Exfoliating Gloves: There are many health and beauty hacks on TikTok because most of us have access to any product or technology that can enhance our self-care or make our daily lives easier. The latest trend hitting the video sharing site promises a more effective and efficient approach to general skin care practice: peeling.

The idea of ​​using a peeling glove to remove dead skin is not new – Korean baths have been providing this service for years. Still, the weird fun images of dead skin cells from the bodies of social media users turn technology into a moment. On TikTok, the search term “peeling gloves” garnered 128.7 million views, but #exfoliatingglove garnered over 62 million views, making the cheapest beauty product more effective at removing unwanted ingredients as thousands of users share their own video evidence. Dead skin from the body than other physical or chemical peels.

The gloves look like a dark glove and are worn on the hand. Most videos provide a similar presentation, with users dropping the glove up and down on the legs and other parts of the body, often after soaking in the bath, with a noticeable peeling on the skin.

No. 1 Illum silk peeling glove became a cult hit in Tiktok. The video, shared by Hannah Amara, was viewed by over 6.6 million people using gloves from the British cosmetics brand. Not only is this physical proof that the glove effectively and quickly removes dead skin, but she says it is the only relief her sister, who suffers from cutaneous follicular keratosis, has found for dry, rough patches of skin with small bumps. .

How Do Peeling Gloves Work?

Dr. Kathleen S. Suyoji, Director of Aesthetic Dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, explains that there are two ways to exfoliate the skin: chemically with local acids or by mechanical application (such as exfoliation). “Peeling gloves are made from fabrics designed to remove dead skin cells by mechanical massage,” she says.

Howard Sobel, Ph.D., is a clinical cosmetic surgeon at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York. The back and shoulders, the bikini area, the hardest areas like the heels and toes, it “makes the whole body scrub easier, faster and without hassles,” he says. “It’s almost like a spa treatment with dry rubbing. You can do it at home.”

They also do a great job with multiple tasks: Dr. Sobel suggested adding a cleanser or shower gel to the glove to wash and exfoliate at the same time. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), once dead skin is removed, your moisturizer penetrates the skin, providing better hydration.

Are there any risks associated with using peelable gloves?

The ADA explains that mechanical exfoliation is not for everyone. For example, people who use certain medications or skin care products that cause dry or sensitive skin may experience acne or excessive dryness. And some skin types, including dry, sensitive, or acne-prone skin, may not respond well. They want people with darker skin to avoid mechanical exfoliation, which can lead to dark spots on the skin.

While exfoliating gloves are easier to take off, Sobel finds they are more comfortable to leave in the shower and can result in more exfoliating even for people with normal skin types.

“Excessive peeling destroys the skin barrier and creates microcracks in the skin through which bacteria and microbes seep through,” he explained. “It can irritate certain conditions, causing redness and inflammation of the skin.”

Generally, Dr. Suyoshi says that if you use exfoliating gloves more than once or twice a week, you may be overdoing it. But “for many, it’s a safe and effective way to exfoliate the skin.”

Always avoid using peelable gloves

Susie advises people with acne and sensitive skin to be careful when using exfoliating gloves.

According to the AAD, in people with acne-prone skin, excessive use of exfoliating gloves can cause pimples, a type of acne caused by heat, pressure, or massage. “Excessive use of mechanical peeling can cause slight chafing of the skin,” she says.

“In patients with sensitive skin, repeated mechanical desquamation can cause irritation, pimples or eczema, and in extreme cases can lead to superinfection of the skin, which she describes as a staph or other bacterial or viral skin infection that usually occurs when the skin is broken.