PT Health Life – Exfoliating dry skin properly will help the skin remove peeling horny layers. However, if you over-exfoliate your skin, it will make your skin drier and even harm your skin…
1. Why should you exfoliate your skin ?
Dry skin is characterized by roughness, cracking, and peeling. Exfoliation is the step of removing the outer horny layers of the skin, including dead skin cells. Performing exfoliation properly will bring many benefits to the skin such as:
- Exfoliation unclogs pores . If you skip the exfoliation step, dirt and excess oil can accumulate and clog pores, leading to acne . Especially for dry skin, exfoliation helps remove dry, flaky horny layers, helping the skin absorb nutrients from serums and creams better.
- Dry skin can easily lead to aging problems such as wrinkles or melasma. If the skin’s outer protective layer is strengthened, the skin will be stronger thanks to proper exfoliation.
- Removing scales helps smooth skin surface, making skin brighter and more even-toned.
2. What method should I use to exfoliate dry skin?
There are two methods of exfoliation: chemical exfoliation and physical exfoliation. However, for dry skin, you should choose chemical exfoliation. The process of physical exfoliation has a strong impact on the skin, causing it to become drier and even damage the skin.
Accordingly, the ingredient alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) is recommended for damaged skin, normal skin and dry skin, helping to remove dead cells on the skin surface, while ensuring that the skin retains a lot of moisture. dried.
The most common types of AHAs include glycolic acid and lactic acid. Products containing glycolic acid and lactic acid are most effective, usually in concentrations between 5% and 10%. Specifically as follows:
2.1 Glycolic acid
Glycolic acid will help remove dead cells on the surface of the skin and stimulate the production of healthy skin cells. Thanks to its small molecular size, glycolic acid can easily penetrate through the top layers of skin and help skin look healthier.
People with dry skin after using glycolic acid will feel the ability to hydrate the skin. The skin does not dry out but still retains its natural moisture after exfoliating.
Note that when using glycolic acid, you need to adjust and balance the pH of your skin. You should choose a product with a low concentration from 8% to 15%, depending on the location you want to exfoliate.
2.2 Lactic acid
Lactic acid has a larger molecular size than glycolic acid, so it reduces its ability to penetrate the top layers of the skin. Lactic acid at a concentration of 2% has the ability to hydrate. At 5% or more, lactic acid acts as an exfoliant. In exfoliating products, lactic acid usually has a concentration of 5% to 10%.
3. Be sure to exfoliate dry skin properly
To ensure that dry skin does not become rough or irritated after exfoliation, you need to note a few things as follows:
- Do not exfoliate dry skin more than twice a week.
- Always apply moisturizer after exfoliation to balance skin moisture.
- Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher during the day, because after exfoliation, the skin will become more sensitive to sunlight.
In addition, people with psoriasis , acne or other serious skin problems should consult a dermatologist before exfoliating so as not to harm the skin .
