Exfoliation helps to reveal new skin cell growth beneath, improving tone and texture.
Exfoliation is the process of removing the outer layer of skin. The skin naturally removes dead cells from its surface but can become overloaded with all the extra dead cells that come with acne flare-ups and environmental damage.
Exfoliation helps to reveal new skin cell growth beneath, improving tone and texture. It can also assist in the removal of acne, blackheads and whiteheads. However, some dermatologists and research information claim that exfoliation does not work for everyone. It is crucial to understand your skin type.
One of the most popular exfoliation treatments is microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure used to remove imperfections from the skin's surface caused by scarring or acne. During this exfoliation process, a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon uses a rotating brush or abrasive device to sand down the top layer to remove dead skin cells that have built up.This process causes new cells to grow quickly, helping fade scars and even out your skin tone. The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes and requires two weeks of recovery time while you heal from any flare-ups or swelling that may occur as a result.
There are several ways you can exfoliate at home, including chemical exfoliation and manual exfoliation. There are many skincare products to help you exfoliate your skin.
No matter which method you choose, the key is to be gentle to your skin type particularly your face. This means using light pressure when manually scrubbing your face with a soft washcloth or loofah. It also means starting slowly by incorporating physical exfoliation into your routine once or twice a week. Microdermabrasion treatments are very popular, but also costly in comparison to some other treatments.Chemical exfoliants including glycolic acid and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) dissolve dead cells on the surface of your skin. These ingredients are derived from natural substances like sugar cane or fruits that contain antioxidants known for rejuvenating properties to smooth away rough patches and leave skin looking healthy. They also deactivate ingredients that cause your skin to generate excess oil, keeping your pores clear and improving acne signs and symptoms.
Manual exfoliants include scrubs, brushes and cleansing devices. This type of physical exfoliation can also be quite gentle as long as you avoid scrubbing too hard with an abrasive product.
Chemical peels are a common type of at-home exfoliating treatment that use strong acids to remove dead skin cells so new ones can grow in their place. Glycolic acid works by increasing cell turnover while AHAs soften the outer layer of skin for easy removal. You can target specific areas or apply these treatments over your entire face.
Masks made with pore-clearing mud or clay also work to dissolve the upper layer of skin. This may help with your acne because it helps remove excess oil from your pores that can clog pores.
Both can be beneficial to removing layers of dead skin cells, and each has its pros and cons, outlined below.
Brushes are great for daily exfoliation because they're small enough to fit in your hand and they feel more like a physical massage than "scrubbing". This gentle scraping action helps remove dirt, oil and dead skin cells. Brushing helps improve blood circulation to the skin, which keeps it from ageing prematurely. You can pick up a brush for around $10-20.
While scrubs may seem more abrasive than brushes, their texture makes them perfect for more aggressive exfoliating treatments that you'll probably only use once a week. Scrubs also tend to come in larger jars, so they're usually more cost-effective than brushes. You can choose from scrubs with multiple levels of coarseness to help remove dead cells on different parts of your body (for example, you'll probably want a coarser brush for your knees and back). It's best to start out with one that doesn't feel too rough before working up to the most abrasive scrub available.
Experts have varying opinions on how often you should exfoliate. Broadly, it depends on your skin type, skin conditions, and if you have any skin damage. If you experience stinging or burning when you use an exfoliator, you have sensitive skin. If your face and skin are sensitive, it's best to start out gentle and use manual exfoliators like brushes or scrubs just once or twice a week. If your skin is more tolerant of strong chemicals, you can increase the intensity and frequency of your exfoliating treatments. How often you choose to exfoliate will depend on the strength of your products and how sensitive your skin is. For dry skin, exfoliating once or two times a week is adequate. Oily skin is more resilient. You can exfoliate up to five times a week. You can also try alternating between different treatments (for example, you might use a softer brush one week and scrub the next) to help reduce skin sensitivity.
Exfoliating your body may seem difficult if you have never used similar skin care products for exfoliating your skin. Because we use so many creams and lotions on our bodies, it can feel like applying an exfoliant could clog your pores or cause irritation. However, exfoliating your arms, legs and other problem areas on your body without irritating your skin is actually pretty easy. The tips below should help you out with your skin care routine.
To exfoliate your face and body with a loofah or washcloth in the shower is always a good option. To exfoliate your face, use a skincare tool like a face scrub. Choose a suitable face wash or a chemical exfoliator like beta hydroxy acids. Beta hydroxy acids that have salicylic acid as an active ingredient are recommended for acne-prone skin. Apply small circular motions making sure you avoid the eye area. Once finished, risen off the face with warm water, pat it a bit and apply moisturiser. You can also exfoliate right after a body wash and before you get out of the shower since excess dirt and oil will already be washed off during your shower anyway.
Showering is always best when you've exercised vigorously because you'll probably sweat a lot and need to get rid of all that excess dirt, oil and dead cells. Therefore, it's important to scrub harder in these cases so that you can remove anything left behind on your arms, legs, feet or other problem areas on your body. This helps prevent breakouts because all those extra particles can clog up your pores if they're not removed properly by an exfoliating product.