sunburned.
- Always moisturize after exfoliation to keep your skin hydrated and fresh.
- Choose an exfoliation routine according to your skin type. More than required or aggressive exfoliation can make the skin irritated.
What Is Required for Exfoliation?
Basic knowledge! Yes, you read it right. You need to know your skin type first and how to exfoliate your skin naturally. Secondly, you should know the materials or procedures properly you will follow. This knowledge helps you improve your skin rather than causing some damage or irreversible problem.
What Skin Types Do You Need to Know for Exfoliation?
- Dry Skin
This skin type is prone to develop flaky skin or dry patches. Mechanical exfoliation can make it even drier; avoid it. Alpha hydroxy acid or AHA exfoliation is a better choice for dry skin. Glycolic acid helps remove dead skin cells and improves skin recovery.
- Oily Skin
Oily skin is easier to handle with exfoliation as it already has oily buildup. You can exfoliate it manually or with brushes. Exfoliate your skin gently with a suitable skin exfoliation scrub or exfoliator.
- Normal Skin
This skin type doesn’t have any complications. You can perform manual and even chemical exfoliation on it. You can explore suitable methods and techniques on your own. Be cautious about using harsh chemicals on any skin type, including normal skin. 
- Sensitive Skin
Often people wonder if exfoliating is good for sensitive skin or not. For this skin type, you can use mild exfoliators. You do not need to scrub it, as it can lead to irritation and even redness. Apply an exfoliator and wash with lukewarm water.
- Combination Skin
You can exfoliate combination skin with chemical and mechanical products alternatively. For young age, it is advised not to scrub or exfoliate skin more than once a week. If you find your skin gone dry with exfoliation, you can moisturize it to regain skin freshness.
Can I Exfoliate My Face Only?
Though most people care more about their facial skin and care, your whole body requires care to exfoliate. Your body prominently loses dead skin cells from your hands, feet, palms, and lips. If you don’t take proper care, this scaly skin causes inconvenience. 
What Causes Skin Flakes, Skin Peeling & Acne?
Skin Flakes?
With aging and other environmental factors, dead skin cells start accumulating on your skin. These dead skin cells begin forming skin flakes, especially on your hand and feet. These flakes need to be removed by manual exfoliation with scrubs. For serious issues, chemical exfoliation is more effective.
Often with changing seasons, you find your palms’ skin peeling. This is the natural process of recovering dead skin cells. You can soothe it by applying moisturizers.
When skin peeling becomes irritable and itchy, it’s time to investigate its causes. If skin becomes hard or flaky, it’s time to exfoliate.
Skin peeling is natural, and you can often find it in newborn babies. This peeling lasts approximately two weeks until the top layer gradually sheds off.
Skin peeling on the face usually occurs due to climatic changes, sunburns, or aging. Exfoliation helps you to gain rejuvenated and glowing skin beneath.
Skin peeling on fingertips can occur due to thumb-sucking in toddlers or changing weather conditions. If you wash your hands frequently or do jobs like catering, hairdressing, cleaning, or mechanics, dry skin and skin peeling are quite possible.
Harsh climatic conditions and sunburn can cause peeling on your fingertips. You can keep your hand moisturized and use gloves as a preventive measure. Check dermatologists if your condition persists for more than two weeks despite moisturizing or initial care. You may have developed some skin conditions like Psoriasis, Allergic contact dermatitis, Kawasaki disease, and Eczema.
Skin peeling under feet shouldn’t be a concern if it heeled with some moisturizers or initial care. You can exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells.
But you need to be cautious if it causes pain, itching, dry patches, flushing, or the appearance of some cracks. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that is caused due to contact with contaminated surfaces or showers.
Use specified chemical exfoliators for feet, as these are stronger than those you use for your face or hands. You can also use body brushes, foot scrubs, and electric callus removers.
Skin Peeling on Hands is similar to skin peeling on fingertips. You can keep them moisturized and avoid undue contact with chemicals. If your hand skin becomes hard and irritated due to sunburn, you should exfoliate your hands with hand scrubs.
Acne
When skin pores get clogged with bacteria, oil, dirt, and dirt skin cells, your skin is likely to get acne. It is not a serious health condition, but its severe breakout can be painful.
Acne can occur on your body but on your face is terrible as it can lead to scars that affect your appearance.
Acne is usually seen in two forms
- Blackheads
- Whiteheads
Acne can cause skin discoloration, inflammation, or dark patches. Exfoliation can be a great help in decreasing acne. You can opt for chemical exfoliation if you get some marks on your face due to acne.
FAQs
Q. What skin do you exfoliate?
You can exfoliate the skin on your face, lips, hands, and feet. You can exfoliate all over your body according to your need.
Q. Does skin peeling remove acne?
You can reduce pimples and clogged pores with the help of chemical peels.
Q. What causes skin exfoliation?
Human skin loses dead cells automatically. Moreover, environmental factors like sunlight exposure, aging, or contact with chemical substances can cause your skin to peel. Exfoliation is an immediate solution to remove skin’s dead cells and show fresh skin beneath.
Q. Is exfoliating bad for the skin?
It is only bad when you do not consider your skin type or use inappropriate exfoliation material. If you choose your products wisely you can get smooth and healthy skin with exfoliation.
Conclusion
Prevention is better than cure. Skin peeling is a natural process of the human body to shed dead skin cells automatically and helps new skin cells appear. This process has continued since birth. With growing age, this process becomes slower, accumulating dead skin cells on your skin surface.
In such conditions, you can safely choose skin exfoliation as a preventive measure and a cure.
You can exfoliate safely at home using mild and suitable exfoliation treatments. You should consult your dermatologist for serious skin issues, infections, and diseases for proper advice about exfoliation.
Exfoliation helps relieve the uncomfortable sensation of dried or patchy skin. It rejuvenates your skin and makes it healthy and fresh. Always keep your skin moisturized before and after exfoliation for hydrated skin.
Resources
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/meaning-of-exfoliating
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21901-epidermis
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-athletes-foot-basics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn