Scrubs, Masks, Toners, Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion. There are so many options out there on how to exfoliate the skin, but why is it important? Let me guide you through the world of
exfoliation, how to do it properly, when to do it and what methods of exfoliating are best suited to you!
To put it simply, exfoliating the skin is the process of removing old dead skin cells from the skin's surface; when we exfoliate we see benefits over time, such as, reduced hyperpigmentation (age spots), minimized appearance of enlarged pores, and fine lines and wrinkles, better product
absorption and increased cellular turnover.
What is cellular turnover, and why do we want to speed it up?
Cellular Turnover works by new cells being “born” in the deepest layer of the epidermis; the cells then travel their way up to the top layer of skin, where it will become hard, dry and flaky. This is what we consider a “dead” skin cell.
In healthy skin cells, cellular turnover happens every 28 days on average until we reach around age 30 at which point this process will slow down by an estimated 10 days every decade. This decrease in natural exfoliation is a contributing factor in the development of fine lines, wrinkles, dull skin, hyperpigmentation, uneven texture and acne.
Although cell turnover is certainly not the only contributing factor to acne (we will be covering acne more in-depth in a future article), people who are prone to acne breakouts are believed to produce more dead skin cells than is typical, and when these cells are not correctly shed they can block pores, leading to breakouts.
Exfoliating will reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation (brown spots) because dead skin cells store some of the most noticeable pigment on the skin's surface. As well with the increased product penetration and, exfoliated skin is better able to absorb the targeted products we apply to enhance further and maintain the results of the treatments received in the clinic
While turnover does happen naturally, disrupting the process will encourage it to happen more rapidly, similar to young children whose turnover is double the rate of an adult.
Now let's get into some featured products for exfoliation!
*Please keep in mind these are not all of the products we offer for exfoliation, we recognize every skin is different so if you are not sure which product is right for you or would like further guidance on the subject of exfoliation feel free to give us a call at (905) 871-6738 or come in for a Visia Skin consultation with one of our technicians!*
Quick reminder: you do not need to exfoliate your skin daily nor should you be exfoliating daily, 2-3x a week is best practice
Scrubs- Alumier Lotus Scrub: A gentle physical exfoliation scrub
-Good for all skin types, best suited for people who enjoy the feeling of a physical exfoliation rather than a chemical.
-Contains 5% Glycolic Acid, the deepest penetrating AHA due to its small molecule size; it hydrates the skin by increasing skin production of hyaluronic acid.
-Good for Normal to dry skin, texture and discoloration.
*Diligent SPF 30+ usage is recommended for people who use acid exfoliators.
*maybe link page for chemical peels here
*maybe link page for Silk peel here