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Recognizing Signs of Over-Exfoliated Skin

Recognizing Signs of Over-Exfoliated Skin
Exfoliating has become a must-do in many beauty routines, but how much is too much? With all these exfoliating products on the market, it's critical to figure out the sweet spot where you're helping your skin renew itself without accidentally harming it.
01

Understanding Over-Exfoliation

The outer layer of skin, the stratum corneum, sheds old cells replacing itself fully every month .1 While many of these dead skin cells simply fall off, some can cling to the surface or get lodged in pores. Not only can these dead skin cells worsen skin conditions like acne, they’re dry and hard which gives your skin a rough and uneven texture. Exfoliation involves removing that outermost layer of skin, promoting skin cell turnover and revealing live skin cells that can better absorb nutrients from your skincare products .1

Unfortunately, as both physical and chemical exfoliation remove layers of skin, overusing an exfoliating product can easily compromise the thin layers of skin in the stratum corneum and damage the skin barrier. While the stratum corneum is often 10-30 cells thick, the skin on the face is noticeably thinner making it easier to over-exfoliate and disrupt the skin barrier .2 Over-exfoliation can seriously harm the skin barrier and even expose critical layers of the epidermis making it vulnerable to environmental stressors that lead to a host of skin issues .3
02

Signs of Over-Exfoliation

You should always inspect your skin after exfoliation for the most common side effects including noticeable redness, irritation, and increased sensitivity. When skin is compromised through over-exfoliation, the body sends a repair response by dispatching blood cells to heal the area but it also releases inflammatory compounds that cause itchiness, red discoloration, and discomfort .4

Exfoliation will usually leave your skin feeling flushed, tingly, and maybe a little red but should not result in pain or persist for more than a few hours. Problematically, often once you've damaged a sensitive part of your stratum corneum, it can take as long as a month for your over-exfoliated skin to heal .5,6

In addition to physical damage to your skin, over-exfoliation disrupts theΒ skin barrier by stripping the skin of the oils necessary for maintaining it. Think of the skin barrier as the shield of skin cells and oils that keep germs and irritants out. Over-exfoliation can also lead to longer-term damage to the skin barrier that results in dry flaky skin, increased sun sensitivity, and a weakened immune system that can lead to infections and skin diseases linked to inflammation .7
If you suspect your skin is showing the symptoms of over-exfoliation, try opting for a peptide moisturizer like OS-01 FACE that supports skin barrier function (10) while promoting a healthy skin microbiome.*Β 
03

Causes of Over-Exfoliation

While the cause of over-exfoliation might be simple (using exfoliating products too often), the way your unique skin type reacts to different exfoliants can vary.

OilyΒ 

Oily skin typesΒ are very responsive to most skin exfoliation treatments as they can reduce oil buildup in the skin and pores .8 This may be effective at minimizing acne breakout in acne-prone skin, however, it makes it easy to overuse chemical and physical exfoliants to the point of damaging the skin. Though oily skin isn’t as susceptible to dryness, harsh cleansers, rough physical exfoliants, and chemical exfoliants can still cause physical damage to sensitive facial skin if not used in moderation.

DryΒ 

Drier skin types are particularly vulnerable to excessive physical exfoliation as the process damages sensitive skin leading to even more problems in the future. As it is easy to strip away both layers of skin cells and their oils, opt for gentler chemical exfoliants that avoid drying out your skin .8 Exfoliation for dry skin should be spaced out and paired with a skincare routine designed to protect and rejuvenate skin's oils. If your skin is sensitive make sure your entire skincare routine uses gentle products that avoid skin irritation. One in particular you might want to consider is PREP, our gentle daily cleanser that removes impurities without compromising the skin's natural balance.

04

Healing Over-Exfoliated Skin

Learning how to heal over-exfoliated skin takes a delicate, nurturing, and often gradual approach. Since it may take up to a month for over-exfoliated skin to fully heal properly, you can strengthen your skin barrier in the process.
Moisturizing after exfoliating is always an important step, however, immediately after excessive exfoliation, it is essential. Extremely irritated areas might need a physical protective barrier like petroleum jelly to guard the area against further inflammation while it heals.3 You can further soothe the skin with anti-inflammatory ingredients and treatments like hydrocortisone cream or natural remedies such as aloe vera. During the healing process, you’ll want to stop using products that dry the skin out or contain potential irritants such as harsh cleansers, and products containing alcohol, retinol, and fragrances.9 To safeguard thinner, over-exfoliated skin, it’s essential to use sunscreen. We suggest opting for a mineral-based sunscreen option like OS-01 SHIELD, formulated with non-nano zinc oxide to avoid irritating sensitive skin!
05

Using Oneskin Products for Recovery

Why stop at justΒ recovery when you can give your skin what it needs to become stronger than ever? OneSkin’s OS-01 proprietary peptide boosts skin cell turnover and increases epidermal thickness and barrier function.*11 Powered by the OS-01 peptide, OS-01 FACE, OS-01 EYE, and OS-01 BODY are all clinically validated to boost skin’s barrier function* which can help fortify skin after exfoliation. These daily moisturizers are formulated to soothe and rejuvenate your skin without the use of potential irritants, meaning they’re suited for all skin types. Read more about integrating our topical supplements into your skin routine!

Key Takeaways:
  • Dead cells can cling to the surface of the skin; Exfoliation reveals the live healthy skin cells that can best utilize nutrients from the body and your skincare routine.
  • After exfoliation, check for common side effects: redness, skin irritation, and increased sensitivity.
  • Over-exfoliation strips the skin of essential oils that act as a shield against germs and irritants compromising the skin barrier.
  • Long-term damage from over-exfoliation can result in dry, flaky skin, increased sun sensitivity, and weakened immunity.


By Felip Gerdes: Felip is an aspiring lawyer studying political science at UC San Diego. For more on Felip, check out his LinkedIn!

Last Updated April 24, 2025

Reviewed by

Alessandra Zonari

Alessandra Zonari

PhD, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Co-Founder of OneSkin

Alessandra earned her Master’s degree in stem cell biology, and her PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil in collaboration with the 3B’s Research Group in Portugal. Alessandra did a second post-doctoral at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a co-inventor of three patents and has published 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.