Dead Skin: What Do Dead Cells Look Like? (Cell Buildup on Face Explained)
Dead skin isn’t nearly as spooky as it sounds, although when left untreated, it can be a sight for sore eyes. These lifeless cells don’t cause any harm on their own, but over time they can lead to a few problems.
A build up of dead cells on the skin’s surface can lead to issues like itching, clogged pores, acne breakouts, dry skin, and hair loss. That’s why removing dead skin is actually a good thing and should be done regularly. Below, we’ll go over the reasons why we get dead skin, how to remove skin cell buildup, and steps we can take to avoid the accumulation of dead cells on our face and body.
Learn more about the best skin care products for reviving dull, dry skin.
What is Dead Skin?
If our skin had a catchphrase it would be “out with the old, in with the new.” The skin covering our entire body constantly goes through cycles of growing new skin cells and shedding old skin cells. In fact, we shed up to one million dermal cells in 24-hours! 1
What do dead skin cells look like? On the surface of your skin, they’ll often look flaky, dry, or tough. Enough of a build up and you may see calluses, especially on the bottom of your feet.
Dead skin cells are also known as keratinocytes and they make up the top layers of your skin, otherwise known as the stratum corneum. The last layers of your dermis are eventually sloughed off of in a process called demasqueation.
When we’re young and our skin is in its prime, our skin cell’s total life cycle lasts about 30 days. But, as we get older, the cycle takes a lot longer and our skin is not regenerated as quickly. As a result, dead skin sits on the outermost layer of our dermis for an extended period of time.
If these extra cells aren’t removed, either on their own or by us, the buildup can make our skin look dehydrated and dull. Dead skin cells can also clog our pores or hair follicles, which is why they can cause acne breakouts, especially for people who already have acne prone skin. Is collagen good for acne?
When this happens on our scalp and dry skin gets stuck in our hair follicles, it can impact our hair growth cycle which can lead to thinning hair and hair loss.
More helpful reading: crepey skin
Causes of Dead Skin Cell Buildup
Here are the 3 most common reasons why women and men experience a dead skin cells buildup on the surface of their skin:
1. Age
Thinning skin and slower skin cell turnover are two aspects of the aging process that can dim the natural glow and radiance of our skin. As we mentioned above, the skin’s total life cycle is much shorter when we’re younger. This is why our skin naturally has a fresh, youthful, and smooth appearance in our adolescence.
However, around the age of 65, the skin’s life cycle doubles and lasts about 60 days, meaning that new skin cells are produced less frequently. This leads to dead skin cells sticking around longer than they should.
More helpful reading: mask acne
2. Dehydration
Hydrated skin is synonymous with healthy skin. When our skin is properly hydrated, it is able to perform its necessary functions, like perform new cell turnover and eliminate toxins caused by environmental factors.
But, when our skin is dehydrated it becomes weaker and less resilient, and we’ll inevitably see more dry and flaky skin. Dry skin can weaken the outermost layer of the skin by creating small gaps in between the cells. Consequently, our skin becomes more prone to inflammation, redness, and wrinkles. Learn what reduces redness from RenewSkin Inc.
Hyaluronic acid, an ingredient that’s naturally found in the skin and that has been used in dermatologist offices for decades, helps keep your It can be used topically, but it is more effective when taken as a supplement.
Taut Hydrate is a daily, skin-supporting, hyaluronic acid for skin supplement that’s formulated with clinically-proven, plant-derived ingredients to increase the skin’s moisture content and keep it functioning properly so your skin can look plump, glowing, and supple.
More helpful reading by RenewSkin Inc.: https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/plump-skin
3. Skincare Routine
While many of us do not subscribe to “skincare bootcamp,” we do have a general routine when it comes to washing our face and body.
As we gently massage and cleanse our face and body, we naturally exfoliate the surface of our skin and get rid of the dermal cells that are ready to leave us behind. You may have noticed that a day or two of not properly washing your face has caused a build up of dead skin and oil and a complexion that just looks “blah”.
More helpful reading: Skincare for late 20s
How to Remove Dead Skin Cells
Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Exfoliate. While your body naturally sheds dead skin cells on its own, it may come as no surprise that the key to removing dead skin cells is exfoliation. And, the best way to get rid of dead skin buildup is by choosing an exfoliation method that won’t irritate or damage your skin. Learn more about how to treat dry skin by RenewSkin Inc.
There is no one “right” way to remove dead skin cells from the top layers of the skin. There are two types of methods for exfoliating the skin—mechanical exfoliation and chemical exfoliation—which we’ll go over below.
More helpful reading: is sweating good for skin
Mechanical Exfoliation
Whether it’s with a washcloth, pumice stone, or body scrub, mechanical exfoliation scrubs away dead skin cells to reveal the healthy, new cells below. Mechanical exfoliation is best used for people with thick skin, but they can also be used on people with an oily skin type. Learn more: Oily skin routine.
Dry brushing, an old Ayurvedic medicine practice, has recently become a popular and trendy way to exfoliate dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin. Even celebrities like Miranda Kerr, Gwyneth Platrow, and Elle Macpherson swear by using a dry brush to not only get rid of all the dead cells on the top layer of the skin, but also stimulate blood flow, reduce swelling, and improve the look of cellulite. 2
More helpful reading: Can I use hyaluronic acid with retinol?
Chemical Exfoliation
You don’t have to use any tools, scrubs, or elbow grease to remove dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin. A chemical exfoliant does all of the hard work for you. These skin-safe chemicals, like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), dissolve dead skin cells on their own.
Beta hydroxy acid, more commonly referred to as salicylic acid, is one of the most commonly found chemical exfoliants can in over the counter products, often used to treat acne and other skin conditions because of its ability to dissolve dead skin on face. Learn about different types of facials.
For people that tend to over exfoliate or have a sensitive skin type, polyhydroxy acids are a good choice because they can dissolve dead skin cells gently, without being too harsh on the skin.
Generally, using a chemical exfoliant to exfoliate the skin is considered safe. However, depending on the strength of the product used and your skin type, you may experience mild redness and sensitivity to the sun. You may also experience a skin purge. What is skin purging? RenewSkin Inc. explains.
Find out how to get rid of black heads here!
How to Prevent the Build Up of Dead Skin Cells
Keep your skin looking healthy, hydrated, and youthful by following our top 5 tips to prevent the buildup of dead dermal cells.
More helpful reading: Marionette line treatment
1. Protect Your Skin From the Sun
We cannot stress how important it is to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays, no matter what skin type or skin tone you have. Every board certified dermatologist will agree that whether you slather on sunscreen, wear protective clothing, or hide under a wide-brimmed hat, keeping your skin out of the sun is one of the best ways to prevent premature skin aging and damage to your healthy skin cells that can lead to the build up of dead skin.
Using proper sun protection is also the best way to prevent hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Dark spots are caused by the excess production of melanin as a result of prolonged sun exposure. If you’ve noticed age spots start to take over your complexion, Taut Bright Bye-Bye Dark Spots can be your saving grace.
These skin whitening pills contain 7 key ingredients which have been harvested from high quality sources, including Glutathione, L-cysteine, olive leaf extract, grape seed extract, and vitamin C, to minimize damage caused by free radicals and control the excess production of aging pigments. With just 2 capsules per day, you can fade age spots, brighten your complexion, and enjoy lighter, more luminous skin.
More helpful reading:
https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/hyperpigmentation
2. Cleanse Your Skin
It should go without saying, but it’s imperative to have a regular shower routine if you want to have healthy, normal skin. While you may give more attention to your face, cleansing your body with skin-friendly soap and warm water is equally important. Remember to gently rub cleanser on your skin, and use circular motions to exfoliate and release the dead dermal cells from the surface of your skin so your new skin can shine.
More helpful reading: Best skin care routine
3. Moisturize regularly
Ironically, exfoliating can dry out your skin if you don’t follow up with a moisturizer, especially if you have a more sensitive skin type. Keeping your skin moisturized on the inside and out can help minimize dead skin cell buildup. Drinking plenty of water and using the right moisturizers, like hyaluronic acid gels, peptide creams, ceramide-rich lotions, and coconut oil, are the best ways to keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and smooth.
More helpful reading from RenewSkin Inc.: https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/best-moisturizer
4. Stop Smoking
One of the best things you can do for your skin is quit smoking. Cigarettes are loaded with harmful toxins that can cause free radical damage throughout the body. Smoke can also increase the frequency of cell death and cause your skin to age prematurely. We’re sure your healthcare provider will be pleased with your decision to quit smoking, too.
More helpful reading: best ingredients for anti aging
5. Eat Healthy, Skin-Loving Foods
Sugary treats and processed foods can do damage to your skin that is hard to reverse. For happier, healthier skin, include plenty of antioxidant-packed fruits and vegetables into your meals, make sure to get enough protein, and consume collagen rich foods regularly. Making a few simple changes to your diet can help minimize oxidative stress and support collagen synthesis within your skin.
If you feel like your skin needs an extra boost of youth (who doesn’t?), include a collagen supplement, like Taut Premium Advanced Liquid Collagen Drink, into your diet. Each bottle of this fish collagen supplement contains 13,000mg of hydrolyzed collagen peptides which have been harvested from wild-caught red snapper fish from the Indian Ocean. Unlike other collagen supplements on the market, the “pre-digested” nano-sized collagen molecules in this delicious, orange-flavored drink are small enough to be readily absorbed by the body and enter into your bloodstream almost immediately to quickly and effectively boost collagen production on its own.
The formula also contains skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, vitamin C, and salmon DNA to deeply hydrate, nourish, and illuminate the skin for a healthy-looking glow.
More helpful reading from RenewSkin Inc.: https://www.renewskinco.com/blogs/i/how-much-collagen-per-day
Keep Your Skin Smooth & Glowing with the Ultimate Transformation Program
Everybody goes through phases where their skin looks dry, dull, and flaky. Exfoliating regularly and taking care of your skin with high-quality skincare products is essential to preventing skin damage, minimizing the appearance of aging, and having youthful radiance.
To maintain and improve your skin’s health and appearance all year long, we’ve put together our Ultimate Transformation Program. This bundle comes with our most effective and synergistic products so you can flaunt the best version of yourself.
Designed to dramatically transform your skin, the Ultimate Transformation Program comes with a 24-day supply of our Taut Collagen Drinks, 1 box of Taut Hydrate, and 1 box of our Taut Collagen Masks.
Our collagen masks have been specifically formulated to target dehydrated, dull-looking skin and provide an instant boost of radiance. Each mask contains tiny hydrolyzed marine collagen molecules that are small enough to penetrate deep into your pores for a firmer, bouncier, and more supple complexion.
Why not treat your skin to effective, ultra-luxe, anti-aging skincare?
Want to make the most of your order? Enjoy up to 15% off of your Transformation Program by signing up for our skin care subscription box.
References
- https://www.laroche-posay.co.uk/en_GB/why-it-s-important-to-get-rid-of-dead-skin-cells.html
- https://parade.com/1071775/nicolepajer/dry-brushing/#:~:text=If%20the%20word%20%E2%80%9Cdry%20brushing,Elle%20Macpherson%20are%20also%20fans.
- https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/how-much-skin-does-a-human-shed-in-their-life/
- https://skinkraft.com/blogs/articles/remove-dead-skin-from-face
