Does Exfoliating Help With Acne Scars?
Published March 3, 2023
Exfoliating can do wonders for your skin. It can prevent acne, minimize blemishes, and even improve skin hydration. That’s why exfoliation is a part of most people’s skincare routine.
However, like many other skincare techniques, exfoliation has its limits.
It cannot do everything you want it to do, even if your experience says otherwise.
That’s particularly true for people who could see a reduction in their acne scars due to regularly exfoliating their skin. So in that regard, does exfoliating get rid of acne scars?
Can Exfoliating Remove Acne Scars?
Unfortunately no, exfoliating does not get rid of acne scars.
To explain this further, you must first understand the skin’s structure. Basically, the skin is composed of several layers. The epidermis is the upper layer, and it renews itself regularly.
The way it works is the skin makes new cells underneath the epidermis. This layer of new cells slowly moves to the surface, and they replace the older cells every four weeks.
Think of it like shedding.
Exfoliation is practically a skincare technique to accelerate that shedding process. The problem is scars affect not only the epidermis but also the deeper layers of the skin called the dermis.
So, as much as you want to eliminate your acne scars, you cannot do so with exfoliation alone.
But while it may not completely remove the scars, exfoliation should, at the very least, diminish its visibility since the visible part of the scar is the dead cells, which are gotten rid of via exfoliation.
However, though exfoliation is indeed not enough to remove acne scars, that doesn’t mean you should stop exfoliation. After all, exfoliation has many other benefits and positive effects.
Other Effects of Exfoliating
There are countless benefits to exfoliation, but here are some of the main ones:
- Exfoliation minimizes clogged pores. Dead cells are often the main culprit of clogged pores. By removing them, you reduce the possibility of pores clogging up.
- Exfoliation prevents acne. One of the leading causes of acne is clogged pores, so reducing the occurrence of clogged pores also reduces the possibility of acne.
- Exfoliation amplifies the effects of skincare products. The skin is often unable to absorb cosmetic products like facial moisturizers completely because dead cells would block them. So, by getting rid of dead cells, skincare products become more efficient.
- Exfoliation leads to more youthful skin. As stated earlier, exfoliation accelerates the process by which new cells replace the old, dry skin. For that reason, people who exfoliate often typically have more youthful and glowing skin than those who don’t.
Remember that exfoliation’s effectiveness may vary from one person to another.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Exfoliating
How often should you exfoliate your face?
Most experts would advise you to exfoliate your skin two to three times per week if you use an exfoliant. However, if you’re using physical methods, like with a scrub, it may be too abrasive to use more than once a week. This applies to your face and any other parts of the body.
When is the best time to exfoliate?
The skin produces a lot of oil overnight, which may render your efforts to exfoliate pointless since it’ll result in dead cells right afterward. For that reason, it’s best to exfoliate in the morning.
Can exfoliating cause acne scars?
Yes, exfoliating can cause acne scars if you’re not doing it right. For example, if you’re using a scrub, you may worsen acne scars if you scrub your skin too roughly.
It’s also not advisable to exfoliate too often as they may also worsen acne scars.
Why do I get more acne when I exfoliate?
Exfoliating your skin will lift up dead cells that were previously hidden deep in the skin. If you don’t wash them away and let those dead cells remain for too long, they may cause a reaction to your skin and result in acne. To avoid this, always wash or cleanse your face after exfoliation.
Takeaways
It’s normal to be hopeful, so asking questions like, “Does exfoliating help with acne scars?” is by no means uncommon. Though exfoliation doesn’t actually completely remove acne scars, it should at least make the scars less visible, which is already a win in most people’s books.
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About The Author
Lenard Arceo is a professional blogger who is deeply passionate about health and beauty trends. Over the years, he has written articles on a myriad of topics that have helped millions of people.
