Skin flaking and peeling can look a little alarming, but it’s nothing to be worried about. This is very common, particularly with treatments containing retinoids. It means that your skin cells are shedding faster than normal, and older layers of skin are being shed to make way for new, fresher ones. Typically this process lasts a few weeks but can take a few months to resolve entirely. In the meantime there are a few things you can do to help lessen this effect:
- Use the ‘Sandwich Technique’ Apply a moisturiser 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after applying the Software formula. This does not make it less effective but simply acts as a buffer, allowing the formula to absorb slowly into the skin, and may assist with minimising peeling.
- Introduce your formula to your skin slowly We recommend starting with a thin layer, every 3-4 days.
- Try ‘Short Contact’ therapy - Apply your formula for 1 hour before cleansing it off and applying a nourishing moisturiser. This technique helps to reduce irritation and peeling.
- Avoid applying your treatment to the areas around nose, eyes and mouth We recommend placing a barrier ointment (such as Vaseline) on those areas before your treatment if you are more prone to peeling in sensitive areas.
- Nourish your skin barrier Applying a nourishing and healing cream helps to prevent and improve peeling such as our Ceramide Repair Balm.
- Using a non-comedogenic oil-based cleanser can work for many as a way to gently remove the excess skin
- Ensure skin is completely dry before applying the treatment. Damp skin is more permeable and increases absorption of the ingredient and flaking.
If your skin is not irritated you can try either of the following to manually ‘buff’ off peeling skin:
- Use a microfibre cloth immediately after a warm (not hot) shower to gently exfoliate your face and remove dead skin
- Alternatively, a konjac sponge is a very gentle form of physical exfoliation that can help remove dead skin cells
If the peeling is not relieved with our suggestions or you are experiencing pain or irritation, please submit a request through the link in the top right hand corner and our team will be in touch shortly. We kindly invite you to update your Skin Tracker to help us assess your progress, alternatively you may attach a photo in your re
Frequently Asked Questions