The Disadvantages of Exfoliating

Exfoliation has several benefits including the removal of dead skin and rejuvenating your skin's appearance. Despite the benefits, you must look at some of the disadvantages to determine whether exfoliation is right for you. Further, understanding the disadvantages may help you avoid some of the harmful side effects by altering your exfoliation routine.

Exfoliation and the removal of dead skin may be useful and even healthy for adults for adults but has the opposite effect for children. Exfoliation for a child still growing disrupts the skin's growth process. The reversal of visible signs of disruption -- blemishes, tired-looking skin -- depends on how rigorous and how long the child used exfoliating agents. It's important to note that exfoliation has little affect on a young person's face. This gives little reason for young people to exfoliate in the first place.

Exfoliation may cause skin irritation including red spots, blemishes and even rashes. This occurs for a couple of reasons. First, the hard scrubbing motion necessary to exfoliate can remove too much skin. Second, some skin may have or develop an allergic reaction to the exfoliating agents. Skin irritation can lead to discomforting pain in the affected areas. These problems negate the reason for exfoliation in the first place -- to rejuvenate the appearance of your skin. Adapt your exfoliation routine if you experience these problems. Try alternative exfoliation products and reduce the amount of exfoliation treatments you receive. These strategies reduce the amount of stress your skin must handle.

Exfoliation can cost a significant amount of money depending on the products and regimen you use. High-end exfoliation agents may take a good chunk out of your budget after repeated purchases. Also, some products are available only through prescription and may be more expensive than any over-the-counter products if your insurance does not cover the cost. Professional exfoliation can jump in price quickly if the treatment involves multiple, individually priced sessions.

One of the biggest disadvantages of exfoliation, regardless of age and skin type, involves the environment. Exfoliation beads inside many products are not biodegradable. As a result, these beads end up in our water supply and are often eaten by aquatic wildlife with unfortunate results. The consumption of exfoliation beads causes digestive problems, which can result in death. Look for biodegradable products to avoid this problem.