We all live for smooth, even, and glowy skin. Life is much easier when your foundation is not flaky, and when your skin is not bumpy. Puberty, aging, stress; we all have something we deal with that shows up on our faces. What happens in the epidermis shows in the dermis, right? But the real struggle begins when they leave a mark, leaving you with an uneven skin texture. The good news is there are things you can do to improve your skin texture and achieve smoother skin. But first, why is skin texture such a big deal and why do we feel the need to improve it?
In an attempt to assess the quality of the skin and set a certain standard, a group of highly qualified dermatologists and physicians suggested a consensus. The aim was to define the parameters of what makes skin healthy. That way, dermatologists or skin experts could have a more defined treatment option. According to the consensus, skin quality can be assessed based on four different criteria: skin tone evenness, skin surface evenness, skin firmness, and skin glow.
Well, there is your answer. Because apparently, skin surface evenness, a.k.a smooth skin, is one-fourth of what makes your skin healthy! So yes, uneven skin texture is a legitimate skin concern. And that’s what we’re going to focus on today.
What is Uneven Skin Texture?
Let’s focus on the texture first before going into its unevenness. Skin texture refers to the actual surface of the skin and its feel.
To illustrate this, imagine you’re holding a piece of fabric and you’re gliding your fingers over it. You can describe the fabric simply by touching it and then decide if it’s smooth, slippery, even, rough, soft, dry, or gritty.
So uneven skin texture can be described as skin that feels rough, bumpy, and gritty to the touch. And that has a lot to do with wrinkles, lines, pores, acne, and bumps. These skin concerns affect your skin’s texture, giving you uneven, less smooth skin.
What Causes Uneven Skin Texture?
In general, the cause of uneven skin texture depends on what gives you uneven skin texture. For example, simply due to aging, you may be dealing with deep wrinkles that make your skin less smooth.
Similarly, because of unprotected sun exposure which damages your collagen, your skin may have lost elasticity, causing the pores to look enlarged and also giving you overall rough skin.
Acne and blackheads can also give you uneven skin texture. Inflamed acne causes bumps on the skin and clogged pores can cause a grainy feel on the skin.
How To Improve Skin Texture
Depending on your specific concern that gives you uneven skin texture, there are things you can do at home. Read on to learn how to improve skin texture and achieve smoother skin.
1. Exfoliate.
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, minimizes the appearance of pore size, and reduces breakouts. It also makes your skincare products penetrate deeper. That’s why it’s one of the most effective ways to improve your skin texture.
Forget about the old-school exfoliation and stop relying on facial scrubs for exfoliation. And start using alpha, beta, and polyhydroxy acids to exfoliate.
They have incredible additional benefits like hydrating the skin and increasing skin turnover. By exfoliating, you can also get rid of flaky, bumpy, dull skin, and milia.
- If you have oily skin, you can exfoliate 2-3 times a week. A salicylic acid serum or a toner will work wonders on pores and scarring.
- If you have dry skin, try gentler exfoliants like lactic acid or lactobionic acid. You can either use an exfoliating liquid or go for a daily exfoliation pad.
2. Deal with congestion.
Congested skin means skin that has visibly clogged pores. Pores can be congested due to the build-up of dead skin cells, and excess sebum, giving you blackheads and whiteheads.
Think about pollution, the poor quality of the environment, the human bacteria running free in the air, and your own sweat and oil. They all end up on your face and cause congestion and clogged pores.
Also, clogged pores can even make your face look dirty and can lead to enlarged pores. So it can give uneven skin texture. For that reason, you need to keep your skin clean and clear.
That means washing your face properly at least once a day. Even if you don’t wear any makeup, you still need to clean your face.
- If you have oily skin, go for oil-free face washes to remove excess oil. Oily skin is usually acne-prone. It’s wiser to use face washes that have salicylic acid in them as they are perfect for removing acne-causing bacteria.
- If you have dry skin, make sure you’re not using harsh products that completely dry out your face. This makes dry skin even more susceptible to sensitivity, dehydration, and skin aggressors. Try using an oil cleanser for makeup removal and a hydrating face wash afterward.
3. Moisturize to keep the skin plump.
Hydrating and moisturizing have both direct and indirect effects on your skin texture. Oily and dehydrated skin produces more oil to compensate. That leads to clogged pores and breakouts.
And having dry and dehydrated skin will damage your skin barrier to the point where your skin is susceptible to all kinds of damage and texture issues.
Plus, hydrating and moisturizing reduce the visibility of pores and fill in wrinkles by plumping up the skin. So, never skip hydrating and moisturizing after cleansing and exfoliating.
- If you have oily skin, use oil-free mattifying moisturizers.
- If you have dry skin, try thicker moisturizers packed with lipids.
4. Use serums with active ingredients.
Serums are effective due to their deep penetration abilities. They’re lightweight products that can better address a specific issue where creams aren’t efficient enough. They’re also easier for your skin to absorb.
And there’s a face serum for every skin issue. Serums packed with antioxidants like vitamin C help stimulate collagen production. In doing so, serums help with acne, scarring, deep-set wrinkles, and enlarged pores.
There are pore-minimizing serums made with beta hydroxy acids. You can try them to minimize pores and achieve smoother skin. You can try skin-tightening serums made with peptides to get rid of loose skin and volume loss.
5. Use retinoids.
Retinoids refer to vitamin A derivatives like retinol. You can try adding a retinol serum into your routine. Unlike any other active ingredient, retinol is one of the most effective ways to smooth out uneven skin texture.
Whether it’s caused by acne or wrinkles, retinol works wonders for a lot of the major skin issues. Targeted anti-aging serums formulated with retinol increase skin turnover.
As a result, they reveal smoother and healthier skin with better texture. Retinol is the best one for improving skin texture, eliminating acne, and reducing wrinkles.
6. Wear SPF.
We all know what the sun does to our skin. Unprotected UV exposure dehydrates the skin, damages proteins like collagen and elastin, causes hyperpigmentation and dark spots, and so much more.
It also gives you rough skin texture and even saggy skin. That’s actually why unprotected sun exposure is one of the most prominent causes of skin aging.
Sun exposure causes oxidative stress. And it depletes the antioxidants in your skin, making your skin prone to all kinds of texture-ruining damage.
By wearing SPF, you protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun and prevent further free radical damage. Additionally, your skin is able to heal and produce more collagen, which is what we want for smoother skin.
So don’t think of sunscreen as something that just prevents further damage because it actually helps your skin improve.
7. Try skin treatments.
Facials are very beneficial in professional cleansing. No matter how many products you have in your skincare routine, there are some things you just cannot DIY your way around.
One session of a Hydrafacial will give better results compared to a dozen pore strips. Consider monthly facials as practical solutions to improve skin texture and get radiant skin.
Additionally, try more targeted skin treatments for deep wrinkles, pockmarks, loose skin, and enlarged pores. Consider chemical peels, lasers, or dermabrasion to improve your skin texture. These treatments give dramatic results when you have a prominent skin issue that needs addressing.
Related: The Best Anti-Aging Treatments
8. Consider at-home options.
If you’re not ready for an in-office treatment, you can start using at-home tools. Microneedling tools are great for stimulating cell renewal and collagen formation. Pore cleansers keep the pores clean and keep congestion at bay.
Additionally, microdermabrasion tools take exfoliation to a new level and give you smooth skin. You can also consider LED devices for targeting acne, and pigmentation.
9. See a dermatologist.
Things can easily get overwhelming. Uneven skin texture isn’t something you’re going to get rid of overnight. When that’s the case, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice. A dermatologist can map out a better plan to address your skin issues. That’s what they’re here for!
10. Make the necessary lifestyle changes.
We all know that certain foods cause inflammation and breakouts. Consider changing your diet to what your body can tolerate. Honestly, sometimes modifying your diet alone can improve your skin texture, especially if you are suffering from acne.
Your cells run on water. And serums cannot compensate for that. Drink enough water to stay hydrated and get that natural blush on your cheeks.
Sometimes there’s no need to look for a fancy skin treatment to deal with stubborn zits. Ask yourself if you’re getting enough sleep. Make sure your skin has time to regroup and heal.
Stress manifests itself mentally as well as physically. And physical symptoms usually include breakouts, itchiness, and other skin issues like eczema. The constant breakouts tend to leave scars on the face. Learn to chill!
The Takeaway
So these are some of the best ways to improve your skin texture. It requires you to be more proactive with your at-home skin care and maintain overall healthy skin and also protect it with SPF. You can start by taking a look at our recommendations for the best skincare products for textured skin. But if you’re feeling completely lost, overwhelmed, and don’t know where to start, again, consider seeing a dermatologist. They’ll give you the most reliable information on what works best for your unique skin.
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