Venture into the realm of skincare with ShopVideri, where we dissect myths and unveil truths to empower your beauty rituals. In this installment, we tackle a pressing concern do face scrubs cause micro tears in the skin or not?
With the rise of exfoliation as a cornerstone in our quest for a radiant complexion, face scrubs have become a staple in many routines.
However, the question of their safety and efficacy looms large. We'll embark on a meticulous examination of the abrasive world of physical exfoliants, sifting through evidence and expert opinions to address your concerns.
Join us as we explore the science behind exfoliation, the anatomy of the skin, and the true impact of face scrubs on its integrity. Your journey to a clearer understanding and healthier skin begins here.
Do Face Scrubs Cause Micro Tears?
Yes, but not all of them do this. While some assert that abrasive exfoliants can damage the skin's delicate surface, the truth lies in the product's formulation and application. Quality scrubs with smooth, rounded particles and gentle usage can exfoliate without harm. Overly aggressive scrubbing or harsh ingredients, however, may lead to micro tears, irritation, and skin barrier damage. Opt for gentle exfoliators and use a light hand to maintain healthy, glowing skin without the risk of micro tears.
Do face scrubs cause micro-tears?
Yes, It is possible. If your scrub contain rough particles to exfoliate the dead skin, you will definitely get micro-tears on your face.
Otherwise, your handling mistakes also cause micro tears like over-scrubbing, too much pressure while scrubbing, or selecting low-quality scrubs.
What causes micro-tears on the face?
Micro tears refer to slight skin injuries resulting from an overworked muscle and skin irritation.
Several stuffs can cause a microtear.
Majorly, when an exfoliant is overused, it can cause skin irritation, resulting in unwanted microtears
Well, let us look at the causes of microtears in detail.
1. Harsh scrubs
It is suspected that these products contain harsh ingredients such as apricot, which are too abrasive to the skin.
As a result, when they are scoured on the face, they irritate the skin and cause micro-tears, leaving openings creating penetrations for bacteria.
However, you should also be reminded that not all ingredients of face scrubs can cause micro-tears and breakouts.
Mainly, the causes of this unwanted facial effect are rough products such as ground-up shells, fruit pits, rocks, and seeds
Checking the ingredients only or the mere appearance wouldn't be the best way to tell if the exfoliant has harsh ingredients that may damage your skin.
The solution is to test the product on the back of your hand and not the face. Use a gentle scrub.
To do that, scoop a tiny amount of the scrub and apply it to the back of your hand. While applying, feel the texture of the scrub.
In case it feels rough or scratchy on your skin, it is too harsh to be used on your face, and it will cause micro-tears. If not, then it is safe to be used.
2. Rough cleaning
Micro tears are a result of skin irritation. Thus, besides the face scrubs, anything that would cause skin irritation will also cause micro-tears.
Consequently, if you are hard when taking a bath, you will damage your skin.
Love yourself a little more and be gentle on your skin.
Can sugar scrubs cause micro-tears?
Sugar scrubs are a type of exfoliant commonly used to remove debris and dead skin.
It is applied directly to the skin and scrubbed uniformly on the skin surface.
However, this type of exfoliant is made up of large sugar particles.
As a result, if the scrubbing is done harshly, it will irritate the skin, which would cause the facial muscles to strain
As a result, the sugar scrub will cause unwanted micro-tears instead of making your skin better.
Additionally, sugar scrubs can also cause skin redness, scratches, and wounds due to skin irritation.
Nonetheless, this does not apply to all sugar scrubs.
Fortunately, some manufacturers live up to their word of producing quality products with finely ground particles that do not irritate the skin.
To get a sugar scrub item that is friendly to your face, you should first take a small amount of the product and apply it to the back of your hand
Smear it smoothly on the hand surface, feeling the product's texture.
If you can feel rough particles or skin irritation, you shouldn't use it.
Therefore, you can use it to remove debris and dead skin on your face.
Do coffee scrubs cause micro-tears?
They weaken the skin, which results in skin barriers making it prone to dryness, flaky patches, redness, and bacteria openings.
Consequently, you should avoid using exfoliants that would cause them.
In this consideration, most people avoid purchasing scrubs and prefer to make their scrubs, such as homemade coffee scrubs.
You may think that now the scrub is safe for your face because you have the particles finely ground.
According to the experts, the coffee scrubs are not efficient for face use and are unsuitable for your bathroom
Scrubs contain several types of ingredients which penetrate the skin to remove the debris and the dead skin.
As a result, a homemade scrub that only contains the coffee particles will not sufficiently remove the debris and the dead skin compared to a manufactured scrub.
Besides, the coffee grinding machine is not always 100% efficient, leaving room for imperfections.
As a result, there might be rough particles on your homemade scrub that cause skin irritation resulting in micro-tears.
Additionally, scrubs will not only cause micro-tears on your face but will also damage your bathroom how, you would ask.
This is it! The coffee particles are likely to mix with the oils in the bathroom pipes and coagulate.
How can I scrub without micro tears?
Scrubs are the significant cause of face micro-tears, mainly if it contains rough particles or you have harshly scrubbed over your face, resulting in skin irritation.
However, if you learn how to scrub your face well, you can prevent the micro-tears. How?
The first thing is to choose a quality scrub
As I said earlier, you can check if the scrub is suitable for your face by taking a small amount and applying it to the back part of your hand.
You should only use gentle scrubs, which can dissolve naturally such that you do not have to scrub hard to dissolve it.
Examples of such exfoliants are wax beads and chemical exfoliants made of natural enzymes.
Below are more tips on how to prevent microtears:
- Be gentle on your face when exfoliating
- Avoid the delicate skin areas such as the eyes and lips area
- Always clean the face before exfoliating
- Only use the manually or chemical techniques to exfoliate your face
How do you get rid of micro-tears on the face?
Do you wish you had known earlier how to avoid your current micro-tears on your face?
Below is what you need to know to get rid of microtears.
- If the tear is fresh, do not try pricking the skin. Instead, leave it to dry and heal
- For extreme tears, apply a rice regime or ice to prevent further bleeding
- If the tear is dry, try moving ice on it gently to avoid causing more pain.
- Lastly, micro-tears heal with time. Yes, your face feels bumpy, but you need to leave to heal all by itself.
What Exfoliants Do Not Cause Micro Tears on Face?
When it comes to exfoliation without the risk of micro tears, chemical exfoliants are often the preferred choice over physical scrubs. Chemical exfoliants, such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic and lactic acid, and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid, work by dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to be sloughed away gently. These acids promote cell turnover and can be less abrasive than physical exfoliants, which require manual scrubbing.
Another gentle option is enzyme-based exfoliants, which break down the keratin protein in the dead skin cells, leading to a smoother complexion without physical abrasion. Enzymes from fruits like papaya (papain) and pineapple (bromelain) are common in enzymatic exfoliators.
For those who prefer physical exfoliants, look for products with smooth, rounded exfoliating agents like jojoba beads or micro-fine rice bran, which are designed to minimize skin trauma. It's also important to focus on technique; gentle, circular motions without excessive pressure can help prevent micro tears.
Regardless of the type of exfoliant you choose, it's vital to follow the product's instructions and to avoid over-exfoliation, which can strip the skin of its natural oils and weaken its barrier function, leading to increased sensitivity and irritation.
Final words - Micro Tears on Face
As we have said earlier, the leading cause of face micro-tears is face scrubs.
These products are made of particles, such as sugar or coffee particles.
If these particles are not finely ground, they will cause skin irritation and muscle strains, leading to micro-tears.
Consequently, substances such as coffee and sugar-based scrubs usually cause micro-tears.
In addition, if you usually scrub your skin hard when taking a bath, you are likely to tear your skin.
Fortunately, these tears heal quite fast if only you do not disturb them.
Additionally, if the skin irritation is intense, you can use ice to reduce it.
However, the best way to prevent micro-tears is to pay for quality exfoliants with fine and smooth particles.
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