If you over exfoliate, let the skin heal naturally and don’t use any form of exfoliation until it has completely healed. You may want to use natural skin care products with soothing botanical ingredients, like aloe and chamomile. If your skin is peeling, let it slough off naturally. Do not pick at the flakes.You will also need to use sun protection consistantly and avoid sun exposure when possible. Be sure to use sunblock daily even if it is cloudy or you are only going to and from the car. Over exfoliated skin is more prone to sun burning and discoloration than normal skin.
You can avoid over exfoliating by introducing new processes and products into your routine slowly. There are two main types of exfoliation, a process that removes dead and sometimes live skin cells in order to expose healthier skin. Manual or mechanical exfoliation uses an abrasive exfoliator to polish away old skin. A microdermabrasion treatment or facial scrub is common way to mechanically exfoliate. Most people don’t run into serious side effects with this type. Chemical exfoliation uses a chemical, typically an alpha hydroxy acid, to dissolve both dead and live skin. There is a wide range of products that exfoliate chemically, from mild glycolic acid lotions to strong chemical peels. You are more likely to over exfoliate
using this form.
Be careful when using multiple products or treatments that exfoliate. Vitamin C serums and retinol serums have an exfoliating effect, and can cause irritation if used soon after a chemical peel or microdermabrasion treatment. Don’t be unrealistic with your skin care goals and expect full results quickly. You get the best results from exfoliation by using it consistently over time. You can’t rush the process of restructuring the skin matrix. Being too aggressive is very likely to lead to over exfoliation
