Should you really be using a loofah for skin exfoliation?

Loofahs are a common bath essential used for exfoliating and shedding dead skin.

Available in natural gourd fibers or synthetic nylon, these bath accessories are often considered skincare must-haves.

But should you actually be using one?

In an interview with GMA News Online, celebrity doctor Vicki Belo said that, as a dermatologist, she is against loofahs, whether natural or synthetic.

Consider the setting alone: a loofah is usually stored in a bathroom, where it is often moist or damp. It's an environment that “bacteria love to grow in,” said Belo.

While a loofah can exfoliate and cleanse the skin, Healthline reported it isn’t “the best shower choice for everyone,” as it needs to be “taken care of properly” to avoid becoming a bacterial carrier and damaging your skin.

If you insist on using one, Belo advised keeping the loofah completely dry after each use. Don't leave it in the shower or bathtub.

“Clean it with soap and water for at least three to five minutes, then get a towel and really squeeze out all the water,” she said.

She further advised to either dry it out with a blow dryer or to store it in a place with good air circulation.

If you're using nylon loofahs, Belo suggests replacing them “at least every two weeks.” Natural loofahs should be replaced after every single use.

“If you go to hotels abroad, they replace it morning and evening,” she said. “If you’re using the nylon ones, just don’t be too aggressive when you scrub on your body.”

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Clinic recommends throwing out your loofah every three to four weeks or earlier if there are signs of mold or a “lingering musty odor.”

“Loofahs can also contain fungal organisms that lead to skin infections,” the Cleveland Clinic said. “That’s why it’s important to make sure you keep your loofahs clean, replace them regularly, and use them gently.”

What is a good alternative to a loofah?

If exfoliation is your main concern, there are many ways to exfoliate without a loofah.

“I would much rather do something with glycolic acid or lactic acid,” Belo said.

“But when you use a product with glycolic or lactic acid, make sure there is at least two-minute contact time with your skin,” she added, explaining that if you wash it off immediately, then “it doesn’t do its job.”

According to Medical News Today, glycolic acid is a substance that could help exfoliate the skin “by dissolving dead skin cells and oils.” It’s also known for boosting collagen production and supporting skin moisture.

On the other hand, WebMD defines lactic acid as another substance that helps “eliminate accumulated dead skin cells on the epidermis,” which is the top layer of the skin.

Aside from using body wash or soap with glycolic or lactic acid, Belo also suggests using sugar or salt scrubs for exfoliation.

“You can do washes with scrubs, but you have to make sure that the scrubs are not from apricots and stuff like that because those things are uneven,” she said. “The edges can cut your skin, microtear your skin.”

Harvard Health zeroed in on this sentiment and noted, “Sometimes the abrasives in those apricot scrubs, for example, can go too far, aggravating the skin and creating inflammation.”

Another thing to avoid? Products with microbeads, or those "small spherical plastic particles used as exfoliants in personal care products." According to a 2025 study, the small plastic exfoliants that are "mainly composed of polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), have been replacing natural materials such as pumice, oatmeal, and walnut husk in exfoliating skin cleansers" since the 1990s and "have been found in the marine environment and are considered a significant contributor to global plastic pollution."

While the study found that the biodegradable alternatives are slowly replacing microbeads, "natural alternatives only comprised 48% of the types of facial exfoliants present in this study."

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