Dead skin cells are skin cells that have completed their normal life cycle and are shed from the skin surface.
Most of the cells in the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, are dead, flattened keratin-filled cells called corneocytes. They form an important part of the skin barrier.
Dead skin cells normally shed continuously and are replaced by newly formed cells from deeper layers of the epidermis. Abnormal accumulation or retention of these cells within hair follicles can contribute to comedone formation.
QUICK FACT
Dead skin cells are a normal and necessary part of healthy skin; they are not simply “dirt” that needs to be scrubbed away.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Dirt: external material deposited on the skin.
- Comedone: a blocked hair follicle containing sebum and cellular material.
SEE ALSO