There are many benefits when it comes to exfoliation—for both the appearance and overall health of your skin. “Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin using a chemical, granular substance or exfoliation tool,” explains Saddle Brook, NJ dermatologist Dr. Frederic Haberman. “The skin naturally sheds dead skin cells every 30 days or so to make room for new cells. Sometimes, dead cells don’t completely shed. This can result in dry, flaky patches and clogged pores. Exfoliating can help prevent this.”
Crystal Koro, celebrity aesthetician and founder of Facify Beauty Wand, says she often compares not exfoliating your skin to never washing your car. “Just like our cars accumulate dust, dirt, debris and build-up from the weather and pollution, so does our skin,” she says.
Exfoliation can be achieved chemically (via chemical exfoliators like acids and at-home peels) or physically, with superfine scrubs and cleansers that polish skin. To learn about all the ways exfoliation benefits your skin, read on.