What Is Skin Fasting?
Skin fasting is a much trending concept on the internet these days. It implies the concept of giving your skin a break from the regular skincare routine and go back to the essentials: a cleanser and moisturizer.
Skin fasting works ideally when you minimize or stop using any skincare product to enable your skin to rejuvenate on its own. However, make sure you know your skin type before you decide to go for it.
What are the benefits of skin fasting?
“Skin fasting is a great way to calm skin down and rebuild its lipid barrier,” says Dr. Sethi. Your lipid barrier is the outermost layer of skin and a strong barrier that “prevents allergens and particulate matter from pollution from entering and harming skin, and also protects skin’s moisture,” adds Dr. Sethi.
But your skin barrier can be compromised or damaged due to using too many active ingredients, over-cleansing, or over-exfoliating, which can cause burning, itching, breakouts, and/or dryness. That’s where skin fasting can be helpful: “If a client is experiencing these symptoms, the first step is a skin fast for at least three weeks, followed by a step-wise approach of re-introducing necessary products back into the regimen.”
People with melasma are also good candidates for skin fasting, says Dr. Sethi. “Skin with melasma tends to experience heightened sensitivity and inflammation,” she explains. “When the skin is experiencing an increase in inflammatory cells, people should avoid most skin-care products until the skin renews itself.”
Skin fasting isn’t necessary if your skin isn’t going through a stressful period. According to Dr. Sethi, if your skin looks plump and visibly hydrated, chances are your skin barrier is intact and you can continue with your regular skin-care routine.
