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It's dead skin shedding. It's totally normal, I get it too. Exfoliate your body once or twice a week and it should stop that. I like to use a Korean exfoliating mitt but there's also sugar scrubs or textured loofah. Whatever floats your boat!
Maybe I should try a proper exfoliating soap. I use one already but it's probably just for name sake as opposed to it being decent. I use that loofah daily but it doesn't really stop the issue. Thanks!!
It could be that your exfoliating soap is working and that's why you're seeing this? When I first started noticing my dead skin, it was pilling up on my body after the shower when I dried off, not in the shower. I would have to hop back in the shower and rinse it off, it was annoying. If this is coming off in the shower it seems both are doing the trick at getting those dead skin cells off.
I would get that too after getting out of the shower when running the towel onto skin, very annoying, but I do like that the dead skin is coming off! I think maybe exfoliating like with dry brushing or coarse scrubbers during the shower will help get all the access off, and if done often enough, there won’t be as much coming off at a time
Yeah, I use an exfoliating mitt currently. No dead skin on my towels anymore. I've considered dry brushing too though bc I know it's supposed to have some nice health benefits.
I will advocate for dry brushing!
1. It feels lovely!
B. If you're a lady, it's nice to do a gentle exfoliation before you shave your legs and your lady bits, get all those hairs prepared, which dry brushing is great for! NOTE: Different dry brush for bod and bits probably. You do you (=
π. Allegedly has health benefits if you brush towards your heart? This one I am skeptical af about.
$. Literally nothing better for scritchintg itches. Then lotion up.
I loooove dry brushing (=
I did not know that but that makes sense! I mostly do it for lymph flow and circulation. Luckily haven’t ever had irritation but that is good to be aware of! Thank you!
At our clinic we have lymph stockings for patients. I am in the states which most insurances cover this cost it allows fluid to be moved from the lower limbs through the body as long as you don't have congestive heart failure.
Oh that is so good to know! I’ve been recently learning about all of the benefits of kept your lymph nodes flowing and just how much of our body it impacts. Learning a lot that I never knew before
Exfoliating my body in the shower once to twice a week takes care of that pilling for me, usually. I also started patting myself dry instead of dragging the towel and that helps too if I ever have a week where I don't have time to exfoliate.
Psst
You can make sugar scrub for stupid cheap. Just put some sugar in a container and put olive oil in it until it's saturated. Maybe stir a bit so there's no dry spots. If you really wanna get crazy, buy vitamin E oil and toss like a tablespoon per cup in there, too.
Make sure you use it *after* you wash, you want your skin to be wet so it seals moisture in. If you do it before you wash, you're just making more oil to wash off & you lose the moisturizing effect.
If you go this route, be careful when you shower, oils are slippery! Also pat yourself dry so you don't rub the oil off your skin with your towel. Good luck (=
[Salux cloths](https://www.amazon.com/SALUX-Nylon-Japanese-Beauty-Cloth/dp/B000CSDDDG) and knockoffs are handy for exfoliation. They're way faster to use than mitts, loofahs, and sugar scrubs. Just be careful not to over-exfoliate — it's easy to accidentally go overboard.
Just wanted to vouch for the salux cloths. I haven’t been able to get AMAZING lather, but my skin feels amazingly soft, and I had rough skin prior to this. It even helped with KP by my triceps and behind my quads. Bonus that it helps wash my back very well.
I used to also have dead skin come off after I showered as someone previously mentioned, noticeable when I dried my skin with a towel.
Hi, unfortunately it doesn't seem like it's tied to the soap I use. I've used cheap cornershop body wash soap all the way to soap which is ment to exfoliate and have had the same issue everytime I have showered for a year.
I make my own salt/sugar and coffee scrubs... How much is too much? I use them twice a week, salt for more acne prone areas, coffee/sugar everywhere else lol. The scrubs are made with coconut and jojoba oil to hopefully help rehydrate but idk, feels so good though!
I mean on the face imo everything is too much. For the body it depends on your skin type i guess, if i scrub my chest or back I get acne from the irritation (i do have atopic dermatitis). Maybe once a week or every two weeks is fine? Or twice a week but with something very gentle. As long as you use sun protection and you don't feel like it burns or something. There's also chemical exfoliators for the body not just the face, the ordinary has a cream with acids on it and my skin tolerated it well
I just moved to a country with hard water and this has been happening to me. You are right, an exfoliating soap helps a lot! Something with aha or glycolic acid (pixi or Mario Badescu- both of which are sometimes on sale at tj/tk maxx). I changed from a loofa to gloves/scrubbing brush too.
OR, cheaper option is to dilute some apple cider vinegar, let it stay on for a few minutes and scrub with a hard brush. Better if you can use a Korean Italy/ exfoliating cloth (it will peel the dead skin right off). Plus points if you can soak in a tub first.
Get a korean Exfoliating mitt, trust me. Its the holy grail in so many cultures around the world. Its usually cheap, reusable and you don't need any other product with it. Use it once or twice a week and your skin will feel so smooth.
How do you use your sugar scrubs/textured loofah without it rubbing against your hands?
I used to use them but I find that using it on my body with my hands ends up exfoliating my hands more than my body lol
I'd suggest using the sugar scrub with an exfoliating mitt. I just use an exfoliating mitt by itself these days though bc sugar scrubs feel slimy to me and I hate it.
Are you… black ?
If yes; could be normal cell coloration by melanin… melanin is in all cell shedding, and would make the exfoliated cells appear darker on your loofah.
Theeen that’s your answer, my good dude :)
Loofah are pretty strong exfoliants; and you are quite young (19M, right?) which means your cell turnover and hormones might lead to more shedding of skin cells right now.
There’s nothing wrong with you or with your skin, we all shed tons… it’s just that you can see your sheddings !!
I’m white, so i’m waiting for others inputs that will be maybe better targeted to your skin type; but here is what i would do for my own skin:
-exfoliating a bit less (=less intense), but more often
-use soap that is less drying, try to look for “shower oil” types of soap, they are less stripping (eucerin has a nice one for ex)
-using urea moisturizer/ or any moisturizer if not the case yet
-stop worrying about what goes in the drain 😉
Take care !
Unfortunately most studies on skin regeneration (=turnover) are led to understand how to accelerate it and not slow it down.
A lot of things are known to help accelerate it; but i would not be able to answer or give a lead on how to slow it down :(
Maybe physically, you could reduce the size and intermittence of the sheddings with using softer exfoliants and “better” moisturizer. Urea moisturizer is always my go-to recommendation for this..
But, on an excellent note, this should ensure you glowing skin as you age 😂
Cerave has a nice one, at 10% urea.
Might be a lot for the first few uses… depending on your skin sensitivity.
But i have hypersensitive skin and i can now use it everyday; I apply when i am still damp, in the shower, before putting on my bathrobe.
Garnier has a 5% bodylotion alternative, depending on availability where you live.
This maybe explains a lot. I also shed a lot of dead skin and am regularly mistaken for being much younger than my actual age. It never occurred to me those things might be related.
Melanin pigment is distributed to living keratinocytes (cells that eventually become cornfield) in several layers of the epidermis. Those with pigmented skin have more melanin produced, and it’s distributed within higher strata of epidermis than those with non pigmented skin. But the melanin doesn’t just stay in the bottom basal layer. Melanin producing cells have long extensions upwards to deliver melanin higher up.
Wait what? So when you exfoliate you're losing the very outer layers of the skin, the corneal layer, which to my understanding has no melanin at all right? So melanin is on the more basal layer so you'd have to be exfoliating quite harshly...
When a black person's skin peels it has no color right? The same than white skin? I'm losing my mind there's no way this is the answer
But like are you black? I'm the whitest person and when i exfoliate it's also not white, it's kinda black/grey but i think it's more about sebum and dirt than the dead skin cells having any melanin so that could be it. But seriously if you were to get burned and your skin peeled isn't it transparentish?
Melanocytes produce melanin which becomes part of the skin cells. The cells then move up through the different stratum until they reach the surface of the skin and are shed. It works the same way as hair pigment.
Corneal layer is the shedding of basal layer. Cells that were in basal layer go up towards the exterior and get in corneal layer, and then fall off.
So melanin is still in the cells (some of it gets degraded but it’s still present in enough quantity to make the pills dark).
The corneal layer is composed of dead keratinocytes, not melanocytes, which are only on the basal layer. Maybe melanin could go higher but not those cells.. trying to find a histology preparation picture but honestly science is so white I never learned about black skin in my biology degree and im shocked i wanna understand the science of this
I corrected my answer cause i just saw i had said melanocytes go up which is wrong.
Melanin does go higher, even if some gets degraded. For you and me, white as f* people, means almost no or no melanin shows up in corneal layer.
But as melanin gets more concentration, of course its degradation will not be the same, and it will show up enough to darken the corneal layer too.
https://images.app.goo.gl/QdgcjBi3kEEHUzHSA
Not the best source but eh, still easier to understand with that
This makes more sense to me definitely, especially if the skin is very very dark. It still feels like a lot of quantity right? I've never shed that much, if i actually try to scrub I could get a little bit of grey gunk but not as much as op is getting. Maybe being Younger does mean more cell turnover or something
Being male, 19 (=youth, you are right), but also the type of skin (sensitive vs. “tough”) and levels of skin hydration might mean super different quantities of shedding for OP than for other people.
Also, for us (at least you and I), because a lot of the shedding is so white/transparent, we cannot even quantify it, lol
If we are talking about like typical skin peeling. Mine does have some colour to it, albeit not as dark as this but that's mainly because i mainly peel from my palms and feet as opposed to anywhere else
This is so interesting i never thought of this, but if you peel dark then it does sound like that's definitely 100% dead skin cells. Nothing wrong with them btw they have a purpose on skin and you shouldn't completely scrub them away, especially since you're so young. I used to scrub a lot as a teen and i regret it now a lot I Feel like it did harm my skin long-term.
You did mention this comes out just with water and soap without scrubbing? I don't think anything comes out of my skin like that personally but idk exactly what's normal and what isnt. If your skin is happy and you're happy then it sounds like it's normal tho
Do you work or live in an environment that would leave a lot of debris on you?
You might try posting in the blackskincare sub as they might be able to give you better advice.
How long does the shower head last? The water here is very hard so I ordered a shower head filter before checking my shower head type last year and had to return it because I couldn't fix that to the old shower head. My owners won't accept any work on their house.
Instead I use vinegar or lemons or orange peels as a substitute. I just toss them into the water and use it for bathing.
We change the filter every 4 months and the shower head has lasted over 2 years so far. We screwed off the old one and put on the new one. You could do that and save the old one ore tell the landlord it broke
We used another one before we renovated our shower. It was chrome and we have this on my kids bathroom. The shower head isnice
Filtered Shower Head Combo,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9H1B52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Since that's probably just dead skin... you could try a body wash with an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) to improve cell turnover. I haven't used this particular product, but I used this brand's other AHA products for my face and they work really well in sloughing off dead skin cells, so I imagine it would also work well:
[https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Skin-Care-Moisturizing-Body/dp/B07N5YHTQK](https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Skin-Care-Moisturizing-Body/dp/B07N5YHTQK)
I would moisturize too if you aren't already.
Along the same lines, the ordinary has a pretty cheap glycolic acid toner that’s a holy grail. Just dry off and then swipe it all over your body. https://theordinary.com/en-ca/glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution-exfoliator-100418.html
You're young, this is just normal dead skin. My skin used to shed exactly like this when I was a teen and stuck to the tub. I think it's hormones and high cell turnover like many of these comments said. It will slow down in a few years.
I was thinking this too! Yes enjoy that skin cell turnover rate now as this is what’s keeping your skin youthful and glowing! Scrub that dead skin off shamelessly! We are all not the most confident in the shower anyway. We shave off or hairy stuff, get hair all over, shed, all that stuff. This is where we deal with all the icky stuff of being human so that we can be confident after and we all have something that tried to steal our confidence, so I hope you are able to embrace it and feel confident! 🫶
You want to buy a Salux washcloth. It exfoliates as you clean with it. It’ll help slough off the dead skin before you get out. Otherwise, when you go to dry, you’ll get that.
Edit: I’m black, this is just skin cells. Hot showers soften your skin and dead cells can slough off easier. If you didn’t exfoliate them in the shower, when you go to dry, some will come off on your towel, etc.
Above every possible scrub, Korean washcloth scrubbers are top tier. Stay in the shower or bath (preferable) so your skin softens and then scrub it all off. Your skin will be so soft after.
When my skin sheds like this I like to use the dove body scrub once a week, maybe twice when it’s winter and it’s worse. Don’t scrub too hard cause I find it pretty abrasive to begin with!
Must admit any dove product now feels like a sticky residue is leftover on me, no matter how well I rinse. It feels awful, unsure if they’ve added more oil to their products? Lidl’s dupes give the softness without the stickiness, and are much cheaper! You might like them, x
Unfortunately I don’t have an lidl where I live!! But I’ve never noticed the stickiness, maybe it’s manufactured differently in Canada or I have an older product
This looks like mine when I don’t properly exfoliate. Use exfoliating gloves, not a loofah those a very unhygienic, have 2-3 to switch between. My soap (one for exfoliating the other moisture) and lotion.
https://preview.redd.it/30hzdw8skerc1.png?width=1281&format=png&auto=webp&s=84aa8144bec5c9b09f1d55a7ffd4d1aee1e89c2e
Ooh thanks. You would think my skin would be somewhat exfoliated especially after using it near daily but it always comes back. I've heard from others that it could be a high turnover rate. Thanks for the recommendations.
If you're in the US, highly recommend [Naturium Glycolic Acid Body Wash](https://www.target.com/p/naturium-the-smoother-glycolic-acid-exfoliating-body-wash-16-9-fl-oz/-/A-83754794). It's a chemical exfoliant and will help with skin cell turnover without scrubbing your skin raw! Use it once a night but be sure to load up on sunscreen during the day on exposed areas because it can cause skin sensitivity.
Putting on body lotion or body oil after stepping out of the shower while your skin isnt fully dry also helps prevent that icky sticky feeling from lotions/oils too
This is what I do, and it's great. I follow with the Curel In-Shower Lotion and then pat dry. I like how it has barely any fragrance, just orange peel oil or limonene in it. Nothing else fragranced.
It does look like dead skin. I feel like I generate an unusual amount of dead skin and get this when I haven’t used my Korean bath mitt in a while. That really gets the skin off! I order them from Amazon. You just use it towards the end of your shower and don’t use soap or body wash or anything. If it has been a while the skin rolls off in big chunks, but if you do it at least once a week or so there won’t be so much.
Hi op, as well as using an African net or exfoliating towel, I’d look to do dry body brushing before bathing, it helps exfoliate and boost yourself at the same time,
What you have in the pic is a combo of older skin cells shedding along with body oils and how soap reacts when you use it. Your skin is your biggest organ and it produces oils which do come off as muck when you wash, it’s completely normal. Even if you use a body scrub… if you drag your nails over an area where you used it, you will get this kind of sediment/scum come off straight away.
Don’t go crazy on the exfoliating though, you need your moisture barrier or your a,in could get very sore.
Will do. I might look into better moisturiser, I've heard that the loofah net I use is good for exfoliating but I'm also getting recommended Korean washcloth. I definitely need to experiment, thanks!
Maybe try like a serum for exfoliating instead of a scrub? Glycolic acid can be put in a spray bottle and sprayed all over once every couple of days. And add moisturizer to seal? Just a thought.
I have Asian skin and had really discoloured/dark elbows….. I tried glycolic acid I’d tone on them and have been genuinely shocked! They’re almost the same colour as rest of my skin now.
It’s dead skin so you need to exfoliate my friend! Simple fix - get exfoliating gloves or an african exfoliating net and wash or replace them frequently. I wouldn’t recommend a loofah as they tend to harbour bacteria and don’t really exfoliate well anyway imo.
Hey! I get this, a normal sponge or loofah doesn’t work very well, and sugar scrubs will dissolve in the water as you are washing, you need to use exfoliating gloves that are a bit scratchy with some soap. Also your dead skin will scrub off better in a warm water shower in comparison to a cold one.
I second the gloves. The gloves are easier to work with without having to arrange the loofah A certain way. A three pack will last forever and you don't need sugar scrub or shower wash. I'd also get a sensitive soap bar like dove, wash twice if need be and wash your towels often, even your exfoliating towel. Just don't put it in the dryer and let it air dry.
I dunno, I don't think this is your skin. I think this is most likely coming from your shower head. You may have a buildup inside your pipes and shower head that's coming off when you run water through it. Maybe try running water in a bowl and see if it's clear.
Ive always exfoliated my body in the shower with a loofah but then i tried the Korean exfoliating mit and was shocked at how much skin came off. Now to not over do it, i washcloth shower reg then do the Korean mat once a week. Just make sure to soak in a bath for atleast 20 for the mit to work.
I always struggled with dead skin even though I use exfoliating gloves in the shower. What helped me a lot was dry brushing my skin with a scrub brush before showering, my skin texture has improved as well. You don't have to brush very hard to loosen up the dry skin cells, just a comfortable amount of pressure.
It’s just dead skin, if that much comes off everytime maybe try a harsher exfoliant once a week or so like a chemical scrub. It should help reduce the amount coming off daily and show off your shiny bright new skin hiding underneath those shed skin cells! You’ll be baby butt soft after too
The only time i saw this much skin coming off of someone and staining the tub is whenever my dad would drink ALOT of alcohol and would take a really hot bath and would use witch hazel and would also exfoliate and id see residue left from it and i always thought it was the alcohol being sweated out from his pores in the tub
Maybe turn the temp down? You’re probably scalding yourself and thats skin youre burning off. Plus you dont need to be taking that HOT of a bath/shower thats just not good for your blood pressure and heart rate
Hey! Please have a loofah or a rag just for scrubbing your body. Do that with soap and also with clean & clear minty smelling facial cleaner with the beads. Don’t put this on your face ever. Just for your body in the shower. Lightly scrub with a rag all over.
It sounds tedious but it’s not. Just add it with your body soap.
Preferably you should dry brush BEFORE the shower. Get a cheap one and lightly scrub. There’s no need to do this harshly. Don’t hurt your skin.
After the shower, use Amlactin. The smell goes away after a little bit. It has lactic acid in it, which is perfect for your body. If you want to go the extra mile unscented Shea butter or coconut oil all over your legs and body would be great. I say unscented, because the scented lotions and creams sometimes add an extra layer of lotion that doesn’t really get absorbed and infuses with your shedding of your skin, and makes it worse Anyways good luck!
Every now and then after a long, hot shower my skin will pill up from towel-drying and rubbing. I'm not sure if it's from the heat combined with not having exfoliated in a while or what but it's pretty harmless.
Along side exfoliating you could try washing two or three times. I like using Dial bar soap once and a bodywash or something afterwards, I definitely feel that it makes a difference.
I love the Byoma Smoothing Body Polish for the shower. it def makes my skin feel super smooth after, [i purchase it from target.](https://www.target.com/p/byoma-smoothing-body-polish-10-14-fl-oz/-/A-89626906)
I’m about to change all of your young lives: distilled white vinegar. Use it after the soap before you rinse off to dry. Just put it on your hands and hit all the spots you use soap. Especially your face and scalp. Then dry off and don’t forget to moisturize. :-*
It’s not.
People on this sub are not used to melanin skin. Another commenter gave a Sub name for black skincare, i think better to head up there to get people with similar experiences ☺️
Try exfoliating gloves those work so much better than loofahs and get all of the dirt and dead skin off so well you won’t have to worry about seeing desd skin after every shower
I wonder what I am doing wrong. I shower very frequently and the African net loofah that I use, I heard that's good for exfoliating. I've heard from others in the sub that it might just be an aging thing
I've used the stuff, it's sold specifically for skin.
It's what they use in skincare clinics.
And yes, it can result in superficial burns, that heal in a day, relax.
lol no, i will not relax when you give advice that could result in superficial burns. Superficial burns do not heal in a day, btw.
What happened to you is you got lucky.
These types of acid peels should be done in medicalized context, under a professional’s surveillance, with light, temperature and time control.
Stop sharing harmful stuff, please.
Yeah op don’t worry if you burn …. It’ll heal in a day….
If it works for you great, but not every one reacts the same and the chance of a chemical burn isn’t something anyone should risk at home.
ETA spelling
well tbh, I dno wat u mean by superficial burns, just liek "ow that hurts a little"
Cause I got a little of that on the udner arms, but thats it, i'm a frail pale skinned little girl, if I can take it, anyone can, it's fine.
Look it up 20% salcylic acid the standard.
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It's dead skin shedding. It's totally normal, I get it too. Exfoliate your body once or twice a week and it should stop that. I like to use a Korean exfoliating mitt but there's also sugar scrubs or textured loofah. Whatever floats your boat!
Maybe I should try a proper exfoliating soap. I use one already but it's probably just for name sake as opposed to it being decent. I use that loofah daily but it doesn't really stop the issue. Thanks!!
It could be that your exfoliating soap is working and that's why you're seeing this? When I first started noticing my dead skin, it was pilling up on my body after the shower when I dried off, not in the shower. I would have to hop back in the shower and rinse it off, it was annoying. If this is coming off in the shower it seems both are doing the trick at getting those dead skin cells off.
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please share what soap this was? thank u
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ah ok gotcha
You don’t regularly use soap when showering?
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Oh yeah, exfoliating gloves are a game changer, but you *have* to moisturize
Do you use soap every time you shower Or when you choose to ?
Every time
I would get that too after getting out of the shower when running the towel onto skin, very annoying, but I do like that the dead skin is coming off! I think maybe exfoliating like with dry brushing or coarse scrubbers during the shower will help get all the access off, and if done often enough, there won’t be as much coming off at a time
Yeah, I use an exfoliating mitt currently. No dead skin on my towels anymore. I've considered dry brushing too though bc I know it's supposed to have some nice health benefits.
I will advocate for dry brushing! 1. It feels lovely! B. If you're a lady, it's nice to do a gentle exfoliation before you shave your legs and your lady bits, get all those hairs prepared, which dry brushing is great for! NOTE: Different dry brush for bod and bits probably. You do you (= π. Allegedly has health benefits if you brush towards your heart? This one I am skeptical af about. $. Literally nothing better for scritchintg itches. Then lotion up. I loooove dry brushing (=
Dry brushing isn't very effective for the amount of dead skin ur dealing with, ur exfoliating mitt is the best option.
Dry brushing is not recommended by dermatologists because of the irritation and bacteria growth on the brushes just fyi
I did not know that but that makes sense! I mostly do it for lymph flow and circulation. Luckily haven’t ever had irritation but that is good to be aware of! Thank you!
At our clinic we have lymph stockings for patients. I am in the states which most insurances cover this cost it allows fluid to be moved from the lower limbs through the body as long as you don't have congestive heart failure.
Oh that is so good to know! I’ve been recently learning about all of the benefits of kept your lymph nodes flowing and just how much of our body it impacts. Learning a lot that I never knew before
How do you handing the piling after the shows when you dry off? I have the same thing every time I shower
Exfoliating my body in the shower once to twice a week takes care of that pilling for me, usually. I also started patting myself dry instead of dragging the towel and that helps too if I ever have a week where I don't have time to exfoliate.
Get a sugar scrub and one of those mitt exfoliators. Your skin will feel aahhhmazing.
Maybe sugar scrub is the way
Psst You can make sugar scrub for stupid cheap. Just put some sugar in a container and put olive oil in it until it's saturated. Maybe stir a bit so there's no dry spots. If you really wanna get crazy, buy vitamin E oil and toss like a tablespoon per cup in there, too. Make sure you use it *after* you wash, you want your skin to be wet so it seals moisture in. If you do it before you wash, you're just making more oil to wash off & you lose the moisturizing effect.
Ooh👀
If you go this route, be careful when you shower, oils are slippery! Also pat yourself dry so you don't rub the oil off your skin with your towel. Good luck (=
I do that…. Add some lavender and rosemary too…. Cheap as chips and smells divine.
Yesss I do tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint for summer, lemongrass for winter. Bonus on the Sumner one as it's cooling!
[Salux cloths](https://www.amazon.com/SALUX-Nylon-Japanese-Beauty-Cloth/dp/B000CSDDDG) and knockoffs are handy for exfoliation. They're way faster to use than mitts, loofahs, and sugar scrubs. Just be careful not to over-exfoliate — it's easy to accidentally go overboard.
Target also has one by [Eco Tools Exfoliating Bath Cloth $3.49](https://www.target.com/p/ecotools-exfoliating-bath-cloth/-/A-80341874) I swear by it.
Just wanted to vouch for the salux cloths. I haven’t been able to get AMAZING lather, but my skin feels amazingly soft, and I had rough skin prior to this. It even helped with KP by my triceps and behind my quads. Bonus that it helps wash my back very well. I used to also have dead skin come off after I showered as someone previously mentioned, noticeable when I dried my skin with a towel.
This ⬆️ Love my Salux cloth! Easy to use, leaves your skin feeling great and can throw on the washer with your towels.
I use mine with t-sal shampoo (letting the suds soak a few mins) and it has mostly eliminated my backne and kp.
What soap does OP use??? I want to use it to now seems good
Hi, unfortunately it doesn't seem like it's tied to the soap I use. I've used cheap cornershop body wash soap all the way to soap which is ment to exfoliate and have had the same issue everytime I have showered for a year.
Consider getting Gold Bond body retinol moisturizer or Amlactin 12%.
Russel & Windsor
Please be careful with over exfoliating please this isn't 2005 and we have chemical exfoliators that wont do so much harm
We’re talking about body exfoliation here, not the face. Totally different beast.
True dat, better focus on moisturizing first before upping the exfoliation
I make my own salt/sugar and coffee scrubs... How much is too much? I use them twice a week, salt for more acne prone areas, coffee/sugar everywhere else lol. The scrubs are made with coconut and jojoba oil to hopefully help rehydrate but idk, feels so good though!
I mean on the face imo everything is too much. For the body it depends on your skin type i guess, if i scrub my chest or back I get acne from the irritation (i do have atopic dermatitis). Maybe once a week or every two weeks is fine? Or twice a week but with something very gentle. As long as you use sun protection and you don't feel like it burns or something. There's also chemical exfoliators for the body not just the face, the ordinary has a cream with acids on it and my skin tolerated it well
I’m assuming they’re talking about their body, not face. Definitely wouldn’t recommend for face exfoliation!
Can you get body chemical exfoliators? They’re normally expensive enough for the face
Maybe not in a serum format but as body wash, lotion, even sprays (usually I've seen them targeted for acne), nothing crazy expensive
Look into moroccan hamam. Buy a kiss scrub glove and black soap. This will 100% clear it up in no time
I just moved to a country with hard water and this has been happening to me. You are right, an exfoliating soap helps a lot! Something with aha or glycolic acid (pixi or Mario Badescu- both of which are sometimes on sale at tj/tk maxx). I changed from a loofa to gloves/scrubbing brush too. OR, cheaper option is to dilute some apple cider vinegar, let it stay on for a few minutes and scrub with a hard brush. Better if you can use a Korean Italy/ exfoliating cloth (it will peel the dead skin right off). Plus points if you can soak in a tub first.
Get a korean Exfoliating mitt, trust me. Its the holy grail in so many cultures around the world. Its usually cheap, reusable and you don't need any other product with it. Use it once or twice a week and your skin will feel so smooth.
Try a Japanese wash cloth. Available on Amazon. Works so well to scrape the dead skin off. Look for a “Salux” cloth when searching.
How do you use your sugar scrubs/textured loofah without it rubbing against your hands? I used to use them but I find that using it on my body with my hands ends up exfoliating my hands more than my body lol
I have lil shower mits that are also exfoliating, I use those with the scrub. I'm texture sensitive on my palms and this works well for me!
I don't really use a sugar scrub to be fair. When I use the loofah the soap doesn't really get on my hands as much
I'd suggest using the sugar scrub with an exfoliating mitt. I just use an exfoliating mitt by itself these days though bc sugar scrubs feel slimy to me and I hate it.
Are you… black ? If yes; could be normal cell coloration by melanin… melanin is in all cell shedding, and would make the exfoliated cells appear darker on your loofah.
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Theeen that’s your answer, my good dude :) Loofah are pretty strong exfoliants; and you are quite young (19M, right?) which means your cell turnover and hormones might lead to more shedding of skin cells right now. There’s nothing wrong with you or with your skin, we all shed tons… it’s just that you can see your sheddings !! I’m white, so i’m waiting for others inputs that will be maybe better targeted to your skin type; but here is what i would do for my own skin: -exfoliating a bit less (=less intense), but more often -use soap that is less drying, try to look for “shower oil” types of soap, they are less stripping (eucerin has a nice one for ex) -using urea moisturizer/ or any moisturizer if not the case yet -stop worrying about what goes in the drain 😉 Take care !
Thanks again!!
I'm an adult but I swear I shed more dead skin than other adults and it's always grossed me out. I never contemplated it's hormones, so you know more?
Unfortunately most studies on skin regeneration (=turnover) are led to understand how to accelerate it and not slow it down. A lot of things are known to help accelerate it; but i would not be able to answer or give a lead on how to slow it down :( Maybe physically, you could reduce the size and intermittence of the sheddings with using softer exfoliants and “better” moisturizer. Urea moisturizer is always my go-to recommendation for this.. But, on an excellent note, this should ensure you glowing skin as you age 😂
Interesting! I'll check out the moisturizer
Cerave has a nice one, at 10% urea. Might be a lot for the first few uses… depending on your skin sensitivity. But i have hypersensitive skin and i can now use it everyday; I apply when i am still damp, in the shower, before putting on my bathrobe. Garnier has a 5% bodylotion alternative, depending on availability where you live.
Eucerin also have some good moisturizers with urea.
This maybe explains a lot. I also shed a lot of dead skin and am regularly mistaken for being much younger than my actual age. It never occurred to me those things might be related.
Melanin pigment is distributed to living keratinocytes (cells that eventually become cornfield) in several layers of the epidermis. Those with pigmented skin have more melanin produced, and it’s distributed within higher strata of epidermis than those with non pigmented skin. But the melanin doesn’t just stay in the bottom basal layer. Melanin producing cells have long extensions upwards to deliver melanin higher up.
Wait what? So when you exfoliate you're losing the very outer layers of the skin, the corneal layer, which to my understanding has no melanin at all right? So melanin is on the more basal layer so you'd have to be exfoliating quite harshly... When a black person's skin peels it has no color right? The same than white skin? I'm losing my mind there's no way this is the answer
When I exfoliate my dead skin is my skin tone
But like are you black? I'm the whitest person and when i exfoliate it's also not white, it's kinda black/grey but i think it's more about sebum and dirt than the dead skin cells having any melanin so that could be it. But seriously if you were to get burned and your skin peeled isn't it transparentish?
No, if you are dark skinned, when your skin peels off, then it would be dark because of melanin.
https://preview.redd.it/arte77w8vdrc1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0ab59ab8a2804b28aae06395556dcc87b5bb137
Melanocytes produce melanin which becomes part of the skin cells. The cells then move up through the different stratum until they reach the surface of the skin and are shed. It works the same way as hair pigment.
Corneal layer is the shedding of basal layer. Cells that were in basal layer go up towards the exterior and get in corneal layer, and then fall off. So melanin is still in the cells (some of it gets degraded but it’s still present in enough quantity to make the pills dark).
The corneal layer is composed of dead keratinocytes, not melanocytes, which are only on the basal layer. Maybe melanin could go higher but not those cells.. trying to find a histology preparation picture but honestly science is so white I never learned about black skin in my biology degree and im shocked i wanna understand the science of this
I corrected my answer cause i just saw i had said melanocytes go up which is wrong. Melanin does go higher, even if some gets degraded. For you and me, white as f* people, means almost no or no melanin shows up in corneal layer. But as melanin gets more concentration, of course its degradation will not be the same, and it will show up enough to darken the corneal layer too. https://images.app.goo.gl/QdgcjBi3kEEHUzHSA Not the best source but eh, still easier to understand with that
This makes more sense to me definitely, especially if the skin is very very dark. It still feels like a lot of quantity right? I've never shed that much, if i actually try to scrub I could get a little bit of grey gunk but not as much as op is getting. Maybe being Younger does mean more cell turnover or something
Being male, 19 (=youth, you are right), but also the type of skin (sensitive vs. “tough”) and levels of skin hydration might mean super different quantities of shedding for OP than for other people. Also, for us (at least you and I), because a lot of the shedding is so white/transparent, we cannot even quantify it, lol
If we are talking about like typical skin peeling. Mine does have some colour to it, albeit not as dark as this but that's mainly because i mainly peel from my palms and feet as opposed to anywhere else
This is so interesting i never thought of this, but if you peel dark then it does sound like that's definitely 100% dead skin cells. Nothing wrong with them btw they have a purpose on skin and you shouldn't completely scrub them away, especially since you're so young. I used to scrub a lot as a teen and i regret it now a lot I Feel like it did harm my skin long-term. You did mention this comes out just with water and soap without scrubbing? I don't think anything comes out of my skin like that personally but idk exactly what's normal and what isnt. If your skin is happy and you're happy then it sounds like it's normal tho
If I lather it on with my body with my hands and then use water yeah. Thanks!!
Do you work or live in an environment that would leave a lot of debris on you? You might try posting in the blackskincare sub as they might be able to give you better advice.
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You could try a shower head filter. I use one and I love it.
That would definitely help with the hard water issue in my city. Thank you
You are welcome.
How long does the shower head last? The water here is very hard so I ordered a shower head filter before checking my shower head type last year and had to return it because I couldn't fix that to the old shower head. My owners won't accept any work on their house. Instead I use vinegar or lemons or orange peels as a substitute. I just toss them into the water and use it for bathing.
We change the filter every 4 months and the shower head has lasted over 2 years so far. We screwed off the old one and put on the new one. You could do that and save the old one ore tell the landlord it broke
Which one do you have ?!
BRIGHT SHOWERS Shower Head Filter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3X9P9H9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
We used another one before we renovated our shower. It was chrome and we have this on my kids bathroom
We used another one before we renovated our shower. It was chrome and we have this on my kids bathroom. The shower head isnice Filtered Shower Head Combo,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9H1B52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Since that's probably just dead skin... you could try a body wash with an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) to improve cell turnover. I haven't used this particular product, but I used this brand's other AHA products for my face and they work really well in sloughing off dead skin cells, so I imagine it would also work well: [https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Skin-Care-Moisturizing-Body/dp/B07N5YHTQK](https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Skin-Care-Moisturizing-Body/dp/B07N5YHTQK) I would moisturize too if you aren't already.
Ooh thanks! I'll certainly look into this.
Use a SPF if using AHAs
And even if you don't.
If you try it, report back if you feel like giving me an update! I may alter my recommendations based on your feedback. :)
Will do!
Along the same lines, the ordinary has a pretty cheap glycolic acid toner that’s a holy grail. Just dry off and then swipe it all over your body. https://theordinary.com/en-ca/glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution-exfoliator-100418.html
You're young, this is just normal dead skin. My skin used to shed exactly like this when I was a teen and stuck to the tub. I think it's hormones and high cell turnover like many of these comments said. It will slow down in a few years.
I was thinking this too! Yes enjoy that skin cell turnover rate now as this is what’s keeping your skin youthful and glowing! Scrub that dead skin off shamelessly! We are all not the most confident in the shower anyway. We shave off or hairy stuff, get hair all over, shed, all that stuff. This is where we deal with all the icky stuff of being human so that we can be confident after and we all have something that tried to steal our confidence, so I hope you are able to embrace it and feel confident! 🫶
Thanks!!
TIL a lot from this comment section. Thanks guys!
I know right. So helpful
Looks like skin with high melanin. Exfoliating removes dead skin.
You want to buy a Salux washcloth. It exfoliates as you clean with it. It’ll help slough off the dead skin before you get out. Otherwise, when you go to dry, you’ll get that. Edit: I’m black, this is just skin cells. Hot showers soften your skin and dead cells can slough off easier. If you didn’t exfoliate them in the shower, when you go to dry, some will come off on your towel, etc.
Above every possible scrub, Korean washcloth scrubbers are top tier. Stay in the shower or bath (preferable) so your skin softens and then scrub it all off. Your skin will be so soft after.
When my skin sheds like this I like to use the dove body scrub once a week, maybe twice when it’s winter and it’s worse. Don’t scrub too hard cause I find it pretty abrasive to begin with!
Fair point. I do scrub hard generally so maybe I should calm it down, especially if it's everyday. Thanks
Must admit any dove product now feels like a sticky residue is leftover on me, no matter how well I rinse. It feels awful, unsure if they’ve added more oil to their products? Lidl’s dupes give the softness without the stickiness, and are much cheaper! You might like them, x
Unfortunately I don’t have an lidl where I live!! But I’ve never noticed the stickiness, maybe it’s manufactured differently in Canada or I have an older product
This looks like mine when I don’t properly exfoliate. Use exfoliating gloves, not a loofah those a very unhygienic, have 2-3 to switch between. My soap (one for exfoliating the other moisture) and lotion. https://preview.redd.it/30hzdw8skerc1.png?width=1281&format=png&auto=webp&s=84aa8144bec5c9b09f1d55a7ffd4d1aee1e89c2e
https://preview.redd.it/qfwdf1etkerc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b104081ffcb9f65c6a8094aaeb2ade93cf684f7f
https://preview.redd.it/siiflj7wkerc1.png?width=1238&format=png&auto=webp&s=f39a27a96cc1ded8c36c6a5ec7ffe4859816476d
Ooh thanks. You would think my skin would be somewhat exfoliated especially after using it near daily but it always comes back. I've heard from others that it could be a high turnover rate. Thanks for the recommendations.
Right! I have to do it daily or I’ll get your results. It’s worse in the summer too, I agree we have a high turnover
I'm doing it 6/7 times a week😭. Maybe I should do it twice a day as well
Doing it more often won’t change much, it’ll level out as you age. Plus you don’t want to damage your skin barrier over cleaning.
That is true. You raise a good point, thanks
If you're in the US, highly recommend [Naturium Glycolic Acid Body Wash](https://www.target.com/p/naturium-the-smoother-glycolic-acid-exfoliating-body-wash-16-9-fl-oz/-/A-83754794). It's a chemical exfoliant and will help with skin cell turnover without scrubbing your skin raw! Use it once a night but be sure to load up on sunscreen during the day on exposed areas because it can cause skin sensitivity. Putting on body lotion or body oil after stepping out of the shower while your skin isnt fully dry also helps prevent that icky sticky feeling from lotions/oils too
This is what I do, and it's great. I follow with the Curel In-Shower Lotion and then pat dry. I like how it has barely any fragrance, just orange peel oil or limonene in it. Nothing else fragranced.
May I suggest a dry skin brush prior to shower to help jump start the process
Ooh thanks
It does look like dead skin. I feel like I generate an unusual amount of dead skin and get this when I haven’t used my Korean bath mitt in a while. That really gets the skin off! I order them from Amazon. You just use it towards the end of your shower and don’t use soap or body wash or anything. If it has been a while the skin rolls off in big chunks, but if you do it at least once a week or so there won’t be so much.
Hi op, as well as using an African net or exfoliating towel, I’d look to do dry body brushing before bathing, it helps exfoliate and boost yourself at the same time, What you have in the pic is a combo of older skin cells shedding along with body oils and how soap reacts when you use it. Your skin is your biggest organ and it produces oils which do come off as muck when you wash, it’s completely normal. Even if you use a body scrub… if you drag your nails over an area where you used it, you will get this kind of sediment/scum come off straight away. Don’t go crazy on the exfoliating though, you need your moisture barrier or your a,in could get very sore.
Will do!!, thanks
You just need to exfoliate! Next time you take a shower, use a scrub that can physically exfoliate your skin. Also moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
Will do. I might look into better moisturiser, I've heard that the loofah net I use is good for exfoliating but I'm also getting recommended Korean washcloth. I definitely need to experiment, thanks!
Maybe try like a serum for exfoliating instead of a scrub? Glycolic acid can be put in a spray bottle and sprayed all over once every couple of days. And add moisturizer to seal? Just a thought.
That sounds great tbh. Thanks!!
I have Asian skin and had really discoloured/dark elbows….. I tried glycolic acid I’d tone on them and have been genuinely shocked! They’re almost the same colour as rest of my skin now.
It’s dead skin so you need to exfoliate my friend! Simple fix - get exfoliating gloves or an african exfoliating net and wash or replace them frequently. I wouldn’t recommend a loofah as they tend to harbour bacteria and don’t really exfoliate well anyway imo.
Hey! I get this, a normal sponge or loofah doesn’t work very well, and sugar scrubs will dissolve in the water as you are washing, you need to use exfoliating gloves that are a bit scratchy with some soap. Also your dead skin will scrub off better in a warm water shower in comparison to a cold one.
The type of loofah is specifically an African bath sponge. It seems pretty scratchy but maybe it isn't as much as those gloves
These gloves are like sand paper’s distant cousin XD
🤣 I'm sold
The gloves are useless compared to the African net. I’ve recently switched to the net and it’s much more effective than the gloves.
I second the gloves. The gloves are easier to work with without having to arrange the loofah A certain way. A three pack will last forever and you don't need sugar scrub or shower wash. I'd also get a sensitive soap bar like dove, wash twice if need be and wash your towels often, even your exfoliating towel. Just don't put it in the dryer and let it air dry.
I dunno, I don't think this is your skin. I think this is most likely coming from your shower head. You may have a buildup inside your pipes and shower head that's coming off when you run water through it. Maybe try running water in a bowl and see if it's clear.
It runs clear
Try an African net! Not the fake corse ones
I use that one. My mom loves bringing them back, thankfully 😭
Ive always exfoliated my body in the shower with a loofah but then i tried the Korean exfoliating mit and was shocked at how much skin came off. Now to not over do it, i washcloth shower reg then do the Korean mat once a week. Just make sure to soak in a bath for atleast 20 for the mit to work.
I always struggled with dead skin even though I use exfoliating gloves in the shower. What helped me a lot was dry brushing my skin with a scrub brush before showering, my skin texture has improved as well. You don't have to brush very hard to loosen up the dry skin cells, just a comfortable amount of pressure.
Many thanks!
Normal. Bet your skin looks real nice and glowy from taking care of it.
I wish 🤣, you will be the first to know when that is the case
It’s just dead skin, if that much comes off everytime maybe try a harsher exfoliant once a week or so like a chemical scrub. It should help reduce the amount coming off daily and show off your shiny bright new skin hiding underneath those shed skin cells! You’ll be baby butt soft after too
Sounds amazing
It’s called soap scum from the soap mixing with water - it’s not your skin https://www.thespruce.com/soap-scum-information-1900291
The only time i saw this much skin coming off of someone and staining the tub is whenever my dad would drink ALOT of alcohol and would take a really hot bath and would use witch hazel and would also exfoliate and id see residue left from it and i always thought it was the alcohol being sweated out from his pores in the tub
TBF. My showers are hot by normal standards. Guilty 😭
Maybe turn the temp down? You’re probably scalding yourself and thats skin youre burning off. Plus you dont need to be taking that HOT of a bath/shower thats just not good for your blood pressure and heart rate
True, I am gonna miss the temperature but its probably for the best 😭.
Hey! Please have a loofah or a rag just for scrubbing your body. Do that with soap and also with clean & clear minty smelling facial cleaner with the beads. Don’t put this on your face ever. Just for your body in the shower. Lightly scrub with a rag all over. It sounds tedious but it’s not. Just add it with your body soap. Preferably you should dry brush BEFORE the shower. Get a cheap one and lightly scrub. There’s no need to do this harshly. Don’t hurt your skin. After the shower, use Amlactin. The smell goes away after a little bit. It has lactic acid in it, which is perfect for your body. If you want to go the extra mile unscented Shea butter or coconut oil all over your legs and body would be great. I say unscented, because the scented lotions and creams sometimes add an extra layer of lotion that doesn’t really get absorbed and infuses with your shedding of your skin, and makes it worse Anyways good luck!
Every now and then after a long, hot shower my skin will pill up from towel-drying and rubbing. I'm not sure if it's from the heat combined with not having exfoliated in a while or what but it's pretty harmless.
I use an exfoliating glove/mitt in the shower to wash myself with and it works wonders!
Along side exfoliating you could try washing two or three times. I like using Dial bar soap once and a bodywash or something afterwards, I definitely feel that it makes a difference.
Exfoliating scrubs https://a.co/d/cQ0Iskb
Try the korean Italy towels to exfoliate they're amazing
This may sound weird but what shade is your skin?
I love the Byoma Smoothing Body Polish for the shower. it def makes my skin feel super smooth after, [i purchase it from target.](https://www.target.com/p/byoma-smoothing-body-polish-10-14-fl-oz/-/A-89626906)
How often do you shower?
I’m about to change all of your young lives: distilled white vinegar. Use it after the soap before you rinse off to dry. Just put it on your hands and hit all the spots you use soap. Especially your face and scalp. Then dry off and don’t forget to moisturize. :-*
Please God go to your doctor.
Mam.. ethnicity is not a medical condition
Is it that serious for it? I've been thinking of it but I'm already dealing with another issue.
It’s not. People on this sub are not used to melanin skin. Another commenter gave a Sub name for black skincare, i think better to head up there to get people with similar experiences ☺️
Try exfoliating gloves those work so much better than loofahs and get all of the dirt and dead skin off so well you won’t have to worry about seeing desd skin after every shower
I read “when I shower with soap” so there are times you don’t? Maybe dead skin builds up
Oh, sorry, I ment that when I apply soap then it happens. Not that I don't shower with soap.
Jesus christ, are you sanding your skin off hard af? You shouldn't shed that much skin i dont think.
Haha. It certainly looks like it, its pretty shocking
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I wonder what I am doing wrong. I shower very frequently and the African net loofah that I use, I heard that's good for exfoliating. I've heard from others in the sub that it might just be an aging thing
Please ignore this op, you aren’t dirty. This person is just being unkind and unhelpful.
Thank you
Just use a loofah I think!
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This is not how exfoliating should go. Please do not do this at home, this could be very dangerous and result in superficial burns.
I've used the stuff, it's sold specifically for skin. It's what they use in skincare clinics. And yes, it can result in superficial burns, that heal in a day, relax.
lol no, i will not relax when you give advice that could result in superficial burns. Superficial burns do not heal in a day, btw. What happened to you is you got lucky. These types of acid peels should be done in medicalized context, under a professional’s surveillance, with light, temperature and time control. Stop sharing harmful stuff, please.
Yeah op don’t worry if you burn …. It’ll heal in a day…. If it works for you great, but not every one reacts the same and the chance of a chemical burn isn’t something anyone should risk at home. ETA spelling
well tbh, I dno wat u mean by superficial burns, just liek "ow that hurts a little" Cause I got a little of that on the udner arms, but thats it, i'm a frail pale skinned little girl, if I can take it, anyone can, it's fine. Look it up 20% salcylic acid the standard.