Searches for “how to get rid of textured skin” are up on Google with more of us looking for ways to get our complexion looking smooth. Before we get into it, it goes without saying that textured skin is completely normal. If you have a face and skin, chances are you’ll experience a bit of texture at some point. It can be our face’s way of doing the very necessary job of flushing out gunk, or it can be your complexion’s reaction to a change in environment (very pertinent at the moment when the incoming cold weather has our skin bristling). That said, if it’s affecting you and you’d like some expert advice on how to get rid of textured skin gently, without falling into some of the common mistakes the pros see all the time, we’ve got you.
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What is textured skin?
According to Anastasia Koles, lead clinician and founder of ALTA Medi Clinic London, “textured skin is essentially when the surface of the skin looks or feels uneven rather than smooth and refined. It can show up as roughness, small bumps, enlarged or congested pores, dry patches or acne scarring, and you can often see it more clearly when the light catches the skin.”
Textured skin is an umbrella term. “There are lots of different types of texture, and that’s important because the cause will determine how we treat it,” says Anastasia. “Someone with clogged pores, for example, needs a very different approach to someone whose texture is the result of acne scarring, dehydration or loss of collagen,” she adds.
What causes textured skin?
As we’ve covered, there’s more than one cause that can lead to textured skin, some can be fleeting and others more persistent. “There are so many reasons skin can become textured. It can be something relatively simple like dehydration or a build-up of dead skin cells, or it can be caused by congestion, acne and the scarring left behind after breakouts,” explains Anastasia.
“Ageing and sun exposure play a part too. As we get older, cell turnover slows and we gradually lose collagen, so the skin doesn’t have quite the same smoothness and bounce. Years of UV exposure can accelerate that, which is why texture, pigmentation and fine lines often start appearing together,” Anastasia notes.
Is there anything that can make textured skin worse?
One lesson the pros agree on: less is more. “Trying too hard to get rid of it is probably one of the biggest things I see,” reveals Anastasia. “People feel bumps or roughness and immediately start scrubbing, exfoliating and layering acids, which can leave the skin irritated and make the texture even more noticeable,” she says. “You don’t need three different acids, a scrub and a retinoid all in the same evening. If your skin is constantly red, tight, flaky or stinging, it’s usually telling you to pull things back,” she adds.