Exfoliation: The key to smooth, healthy, radiant skin!

Exfoliation is an important step in every skincare routine. It removes the build-up of dead, damaged cells and stimulates the regeneration of new cells, improving the skin’s appearance, feel and texture. Since our outer layer of skin consists of 20-25 layers of these dead skin cells. Any treatments you do on your skin and your moisturizer can’t get through and often times your skin will feel rough and conditions like acne and KP (keratosis polaris) shows up. This looks like tiny white, rough bumps.

It’s important to know a little about skin cell production or at least the last stages to understand the importance of exfoliating. Skin cells are attached to each other on the top, bottom and sides by desmosomes. It’s kind of like glue that holds them together. As the cells move from the inner layers to the outer layers of your skin, enzymes break down that glue and the cells are ready to be sloughed off by the time they reach the top layer of skin.

Here’s some bad news. Younger skin is more efficient at this process of breaking down the intercellular cement.  As we age, the cement holding the cells together becomes denser, causing a build-up in the layers of cells. Cell sloughing becomes more difficult, resulting in skin that appears dull, thicker and less toned. Exfoliation is so important to the skin. Removing this build-up of dead, damaged cells stimulates the regeneration of new cells, improving the skin’s appearance, feel and texture.

There are different ways to exfoliate. There’s mechanical and chemical and everything in between.

Mechanical Exfoliation

Mechanical exfoliation uses either a tool (brush or other tool) or a product with exfoliating properties ( Corn Cob Meal, Rice Bran, Date Seed Powder, Oatmeal, etc.) that, depending on the amount of friction and how abrasive the product used is, loosens and reduces the outer layer of skin or  the corneocytes (dead skin cells). Do remember to be careful with this because excessive abrasion can result in skin irritation. I do not recommend the use of crushed fruit pits, shells or similar products that are very abrasive.





Chemical Exfoliation

Chemical exfoliation uses a variety of means to achieve skin renewal.

Hydroxy Acids: Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals such as hydroxy acids (Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid).  Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) normalize cell turnover in the epidermis. This causes the formation of normal healthy skin, which includes a sloughing of the outer layer of skin (Stratum Corneum). This decreases dry scales on the skin’s surface and stimulates the cell cycle.

Both Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid have additional benefits. Glycolic Acids has benefits such as breaking through deep blockages, thickening the dermis to lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and will eliminate and reduce hyperpigmentation and photo damage. Lactic Acid has benefits also and is better for sensitive and rosacea prone skin because it’s less irritating. Lactic acid inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that initiates the melanin production process which will protect against future hyperpigmentation. LA also increases hydration and plumps the skin.

Salicylic Acid, a beta hydroxy acid, differs from AHAs because it is attracted to oil, which enables it to penetrate sebaceous substances in the hair follicle and exfoliate the pores. Salicylic Acid significantly decreases the density of microcomedones (small impaction; the start of a pimple) because its comedolytic; which means it inhibits comedones by shedding the skin and eats the oil.  In addition, Salicylic Acid offers anti-inflammatory properties.

Retinol: In recent years, Retinol (Vitamin A) has been included in exfoliation because it does cause exfoliation directly. It’s not the Retinol that exfoliates the skin but when Vitamin A is introduced into the skin it comes in contact with special enzymes in the skin cells that convert the vitamin A into Retinoic Acid. Retinoic Acid is what communicates between cells, encouraging aging cells to continue the renewing process. This causes a continuous shedding of cells and renewal of cells. It’s not immediate like the AHA’s and ABA’s, it keeps working. Retinol has been shown to improve the visible signs of photo aging as well as normal aging when used on a daily basis.

Enzymes: Biological enzymes such as Papain and Bromelain exfoliate by basically eating that cement that’s holding the cells together. It doesn’t activate by PH like AHA and ABA’s do but is activated by water. It is limited as far as how much exfoliation it can do.

Other Means of Exfoliation

Other ingredients can be used to assist in exfoliation, including Rice Extract and Rice Bran. Rice seeds and bran have other benefits and can relieve, cleanse and soften the skin.

Rice Bran contains ten percent Phytic Acid which loosens cells, inhibits tyrosinase by blocking iron and copper which is used in the formation of melanin. In other words, it prevents hyperpigmentation. Rice bran also contains topherols or antioxidant Vitamin E that protects against free radicals.

Chemical exfoliation is, in my opinion, is the best form of exfoliation because we really need something a bit stronger then friction and abrasion to get through those 20-25 layers of dead skin cells. Also, you’re benefiting from the AHA’s and ABA’s extra benefits. Using an AHA or an ABA will not only exfoliate and result in improved skin texture but also will reduce fine lines, acne and hyperpigmentation. Chemical exfoliation can also get deep enough to break down that intercellular cement that has become thicker and harder to get rid of as we age.

Enough’s, Enough!

As with anything that’s good for us, it is possible to over-do it. Many people think that “if some is good, more is better”. Super-sizing it is a bad idea when it comes to exfoliation.

Too much exfoliation can result in skin that is more fragile, has less natural ability to protect from UV, is easily sensitized, heals more slowly and lacks in general structural fortitude. Parchment paper comes to mind.

Make sure that your exfoliation routine is following the products guidelines. I recommend a daily exfoliator that is gentle enough to use daily, such as superfine micro powders and precise dose leave-on serums containing micro particles of rice bran, phytic acid or salicylic acid or botanical extract combo’s.

I will be doing a product review of exfoliating products soon so keep your eye out for that.

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