We all have experienced those annoying instances when we spot our reflection in the mirror and suddenly notice our skin’s texture. Sometimes, to our dismay, we may find our skin to be less than perfect. With all kinds of textures running across our face filled with bumps, open pores, acne, scars and pigmentation, an up-close look at the skin can sometimes be too overwhelming.
This can mainly be attributed to the fact that mainstream media often leads us to believe that women and men onscreen have naturally flawless, glass-like skin. Despite the fact that we know that actors undergo months of skin treatments and hours of sitting on a chair getting layers of makeup dabbed onto their face before the shoot, we often tend to forget these things when we see them onscreen.
However, it’s important to realise that skin texture is extremely normal and everyone has some sort of texture on their skin unique to their skin type. While we can’t completely do away with skin texture, we can manage it with tried and tested remedies that have proven to visibly improve the skin’s texture to make it look more supple, smooth and healthy.
What does uneven skin texture look like?
Skin texture largely consists of random bumps, enlarged pores, rough patches—anything that makes the skin look dull instead of all smooth and luminous. If you’re nodding your head and experiencing any of the above, you might also spot slight discolouration or redness as well. The relation is marked by the fact that uneven skin texture goes hand-in-hand with uneven skin tone or even hyperpigmentation.
Why is my skin texture so bumpy?
Bumps on your skin could mean so many different things, but typically, uneven skin texture is indicative of a slowed-down shedding of dead skin cells, this occurs usually as the skin progresses in age. Other reasons include psoriasis, contact dermatitis, keratosis pilaris, or even acne scars and pockmarks. Another common factor is exposure to the sun without SPF protection, this exposure can also lead to a bunch of other skin woes like uneven skin tone, freckles, melasma, dark spots, etc
This occurs because the UVB rays cause the premature death of living skin cells, which in turn leads to increased skin roughness, while UVA rays increase pigment production that gives the skin an overall mottled texture and skin tone.
So how do you get rid of the uneven texture on your face?
There are plenty of options to choose from, these include:
1. Exfoliate your face with glycolic acid
Exfoliation refers to the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin. Exfoliating the face is super important to achieve optimal and healthy-looking skin texture, having said that, be careful of the exfoliants you use—i.e., only chemical exfoliants (like acids and peels at low doses) instead of physical exfoliants like harsh, granular scrubs. PSA: over-exfoliation can cause undue irritation and can also dry out the skin quickly. Physical exfoliants tend to enlarge open pores further disrupting the skin texture. Speak to your dermatologist to get the right exfoliant for your skin type, typically it should be used once a week to get the best results.
2. Use salicylic acid if you have acne-prone skin
Mild exfoliation, amid the summer months, is vital for uneven skin texture, especially when you have acne-prone skin. Exfoliating with salicylic acid can help unblock the clogged pores and blackheads from all the dirt, grime and oil that might be behind your extremely textured and uneven-looking skin.
3. Soften your skin with lactic acid
If you have rough skin which tends to dry up quickly, help soften it up with a little lactic acid product. This gentle exfoliating acid is extremely hydrating as a part of the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) family, so you can hydrate the skin while it sloughs the dead skin away.
4. Add a retinoid into your skincare routine
Retinoids are a group of chemical compounds that are vitamers of vitamin A or are chemically related to it. Benefits of using retinoids include speeding up cellular turnover for smoother, brighter skin, boosting collagen production and strengthening the walls of the skin’s pores.
If you haven’t used retinoids before, gradually incorporate one into your routine by gently massaging a pea-sized squeeze of the product over your clean, freshly washed, moisturised face one night a week for one week, to begin with. You can slowly increase it to two nights for two weeks, and then three nights for three.
Make sure to use your sunscreen while you’re on retinoids, as your skin will be extra sensitive to the sun during these times.
5. Wear your sunscreen daily
Wearing a broad-spectrum SPF will unconditionally help in preventing all the damage that is caused to the skin by the extremely harmful UV radiations of the sun. These sun rays can also contribute to uneven skin texture, sunburns, allergies and even skin cancer. Wear your sunscreen thoroughly and reapply it throughout the day, promise?
6. Get a deeper exfoliation with an at-home peel
An upgrade from your glycolic acid serum, an at-home glycolic face peel version uses the same ingredient at a higher concentration for increased and instant results that are visible to the eye.
7. Use an at-home dermarolling device
Dermarolling is an at-home remedy that involves creating tiny punctures on the skin with a needle-covered roller. You can order one of these online. The holes that the needles create in the skin are tiny and considered to be superficial. For this reason, derma rolling is not considered an invasive treatment. The controlled injuries lead to superficial bleeding. This response triggers the body’s wound healing, which in turn, stimulates cell growth, and the skin starts to make more collagen. Over the course of the treatment, the collagen produced by the body is deposited in the area of the treated skin. The process helps the skin become firmer and may reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles to help generate newer, smoother, brighter skin.
Talk to your dermatologist before you start dermarolling on your own.
8. Use collagen-boosting supplements
Besides using things on your skin, you can even resort to supplements that help complement your skincare routine. We recommend using health supplements that boost collagen growth as it is primarily responsible for more supple and healthy skin. The Hi Life Advanced Collagen Boosting Silica drops are known to be a highly concentrated, ionized, 100% bioavailable solution designed to be your one-stop collagen booster for glowing skin and health. You can take these drops with your water or even your even green tea for that matter.
The takeaway:
With a plethora of factors responsible for uneven skin, like acne scarring, sun exposure, and ageing, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing the errs in your skin texture. While gentle chemical exfoliation and proper sun protection and health supplements may help, it’s important to address the root cause of the problem to get smooth skin.
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