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It's well known that our skin reflects how well we take care of ourselves. Aside from eating a variety of healthful foods, staying away from smoking, and keeping hydrated, we also need to make sure we are helping to regenerate new cells from an outside approach. Luckily, there is an easy way to help skin to do this—exfoliation.
Skin cells live on the surface for only a short amount of time, while constantly regenerating. When new skin cells form, they push dull dead skin cells to the top, outer layer of the skin. This not only makes the skin look dingy, but the buildup of dead skin cells can also force the production of oil, which clogs pore and leads to acne and blemishes. When you exfoliate the skin, you're helping to remove the excess roughness along with promoting the production of new skin cells.
Exfoliation is the process by which the skin is cleaned, usually more vigorously than a gently cleansing and often with the assistance of an exfoliation tool, such as a soft-bristled brush or textured gloves. Exfoliation can also be done through chemical measures, such as a chemical peel or facial.
Regular exfoliation helps the skin look fresh and healthy, smooths out the surface of your skin, regenerates skin cells, dislodges blackheads, and helps to increase blood circulation. By exfoliating once to twice a week, you can achieve healthy-looking skin and avoid acne.
There is such a thing as exfoliating too often. Over-exfoliation can cause skin irritation, inflammation, acne, and advanced aging. When you exfoliate too much, you get rid of the skin's natural oils that help to protect against dryness. When your skin is constantly faced with dryness, it will counteract this by over-producing these oils, which can then lead to excess acne. The inflammation caused by constantly removing the skin's protective barrier will result in loss of elasticity of the skin, making the skin look like it's aging faster.
Be sure to know if you have sensitive or combination skin before you decide to exfoliate more than once a week. Sensitive skin may only need it once a week so as not to irritate the skin. Combination skin may handle exfoliation up to twice a week, as your skin may have a higher buildup of dead skin cells.
If you are unsure how to properly care for your skin type, including how often you should exfoliate and which products are best for your skin, then a consultation and a facial with one of our estheticians may be what you need to sort out your skin. If you prefer a more DIY approach, here are 3 Simple At Home Exfoliating Scrub Recipes to try.
