I often come across cautionary warnings to not over-exfoliate the skin, especially when you use something like a facial wash cloth or flannel to help cleanse your skin, or an exfoliating toner. I too often spout such wisdom, but you know what? It’s hard to warn people about something that you’ve never experienced before. I mean, what happens if you over-exfoliate your skin? Why is it bad?
Well, I didn’t go all out with the intention to find out, but I inadvertently experienced it, and I’m now in a position to tell you what happens when you over-exfoliate your skin and more importantly, how you can help repair the damage!
Some of you on my social media channels might remember my recent laments about the condition of my skin and how it was going bonkers. I had not used any new skincare products (quite rare). I had not changed any part of my routine. I was plodding on as normal, and yet, my skin was going absolutely crackers!
Skin Over-exfoliation Effects
What did I experience?
- Very dry patches of skin
- Rough, bumpy skin
- Uneven skin tone
- Random breakouts on various parts of my face
- Skin that felt like sandpaper
- Tough, hardened skin
Before this, when I went through something similar with irritated skin, I pared down my skincare routine and it became better. However, that was due to a product that didn’t agree with my skin. This time, I was stumped! There was absolutely no reason for my skin to go mad!
Ah, but there was. One day, after a month of trying my darnest to figure out what was wrong, I was in the shower (when all inspiration strikes!) and out of the blue, I thought “Wait a minute, what if it was all my careful ministrations with my facial wash cloth that was causing my skin to go mad? Was I over-exfoliating my skin?!”
It turned out I was right. What had happened was that I was using my wash cloth to cleanse off cleansing balm in my first cleanse. However, because the product I was using for my second cleanse was a cream cleanser that felt cleaner being wiped off than rinsed off, I was using it as well for the second cleanse. Although I did not exert pressure while using the cloth, the fact remains that it was performing an exfoliating function. If you use a very soft cloth, perhaps the effects would be mitigated. Mine were terry cloth and I suppose, were just too harsh to use twice at a go.
When I had that thunderbolt of inspiration, I decided to try cutting back, so I only used the wash cloth for my first cleanse, and my hands for the second. I also realised that because I don’t use a lot of makeup anymore these days, nor go out very much, my skin doesn’t get as dirty as it used to before this, and I didn’t need as much cleansing.
The upshot of all this is that within a week, I saw results. My skin started to regain its soft, smooth texture that I had before. The sandpaper effect smoothened out, and my skin stopped feeling dry and tough. The random breakouts started to heal, and I now have my skin back to normal.
How to repair skin that has been over-exfoliated
Over-exfoliated skin feels raw and often, very dry and sensitive. If you think you might be experiencing something similar – it could be due to physical or chemical reasons that you are over-exfoliating your skin – here’s how I repaired my skin and got it back to normal.
- First off, stop exfoliating. When I realised that it might be to do with my over-zealous exfoliation, I stopped using the wash cloth as much, and I cut out all my chemical exfoliators and toners. My skin was irritated and injured and it needed to repair itself and heal.
- Second, be gentle. For the first 2 weeks, I picked out my most gentle and soothing products for my skin. This was when I fully appreciated the Tatcha Indigo cream, Chanel Solution 10 cream and the REN V-Cense day cream. They were all I used, alongside the May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon balm and occasionally, the Pai Skincare Rosehip oil.
- Third, go back to basics. During this time of healing, I only used a face mist (I’m currently loving the Caudalie Grape Water face mist!) and the creams I mentioned above. No serums, no lotions, no actives, nothing. Just mist and sensitive skin creams and the May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon balm or the Pai Skincare Rosehip Oil at night.
With the tender loving care I gave it, my skin quickly healed, and after about 3 weeks, I’m now slowly starting to reintroduce my serums back into my routine. I am also now more careful about how I treat my skin.
I always thought I was being super careful and not being too rough with my skin, and yet, something like this could happen to me, simply because I wasn’t paying enough attention to what I was using and how I was using it. What this teaches us is that we are all different, and that we should pay attention to our skin. We can’t blindly follow another person’s skincare routine, just because it works for them. We need to tailor it to suit OUR skin and only WE can do it.
Have you experienced effects like this on your skin? What did you do to address the problems?
Honestly, this is the first time I’m experiencing this. I think it was over-zealousness and carelessness on my part, as well as forgetting to observe and listen to my skin. Because I was using less makeup, my skin didn’t need that much cleansing at the end of the day. I can do with something far more gentle than before. I am glad I worked it out eventually. I’m now a lot more careful, but you know what? YOU can learn from my mistakes! 😀
Paris B
Oh yeah I kena before many times. I use a Konjac sponge when I cleanse my face in the shower and then I use exfoliating serums. It’s no wonder my skin’s not happy. Thankfully even so, my skin doesn’t go haywire immediately nor often but when it does go crazy with dry patches, flaky skin and all that, like you, I stop using all of the “active” serums, go back to basics and hydrate the heck out of my skin with lots of hyaluronic acid serum. Yeah we do forget that even though we’re not physically scrubbing our skin with scrubby scrubs daily, we do tend to do other things to over-exfoliate our skin.
The irony is that even the most innocuous of items, like the super soft konjac sponge or microfibre cloth does exfoliate – we just don’t realise it because it’s so soft. Mine doesn’t go crazy immediately too, which sometimes bugs me as it builds up so slowly and creeps up on you that you don’t realise it till it’s too late. I’d rather it hit you all at once, and then you can treat it right away LOL!
Sounds like what I went through the past week! I think I got it because I went for a facial (sans extraction) where they must have exfoliated a lil too much. Or maybe my skin wasn’t used to it given that I had not been for facials in years. I used my hydrogen water mask religiously for days after that and also Rosehip oil at night. Much better after 1 week.
Oh that’s entirely possible, or they used a product your skin isn’t used to or comfortable with. Good to know you’re getting it back to normal!
By bumpy skin did you mean an orange peel look? Did you experience lines like tightness or wrinkles? I used Retin A .1% twice and it was way too much. My skin peeled like crazy and swelled. It is going on 4 weeks now and I have tried too many different lotions, and even washing my face just dries it out and then moisturizer stings. I was told about rosewater and possibly shea butter? I just need something that won’t irritate it. I also just irritated it again trying to get rid of clogged pores on my chin with Clinique’s City Block mask. Ugh, I just want my skin back, it is only like this near my mouth (along the smile lines) and on my chin.
It was more like sandpaper and I didn’t experience lines because once I realised it was getting dry and bumpy, I tried to take action. Retin A is very drying and you must counteract that with hydrating products or it will leave the skin dried out and peel. Sorry to hear you are going through this. Have you considered seeing a dermatologist to see if they can help? I’m no expert, but I’d suggest using a cream cleanser, not a foaming cleanser, a facial mist like rosewater spray and perhaps a facial oil. Anything that exfoliates would be too harsh for your skin in this condition. I hope you get it better soon.
PAris! Are you PSYCHIC? I was LITERALLY JUST wondering why my skin was going through everything you said above, and mine is worse because i pick at the scabs so now my face is dry, sensitive and full of scabs, and it’s because of over exfoliating with my towel and my facial wash has scrubby bits in it as well! i was JUST thinking it could be that i’m over scrubbing and then i opened your website and saw this! thank you SO much for writing abt this, i’ll stop the exfoliating and start the gentle taking care of my skin.. once again, thank you!
Woohoo! Ok, not because you’re experiencing this, but because you may now be able to identify the cause and help your skin 🙂 It does sound like you’ve been overexfoliating. Facial washes (regular ones you’re supposed to use daily) which have scrubby bits in them are the worst! I don’t know what these brands are thinking of, making something like that and then telling you to use it twice a day. Anyone would break out! Now it’s time to give your skin some TLC 🙂 Hope you get it back to normal soon!
Will you be reviewing the Blue Cocoon? It’s so PRETTY! But the price ?
Yes I will, Anna! 🙂 In a while. It’s actually really nice to use but yes, the price, OUCH!!!
Thank you, I’m looking forward to the review (and the lovely pictures I know you will be taking!)
I think I want it just to look at lol. Definitely skincaretainment on another level, this one!
“skincaretainment” LOL! I love that!
Yes Paris, review on blue cocoon please!?
Opps that should come up as smiley face not !?
🙂
Coming right up Zita! 🙂 I’ll put it into my schedule to be published in a couple of weeks. I can tell you that it’s very nice and calming and lovely, if you’re used to using an oil for your face, but the price is jaw dropping!
The same thing happened to me when I started showering at the gym, naturally I use my all in one oil cleanser from NIOD. I was still tinkering with how to best remove it and I was using a cotton pad saturated with Avene thermal water to wipe it off. But since I had to do this every time I cleansed (which was up to 3x daily because of the sweaty gym sessions) my skin got very irritated.
I’ve also broken out in cystic pimples (aggravated by stress and microdermabrasion during a facial) and recently gotten a retinol burn despite being very cautious! Thankfully CAIS 5% helped my skin bounce back in a few days.
We think we’re being diligent with facial cleansing and then boom! We break out and we have no idea why! LOL! Glad you figured it out Firn and that you have your backup products to help your stressed skin too!
I use an exfoliating scrub brush every time I wash my face. I can do this because I have very oily skin and live in a dry climate (which makes for a very “fun” combination skin type). I actually need to exfoliate every day because of all the dead skin cells and oil to clear my pores. The brush is also very soft, just like toothbrushes you can get bristles in different textures. That’s key.
I also use a microderm scrub 1-2 times a week if needed. I love it because it’s helping to heal my old acne scars. But I was noticing a lot of sensitivity, especially in the winter when I’m not as oily. So I switched the time of day I used it from in the morning to at night (and I cut back in the winter to once every week or once every other week). I also only use it on really dirty weeks, i.e. after camping, or if I forget to wash before going to bed on long, active weekends. Switching to using my microderm set at night I actually feel like I’m exfoliating more of the bad stuff that builds up during the day and plugs my pores rather than my layers of skin.
And of course a light weight replenishing serum after each microderm scrub!
I love!! I over exfoliated a few days ago and my face skin felt just as you described. Thank you so much!! I’ve been wondering what to do
Hello,
I’m quite desperate and hoping you could give me advice on how to go forward and repair my skin, to give you a quick overview of my history.
I’m 41, and up until last year I had perfect skin. Nobody every guessed my age, no wrinkles, sagging and good elasticity. During my divine last year I needed a pick me up so I went to my local beauty salon who recommended the microdermabrasion to help collagen production. That’s when all my problems began. She over exfoliated my skin. My face was like an open wound. Open pores, dehydrated, losts of fine lines around my eyes. The skin around my eyes looked like they had been etched/rubbed with sand paper. Then I broke out into about acne. Fast forward 10 months and my skin started to look like the way it was pre treatment I would say I was 70% their, I used essential oils anto try and rejuvenate my skin and help with the lines around my eyes. I still have the breakouts, albeit milder, I started up my regim thinking my skin was strong enough to take exfoliating again but I was wrong. Last night I used the apricot scrub with kennels. My face stung me throughout the night, and this morning I look the same as I did when I originally had the microdermabrasion, open pores, red sore skin, lines etc! It’s as though iv taken the kernels and individual etetched vertical lines in my face/ cheek bones. I was sooo careful not to scrub hard, I don’t understand how this could of happened and I’m distraught. The What can I do to help the healing? Will my skin return to normal? Is the damage reversible or have I caused permenant damage ( as it’s the second time in a year this has happened, first time was last year October)? Please please help, I feel so desperate after 10 months of looking after my skin religiously then for this to happen ?
Thank you
Hi, first off, stop using facial scrubs that contain kernals (they are very abrasive and will damage the skin, even if you don’t press hard) and if you really have to use a scrub, use one that has gentle non-plastic beads. Many of these now exist. It sounds like your skin is very sensitive and thin, so I’d suggest to continue with caring for your skin using very gentle products and/or facial oils (not necessarily essential oils) to help your skin recover. It will recover. It might take longer and if you’re lucky, it will recover without any untoward effects. If you aren’t too lucky then it will still recover, just that it may have some marks. But from what you’re saying, it sounds like your skin should eventually bounce back. Toss out that scrub – crushed kernals do our skin no favours! 🙂 Good luck!
I had something on my face and I was told to exfoliate it in order to help it heal so I did. After I did it the other day it went REALLY red and stung so I’m pretty sure I have over exfoliated it. Now it has kind of scanned over but it’s really smooth kind of and it isn’t raised at all so do you have any idea how long it might take to heal. It’s extremely visible and on my face so it’s really embarrassing going out because it kind of glows in a way so I just want to get rid of it.
I’m sorry to hear of your mishap. I’m afraid I don’t know how long it might take to recover, but skin generally takes 28 days to renew itself, so perhaps in a few weeks or a month. Hope it recovers soon.