Exfoliation has many benefits in order to achieve clean and clear skin. It helps to get rid of dead skin cells and helps you get that radiant glow. However, overdoing it can be a bad thing. Experts say with a variety of beauty products like cell-scrubbing cleansers, toners, and serums some people may be exfoliating their skin way more than required. In this case, less is more. Over-exfoliation can cause breakouts, as well as make your skin peel and dry out. Here's all you need to know about over-exfoliated skin and what you can do to get healthy skin back.

"Over-exfoliating is one of the biggest mistakes we see people making," Dr Aanand Geria, a dermatologist with Geria Dermatology, told a news portal. Adding, "Generally, the skin should be exfoliated only one to two times per week to help expedite skin cell turnover without causing damage." If you are doing it more than twice a week it's time to stop. Redness, breakouts, irritation, peeling and inflammation are some of the signs that indicate you may be over-exfoliating.

Stop exfoliating immediately if any of the warning signs apply to your case. Your skin needs to heal and return back to its texture before you over-exfoliated. You baseline texture can also include acne if you've always been prone to breakouts. While you wait for your skin to heal, avoid using foaming cleansers and retinol products. Opt for a mild cleanser instead and use a spot treatment on red areas of the skin. Aloe vera gel can be extremely soothing on the skin. "Immediately following an over-exfoliating episode, a cold compress can be applied to alleviate burning,”Dr Aanand Geria, a dermatologist with Geria Dermatology, told a news portal.

You don't have to avoid this beauty routine just because you had a bad experience. Once your skin has finally healed, you can start to use it again slowly. Start by exfoliating once a week. If you find there is no issue, you can start exfoliating your skin twice a week. Either use a physical exfoliant or a chemical exfoliant. Never use both together. "Physical exfoliants abrade away the outer skin layer using water and light surfactants, like milled rice and corn powders,”Dr Craig Kraffert, a board-certified dermatologist, told a news portal. Adding, "Chemical exfoliants use ingredients that react with the outer skin surface to separate off the outermost cell layers, including alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs)."

Before you go grab this skincare product, it is important to be aware that your skin naturally exfoliates itself. This process is called desquamation, which usually takes about 28 days to complete. During this time, new skin cells are generated and old ones shed. That is why some people may not need to exfoliate at all. However, because most of us live in an urban environment that has a lot of pollution, it can wreak havoc on our skin. This could weaken the skin barrier or even cause the production of excess oil. That is why exfoliating products come in handy. "Proper exfoliation leaves a fresh, healthy, and fully ‘cleansed’ epidermal surface," Kraffert told a news portal. However, don't overdo it.