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Harper’s Bazaar, social media “skinfluencers”, or your favourite skin-care brands, you may have read that exfoliating – the process of detaching dead skin cells – is a vital step in achieving healthy skin. According to these sources, exfoliation can amplify the results of topical products such as serums, masks and moisturisers, boosting the skin’s “glow” and “radiance,” as well as cutting down on acne and signs of sun damage.
But if you ask dermatologists, they’ll tell you that not only is exfoliation usually an unnecessary step, many people overdo it.
“Our skin cells naturally exfoliate on their own,” said Chicago-based dermatologist Caroline Robinson. The skin cells migrate from the deepest layers to most superficial layers, and slough off roughly every 28 days, she added, although the process can take longer as we get older. “Products and tools that help us exfoliate are designed to encourage a healthy behaviour our skin does naturally.”