Cell turnover is a vital biological process in our body, where younger, healthier cells constantly replace dead or damaged cells. This process ensures that our tissues and organs maintain optimal functionality and contribute to the overall health and appearance of our skin, blood, and other tissues.
Throughout our lifetime, our cells continuously undergo a cycle of birth, growth, and death, allowing the body to maintain equilibrium and proper functioning.
However, as we age, the rate of this process can slow down. This leads to a build-up of dead skin cells, resulting in dull and less vibrant-looking skin, as explained by a board-certified dermatologist.
The rate at which cell turnover occurs depends on factors such as age, genetics, and environmental conditions. In the context of our skin, shedding dead skin cells and replacing them with newer cells is vital for keeping our skin youthful and radiant.
Apart from the skin, cell turnover also plays a significant role in replenishing blood cells. Interestingly, most of our body’s cells are blood cells, with around 3.8 million cells being created every second.
Overall, this continual process of renewal and replacement is essential for maintaining your skin’s integrity, functionality, and health.
The process behind Cell Turnover
During the cell generation and elimination process, old or damaged cells are removed through apoptosis. This is also known as programmed cell death, and replaced with new, healthy cells through proliferation and regeneration.
This mechanism functions in all tissues, maintaining tissue homeostasis and ensuring the overall well-being of the organism.
The process of cell turnover can be divided into four main stages:
- Cell proliferation: New cells are created through cell division. This process is tightly regulated to ensure that the correct number of cells is produced.
- Cell differentiation: New cells undergo a process of differentiation, where they take on specialised functions. This process is essential for the proper development and functioning of tissues and organs.
- Cell death: Old, damaged, or dysfunctional cells are removed through cell death. There are two main types of cell death: apoptosis and necrosis. Apoptosis is a controlled and programmed process that responds to normal cellular processes or damage. Necrosis is a form of uncontrolled cell death that occurs in response to injury or disease.
- Cellular debris removal: Cellular debris is removed from the body by macrophages, which are white blood cells that engulf and digest dead cells.
What Are The Benefits of Skin Cell Turnover?
Skin cell turnover is an essential part of maintaining healthy skin. As one of the body’s primary barriers against external factors, the skin undergoes constant regeneration to replace damaged or dead cells with younger, healthier cells. The benefits of proper skin cell turnover include:
- Improved skin texture: Regular cell renewal helps keep the skin smooth, even, and free of rough patches or build-up.
- Enhanced complexion: As new skin cells replace older ones, the skin appears brighter and more radiant, reducing the appearance of dullness.
- Reduced signs of ageing: Efficient skin cell turnover can slow the ageing process by ensuring that healthy cells are continually replacing damaged or aged cells.
- Acne prevention: Maintaining a proper cell renewal process can help prevent acne by eliminating the build-up of dead skin cells that can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
Although cell turnover happens across various tissues throughout the human body, the rate varies between cell types. Some cells, like skin and blood cells, have a shorter lifespan, whereas others, such as neurons, last longer. This process is essential to maintain the optimal balance of cell numbers in the body.
Types of Cell Turnover
Considering the impact of age on cell turnover, one might ask:
“How can I accelerate healthy cell turnover to have a youthful complexion?”
Fortunately, there are a number of ways.
One effective way to remove dead skin cells and stimulate cell turnover is through exfoliation. Skincare products containing retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) can also help to accelerate the process. For more stubborn skin concerns, chemical peels can be used to remove deeper layers of dead skin cells and promote collagen production.
Natural Process
As skin cells age, they move up from the deeper layers of the skin, eventually reaching the surface before shedding off. This natural process helps to remove dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, and uneven texture. However, as people age, the rate of cell turnover slows down, leading to the accumulation of dead cells that can make the skin look dull.
Although the skin can handle this process on its own, exfoliation can help the new skin cells to push up more quickly, allowing the old ones to fall off.
Using Skincare Products
Skincare products can aid in promoting healthy cell turnover and maintaining a radiant appearance. For instance, retinoids and retinol are popular treatments that assist in accelerating cell turnover and collagen production within the skin.
Another popular ingredient is alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which include glycolic acid and lactic acid. AHAs are commonly found in exfoliants, and they work by breaking down the bonds between dead surface skin cells. This allows for easier removal and improved skin texture.
If you want to discover the secrets of exfoliation, check out our article: Types of Exfoliation: A Comprehensive Guide.
Chemical Peels
Another method to enhance the turnover is through chemical peels, which involve the application of a chemical solution to the skin. This solution causes the top layers of the skin to exfoliate and eventually peel off.
Chemical peels can be categorised into three types based on their strength:
- Light peels: Target the epidermis and are suitable for addressing mild skin concerns such as light wrinkles and uneven texture.
- Medium peels: Penetrate the epidermis and upper dermis, helping to treat fine to moderate wrinkles, mild scarring and dark spots.
- Deep peels: Reach the deeper layers of the dermis and are used to address more severe skin concerns, including deep wrinkles, severe scarring, and pigmentation issues.
How Are Skin Cells Renewed
The Deepest Layer Of Skin Cells
The skin cell renewal process begins in the skin’s deepest layer, called the basal layer. Here, new skin cells are continuously produced through cell division. A board-certified dermatologist explains that once these new cells are formed, they gradually migrate towards the outermost layer of the skin.
Moving Through Outermost Layer Of Skin Cells
As the skin cells move through the outermost layer, known as the epidermis, they undergo a natural transformation. During this journey, they change from their initial state and lose their nucleus, ultimately becoming flattened, dead cells called corneocytes.
This process known as skin cell turnover or skin regeneration, occurs in the topmost layer of the epidermis called the stratum corneum.
Removal From Skin Surface
Finally, the corneocytes reach the skin’s surface and are shed away through a process called desquamation. This allows for the replacement of dead skin cells with healthy, new ones, giving skin a fresh and youthful appearance.
On average, the entire skin cell renewal process takes about 4 weeks to complete. However, this rate may vary depending on factors such as age, lifestyle, and overall skin health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average duration of cell turnover?
The average duration of cell turnover varies by age and individual factors. It may take around 28 days in younger individuals, while it can take up to 40 days or more in older people. The process tends to slow down as we age, leading to a duller complexion and skin irregularities.
How can cell turnover be accelerated on facial skin?
You can accelerate cell turnover on facial skin by incorporating certain lifestyle changes and skincare ingredients. Maintaining healthy nutrition, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep can support natural cell turnover. In addition, topical products containing ingredients such as retinoids and retinol can help stimulate the production of new skin cells.
Which products are effective in promoting cell turnover?
Retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), and polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are proven to promote cell turnover and exfoliate the skin. These ingredients work by dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing newer and healthier cells to regenerate.
How does cell turnover differ from exfoliation?
Cell turnover refers to the natural process in which our skin produces new cells to replace the older, dead ones. Exfoliation, on the other hand, is a skincare process aimed at physically or chemically removing dead skin cells to reveal the new cells underneath. Exfoliation can support cell turnover by promoting the shedding of dead cells and revealing the fresh ones beneath.
What does high cell turnover signify?
High cell turnover signifies a healthy functioning skin, where new cells are produced at an optimal rate to replace dead skin cells. This status contributes to a glowing, even-toned complexion and helps to reduce signs of ageing. Maintaining adequate cell turnover is essential for keeping the skin in its best possible condition.
Can increased cell turnover lead to breakouts?
In some cases, increased cell turnover may temporarily lead to breakouts, particularly with the use of potent actives like retinoids. This is often referred to as “purging”, during which acne may worsen before improving as the skin adjusts to the new product.
However, it’s important to differentiate between purging and an adverse reaction. If breakouts persist beyond a few weeks or are accompanied by itchiness or irritation, discontinue the product and consult a dermatologist.