FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SKIN'S MICROBIOME, ADHERE TO THESE 5 EXFOLIATION RULES.

Your microbiota must be in harmony if you want healthy skin. Your barrier is maintained in excellent working order by an ecosystem of healthy bacteria that resides on the surface of your skin. If this ecosystem becomes out of balance, a variety of issues can arise.

There may be an overgrowth of particular species that take control when the microbiome is altered. As a result of one side of the seesaw being out of balance in this instance, skin disorders like eczema, acne, and rosacea can emerge.

What is the best way to utilize an exfoliation while yet allowing the bacteria on your skin to remain, well, living? The specialists advise being as careful as possible when removing dead skin cells to prevent harm to the skin. 

• Choose softer components

Recall those abrasive, walnut-infused products from the early 2000s that we all used to scour our skin with? Those were horrible for our microbiomes, as you might expect. Professionals advise turning to kinder chemical exfoliants rather than harsh physical exfoliants. Because they dissolve dead surface cells without damaging living cells, enzymes will be the most gentle kind of exfoliation.

• Begin gradually

Always introduce new skin-care components gradually to allow your skin to develop a tolerance, but when using exfoliants this approach is especially crucial. In order to benefit from exfoliation without damaging your barrier, advises beginning with one treatment per week with a mild acid. You should still clean your skin as little as possible even after your complexion has adjusted.

• Utilize after-exfoliation care.

You should add microbiome-building elements to your exfoliation regimen afterward. In essence, oat extract and selenium operate as foods that the skin's beneficial bacteria preferentially eat. Your best choice is to employ prebiotics and post-biotics to maintain a healthy microbiome because most skin care probiotics perish in the presence of preservatives.

• Understand when to stop

Don't be alarmed if you discover that your quest for a flawless complexion has caused damage to your microbiome. As we previously discussed, this can manifest as rosacea, eczema, dry skin, acne, and other skin conditions. When your skin is in distress, Marino advises quitting the use of acids, retinoids, and exfoliation altogether. Use elements that will restore your skin's health as a substitute. Fatty acids present in ceramides have a critical role in both skin protection and long-lasting hydration.

• Consider using a retinoid

Despite not being an exfoliator in the traditional sense, retinol nonetheless provides some of the same advantages through a different mode of action. Retinoids provide similar dullness/acne/discoloration/wrinkle-fighting benefits by stimulating cellular turnover to bring healthy new cells to replace dead, dull ones. Whereas exfoliants primarily work by sloughing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, retinoids work by stimulating the production of new, healthy cells. In adult skin, retinoids work best for preserving the microbiota.