Dead skin cells: You often hear that they are one of the causes of ingrown hairs.
But what exactly are dead skin cells? Where do they come from? Where do they go?

And most importantly: What should you do with them?

What are dead skin cells?

Dead skin cells are, surprise surprise, skin cells that are no longer alive. They form the outer layer of your skin.

They provide protection, so they’re not bad in and of themselves. However, when there’s a buildup of dead skin cells, your skin will appear dull and uneven—quite the opposite of what you want, of course.

Moreover, a buildup of dead skin cells can clog your pores.

This increases the chance of ingrown hairs because it becomes harder for your hairs to make their way out smoothly.

Instead, they get trapped under the skin’s surface and continue to grow beneath it. The result? A set of painful and itchy ingrown hairs.

Where do these dead skin cells come from? And where do they go?

Your skin is your largest organ. It functions, literally, like a well-oiled machine. Your sebaceous glands produce new skin cells throughout your life and dispose of the old ones.

To do this, these sebaceous glands produce natural moisturizing oils that help keep this renewal process running smoothly.

Skin cells, also called keratinocytes, are made up of a mix of proteins. This mix of proteins is called keratin, and it’s made in the epidermis.

During a skin cell’s life cycle, it travels from the epidermis to the outer layer of the skin, and then to the surface. Here, it will eventually die and decay.

It takes about one month for a skin cell to go through this entire process, from creation to decay. Every hour, approximately 40,000 dead skin cells die off.

While these dead skin cells are constantly breaking down and eventually falling off, underneath, a fresh, glowing new skin layer eagerly waits to appear.

Okay, that makes sense, but why don’t your dead skin cells just fall off immediately? Why do they stick around even though you shower daily and your clothes rub against your skin?

Here’s the answer:

1. Father Time

The ongoing monthly process of creation and decay works best when we’re young. As we age, this process slows down.

Sebaceous glands produce less natural oil, and the journey of dead skin cells from being shed to revealing fresh, glowing skin takes longer.

Result: A drier skin, and you guessed it—buildup of dead skin cells. But before you blame Father Time, it’s good to know he’s not solely responsible. There are other reasons too.

2. Insufficient or Incorrect Skin Cleansing

Do you sometimes forget to clean your skin properly in the evening? Then it’s possible that your dead skin cells stay around longer than intended.

Since your skin is constantly creating new cells and getting rid of the old ones, a blockage from excessive makeup, body lotion, or other skincare products can slow down—even block—this natural process.

Think of it like traffic on the highway: too many cars slow down the flow and can even bring traffic to a complete stop. And no one likes that, right?

3. Not Scrubbing, Scrubbing Too Little, or Scrubbing Too Much

Scrubbing helps reduce ingrown hairs.

When you scrub, you remove the dead skin cells that are on the surface, which, as mentioned earlier, can clog your pores.

A good scrub from head to toe stimulates cell renewal and helps your body with its natural process of creating and shedding cells.

Just like daily (preferably twice a day) cleansing of your skin, regular scrubbing is an important part of your beauty routine.

Especially as you get older and your natural shedding of dead skin cells slows down. But unlike cleansing, scrubbing doesn’t have to be done every day.

In fact, scrubbing too often can actually contribute to the formation of ingrown hairs.

When you scrub too often, your skin renews itself faster. The more new skin, the more dead skin cells, and the higher the chance that the hair follicle gets clogged.

Limit scrubbing to two, at most three times per week.

Also, make sure to protect your skin with SPF.

Your new skin, freshly rid of dead skin cells, is more sensitive to sunlight, and therefore more vulnerable to sunburn. Even in the winter!

Note! The skin on your face is much thinner. So, be extra careful when treating your face.

Scrub your face less often than the rest of your body and use a gentle, specialized scrub, or exfoliate (yes, there’s a difference).

For the rest of your body, a gentle scrub, like our YIONN Kjarr, is better than one with coarse particles.

4. Not or Insufficiently Nourishing Your Skin

Scrubbing and cleansing your skin are essential for reducing the buildup of dead skin cells, but that’s not enough on its own.

After every cleansing and scrubbing session, you need to hydrate well. If you skip this nourishment, your skin will dry out unnecessarily. A dry skin is more prone to dead skin cells because it essentially forms a barrier on your skin.

This makes it harder for the dead skin cells underneath, ready to be shed, to escape.

Always choose a nourishing cream that is suited to your skin type. This will help your skin get the best results and let all these processes flow smoothly.

5. Change in Season

Another common cause of dead skin cell buildup is your environment. If the air around you is dry, your skin will become dry too.

For example, in winter, the humidity in the air is lower because of indoor heating. This may be great for your hair (less frizz), but it’s disastrous for your skin.

It dries out quickly, and the removal of dead skin cells gets blocked.

Tip! Always hydrate extra in the winter! You can even place special houseplants indoors to increase the humidity.

Opening a window from time to time and ventilating the house is also a must. A bowl of water on the heater, however, is not a good idea. These often become breeding grounds for mold and bacteria.

6. Decreased Skin Condition

If you suffer from conditions like eczema or psoriasis, you may experience an increased buildup of dead skin cells, which can be worsened by using harsh soaps, sun exposure, and low humidity.

If this is the case for you, always consult your doctor or a dermatologist for tailored advice for your skin.

7. Sun, Sun, and More Sun

Not only do dry climates suck moisture out of your skin, but too much sunbaking does as well. So, don’t lie in the sun all day.

Avoid sunbathing during the hottest hours of the day. And most importantly: regularly apply a suitable SPF!

Ready to say goodbye to your dead skin cells and ingrown hairs? I’m happy to help!

I’ve already written a blog post explaining why a suitable body cream is a must and what ingredients you should look for in a nourishing cream. Want to learn more about scrubbing? Here, I explain everything!

My YIONN products can help you too!

Let that glowing, even skin come!

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