Likely, you've lately heard the term "skin cycling" if you frequent the skin-care section of social media. You might have seen your peers use the hashtag #skincycling in their tweets or heard professionals mention it as a part of their regular skin-care routines.
The hashtag skincycling has 122.3 million views on TikTok, while posts mentioning skin cycling have 3.5 billion views altogether. Skin cycling is a trend, but what exactly is it, and is it the step missing from your skincare regimen?
What Is Skin Cycling?
Skin cycling is an idea that has been around for a while. According to Joshua Zeichner, MD, head of aesthetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, dermatologists have long advocated the intermittent or alternate use of active substances.
In her clinic, Dr. Wattenberg has also observed the same phenomenon: "We've been suggesting a delayed start to most of our topical skin treatments for years."
How It Works
The AAD recommends cleansing, patting your skin dry, and then exfoliating to remove the dead cells from the top layer of your skin. This phase should come first for a good reason, according to Bowe.
"Your other products will function better because they can permeate more deeply into the skin in a regulated, predictable fashion." After that, you should moisturize.
How Often Should You Skin Cycle?
In terms of how long you should keep doing it, Bowe says you may repeat and alter your skin-cycle routine over time.
"Depending on how your skin reacts to the "active" chemicals you are applying, it might be a reset, or it can be used continually," says Wattenberg.