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Skincare tips & advice

5 Expert Tips for Exfoliating Without Disrupting Your Skin Barrier

A healthy skin barrier is essential for maintaining hydrated, balanced skin that looks and feels its best. This is especially true if you’re adding exfoliating products into your skincare routine, such as salicylic acid cleansers, lactic acid serums, or any other type of skincare product containing chemical or physical exfoliants. Keep reading to discover how to exfoliate your skin gently—without disrupting your skin’s protective barrier—with the help of board-certified dermatologist Dr. Tiffany Clay.

CeraVe Skin Smarts Skincare Tips Advice Expert Tips For Exfoliating Without Disrupting The Skin Barrier

Overview

The right exfoliation routine can be a powerful tool for promoting smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin. But when overused or not used correctly, exfoliants can disrupt your skin’s natural barrier, which may result in redness, flaking, or irritation. Not sure which type of exfoliant will bring you closer to your skin goals, without disrupting this important protective barrier? In this skincare guide, we’re covering the basics on how often to exfoliate your face, which ingredients to look for, and expert tips from Dr. Tiffany Clay on how to exfoliate gently and effectively.

Expert Tips for Gentle Exfoliation

  • Exfoliating regularly can help improve the overall appearance of your skin by removing dead skin cells and promoting skin cell turnover.
  • Exfoliants target many common skin concerns, such as rough and bumpy skin (also known as keratosis pilaris), uneven texture, acne, wrinkles, and the scaling often associated with psoriasis.
  • There are two main methods of exfoliation used in CeraVe products: chemical exfoliation (such as salicylic acid) and physical exfoliation (such as jojoba beads).
  • Over-exfoliating or exfoliating incorrectly can disrupt the skin barrier and result in redness, flaking, or irritation. Always follow the label’s instructions closely, and seek the help of a dermatologist when needed.

What is exfoliation?

Although exfoliating can be very beneficial, it can cause disruptions in the skin barrier if it’s not done properly, according to an online article published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.2 For this reason, when crafting an exfoliation routine, Dr. Clay advises choosing an exfoliation method based on your skin type and skin’s needs. Here are some of the primary distinctions to consider when deciding between the two main types of exfoliation: chemical and physical.

 

How do I exfoliate without disrupting my skin barrier?

The skin barrier is the protective outermost layer of your skin. It functions as the main gatekeeper between your skin and the external environment, making it essential in protecting your skin against environmental stressors and moisture loss. That’s why, in order to reap the full benefits of exfoliation and enjoy healthy-looking skin, it’s crucial to protect your skin’s natural barrier with the right products, application, and methods.

 

Below, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Tiffany Clay shares her expert advice on how to gently and effectively exfoliate without disrupting your skin barrier.

 

Tip 1: Choose the Right Exfoliation Method for Your Skin

Although exfoliating can be very beneficial, it can cause disruptions in the skin barrier if it’s not done properly, according to an online article published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.2 For this reason, when crafting an exfoliation routine, Dr. Clay advises choosing an exfoliation method based on your skin type and skin’s needs. Here are some of the primary distinctions to consider when deciding between the two main types of exfoliation: chemical and physical.

  • This type of exfoliation includes products containing exfoliating acids. Rather than manually scrubbing the skin, chemical exfoliation uses the help of enzymes or acids that work to dissolve dead skin cells. The most common chemical exfoliants used in skincare include beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like lactic acid and glycolic acid.

     

    In CeraVe products, you’ll find AHAs and BHAs in formulas alongside reinforcing ingredients—such as ceramides—to help maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier.

  • Also sometimes known as “manual” or “mechanical” exfoliation, this type of exfoliation uses physical materials (like scrubs, brushes, or gloves) to remove dead skin cells. When applying this method, be sure to exfoliate in gentle, small, circular motions using only light pressure. It’s important to avoid over-scrubbing your skin, which can disrupt your skin barrier. You should avoid this type of exfoliation if you have certain skin conditions, open wounds, sunburn, or active acne lesions.

     

    For rough and bumpy skin, CeraVe recommends a dual exfoliation approach that combines both chemical and physical exfoliation, such as our SA Cleanser Bar. This gentle, soap-free body bar contains salicylic acid and spherical jojoba beads to gently sweep away dead skin cells and improve the look and feel of rough and bumpy skin.

Tip 2: Choose the Right Exfoliating Ingredients

When choosing a chemical exfoliant for your skincare routine, you’ll want to ensure that you’re choosing the ideal exfoliating ingredients for your skin type and goals. “Look for exfoliating ingredients such as alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, and retinol,” says Dr. Clay. To help you get started, here’s a helpful summary of CeraVe’s three chemical exfoliants below.

  • Alpha-hydroxy acids (also known as AHAs) are water-soluble chemical exfoliants that include ingredients like lactic and glycolic acids. You can find AHAs in exfoliating products like our Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment.

     

    This anti-aging AHA serum features a 5% blend of both glycolic and lactic acids for gentle exfoliation that can help smooth fine lines and reduce signs of aging—such as the appearance of wrinkles, dullness, dark spots and enlarged pores—without causing flaking or redness.

  • Beta-hydroxy acids (also known as BHAs) are oil-soluble chemical exfoliants, such as salicylic acid. BHAs are particularly useful in helping to soften, smooth, and improve the overall texture of rough and bumpy skin, which can sometimes resemble “chicken skin” or “strawberry skin.”

     

    In addition, because BHAs can penetrate into pores to help dissolve dead skin cells, salicylic acid is particularly well-suited for targeting blackheads and helping to prevent acne breakouts. BHAs are included in many CeraVe formulas, including our Acne Control Gel, Acne Control Cleanser, and SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin.

  • Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that, although not technically an exfoliant, can also help promote your skin’s natural exfoliation process. Because of this, retinol is often found in products—like CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum—that are aimed at minimizing signs of skin aging, like fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone.

    Tip 3: Look for Exfoliating Products With Hydrating and Skin Barrier-Reinforcing Ingredients

    “While you’re exfoliating, it’s important that you [also] restore the skin barrier,” says Dr. Clay. For this reason, Dr. Clay recommends choosing exfoliating products that contain ceramides to help maintain and restore the skin barrier, like CeraVe SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin.

     

    Ceramides are like the “glue” between your skin cells. Research shows that these lipids make up about 50% of your skin barrier, and that they play a key role in keeping moisture in and external elements out.1 You’ll find three skin-identical ceramides in all of CeraVe’s products to help keep your skin barrier intact and healthy when exfoliating.

     

    Additionally, hydrating and nourishing your skin are also essential when exfoliating, according to Dr. Clay. Look for exfoliating products that are formulated to be gentle enough for daily use, with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Products with these ingredients can help hydrate and calm your skin when used as part of your daily skincare routine.

     

    Tip 4: Be Gentle With Your Skin

    Dr. Clay recommends starting slowly when beginning an exfoliation routine and, if you’re going to use a physical exfoliant, to take extra care with gentle application and avoid over-scrubbing your skin. And finally, she says it’s crucial not to forget about sun protection in any skincare routine, especially if you're exfoliating. This is because certain exfoliants—such as glycolic acid—may cause increased photosensitivity and elevate your risk of sun damage.

     

    “You want to make sure that you are using a broad-spectrum sunscreen each and every day,” says Dr. Clay, who recommends using a non-comedogenic facial sunscreen like CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Sheer Tint. This daily tinted sunscreen for the face helps protect your skin while delivering a healthy glow (without any white cast).

     

    Apply this product liberally 15 minutes before sun exposure, and reapply at least every 2 hours (or as needed) when spending extended amounts of time outdoors.

     

    Tip 5: Seek the Help of a Dermatologist When Needed

    Since exfoliation is not recommended for people with certain skin conditions, such as rosacea, the advice of a qualified dermatologist may be required in some cases. It’s best to stop using exfoliating products if your skin becomes red, irritated, or inflamed, and seek the guidance of your dermatologist for the best possible advice.

     

    A board-certified dermatologist can help answer any of your exfoliation questions and help you decide which CeraVe products are right for your skin’s needs.

     

    To learn more about the chemical exfoliants used in CeraVe’s skincare products, check out our guide on the differences between AHAs and BHAs.

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