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Healthy skin doesn't need exfoliation - even if social media tells you otherwise

14.6.2024

Translation: machine translated

Ground apricot kernels, rice bran or with fruit acids: it's hard to imagine facial care without scrubs. But how good is it really for the skin to be exfoliated regularly?

There's no question that nature means well with you: throughout the body, one cog constantly interlocks with another, an autonomous interplay of cells, organs, microbiomes and more - which in the best case works without a hitch. Take the skin, for example: only the outermost layer, the epidermis, is superficially recognisable, followed by the dermis and the subcutis. The epidermis itself consists of four layers. In these layers, the cells complete a regular cycle within 28 days and migrate from the bottom to the top. During this process, a "baby cell", the basal cell, develops into a spiny cell that produces important keratin. In the next layer, it transforms into a granule cell and produces a lot of fat, keratin and other proteins. Once they reach the top layer of the epidermis, the cells no longer have a nucleus with DNA, die and become a horny cell.

Although dead, the corneocytes still have an important job: lying on top of each other like roof tiles, they form a robust mechanical protection, together with the acid mantle, the skin lipids and the microbiome. This protective skin barrier keeps out unwanted pathogens, allergens and chemicals and ensures that the skin on the entire body does not dry out.

Peelings weaken the skin barrier and cause minor injuries

And this is where you come in: grab a scrub tin or tube with finely ground rice bran or apricot kernels, birch leaf granules or volcanic ash and exfoliate your epidermis. After all, in the beauty industry, exfoliation is considered an integral part of a skincare routine and advertising promises a fresher complexion and a younger appearance.

However, the moment you apply such a mechanical exfoliator to your skin and remove it with water, you exfoliate the important horny cells. Which is completely unnecessary, because nature wants them to disappear all by themselves. During the "exfoliation" process, you lose millions of skin cells every day. But never at the same time - you are not a snake shedding its skin. The top flakes of skin fall off asynchronously and, unless you have a skin condition such as neurodermatitis or psoriasis, unnoticed.

Scrubbing is not only unnecessary, but also not without risks, says dermatologist Dr Yael Adler. In her guide "Haut nah", she writes: "Peelings are only useful if the skin is prone to excessive keratinisation, which usually occurs primarily with acne. Otherwise, they only serve the manufacturers and can even be dangerous, as they break down our protective skin barrier." For her, body scrubs are beauty products that "almost nobody needs".

Because any manipulation of the skin is not useful.

After all, any external manipulation or exfoliation weakens the natural barrier - and body scrubs, which usually contain colouring agents, preservatives, fragrances or emulsifiers, can help allergens penetrate deeper layers of the skin. Possible undesirable consequence: chronic contact allergies. By rubbing off the horny cells, the skin also allows pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and viruses to enter more easily.

Plus: Tiny injuries are inflicted on the top layer of skin during exfoliation. These can become inflamed, which can even make you look old: "Silent inflammation makes us age faster," says Dr. Adler, who is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for anti-ageing, in this video.

Excessively exfoliated skin reacts extremely

So hands off regular body scrubs. And even if exfoliation is celebrated on social media as a necessary skincare step, there are also voices of dissent and videos of "over exfoliated skin". In other words, over-exfoliated skin that reacts to the constant irritation with severe dryness and flaking, redness, inflammation, sensitivity to other beauty products, small pimples, etc.

If you don't want to miss out on the - admittedly - pleasant mini-massage effect, Dr Adler recommends treating yourself to a homemade scrub every now and then, for example using coarse sea salt with honey, healing clay, coffee grounds or bran as a wellness treatment for at home.

Are fruit acid peels better than mechanical ones?

And what about chemical peels, with fruit acids for example? They are particularly useful for acne in order to trigger keratolysis (the shedding of the outer horny cells of the skin), i.e. the dissolving and detachment of the horny cells. "Keratolysis is the first measure in the treatment of acne," writes the Österreichische Ärztezeitung.

However, it is not only for skin problems such as acne tarda, Rosacea and red-spot-rosacea, acid peels promise an effect and are also said to be able to reduce wrinkles and dark spots. They certainly can, according to this study - however, as can be seen in the photos of the studies, the skin improvements are really marginal.

The authors of this study emphasise that chemical peels should always be carried out by a dermatologist or in a beauty salon. This is because fruit acid peels used by yourself can do more harm than good to your skin. This is emphasised by the makers of this study by the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) Karlsruhe from 2022: According to the study, 75 per cent of the acidic peels tested were found to be "not safe". "In most cases, the active ingredients of chemical peels are certain organic acids such as salicylic, almond and other alpha or beta hydroxy acids (AHA and BHA)", which "can cause severe burns to the skin if used improperly"."

Warning against acid peels for home use

The CVUA concludes: "Due to the risks mentioned, professional peels with high acidity levels (over 30 per cent and pH value over 3) should only ever be carried out by dermatologists or medical cosmetics specialists. In addition, a neutralising solution and UV blocker should always be used after applying fruit acid peels."

For all those who do not have skin problems, on the other hand: Just let your skin cells fall off themselves once they've done their job - exfoliate without any action on your part. <p

Header image: shutterstock

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Mareike Steger

Autorin von customize mediahouse

oliver.fischer@digitecgalaxus.ch

I could've become a teacher, but I prefer learning to teaching. Now I learn something new with every article I write. Especially in the field of health and psychology.

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