As the cells migrate upwards, enzymes start to loosen the bonds of those junctions so that by the time the cells reach the surface they are able to slough off and be replaced by the cells rising up behind them. Keeping a good rate of cellular renewal and a steady rhythm of sloughing off at the surface is important to the health and look of the skin.

 

Light and other pollutants deplete our skins of the Vitamin A that keep this process of healthy renewal at an efficient rate (Differentiation).

 

When I first take on a client I often find that their skin is depleted of adequate amounts of Vitamin A and is, as a consequence, not desquamating properly. This leads to a build-up of a dry, horny layer and the skin will become very sensitive and rough to the touch. 

 

At this stage, if I was unable to tackle their skin condition with regular facials, I would encourage regular, but very gentle, exfoliation at home and, initially, low dosages of Vitamin A until the skin was stronger and more stable and could work with the necessary higher levels.

 

In order to develop good exfoliation practices, it helps to understand how the available exfoliation products work.   Think of the surface of the skin (the stratum corneum) as being a few layers of overlapping, lightly glued together, dead cells. 

There are a couple of ground rules:

 

 

Some of the most common ways of Exfoliating are:

 

Microdermabrasion Kits and Scrubs:   These work by mechanically creating friction and scrubbing off any cells loose enough to be easily shifted. It is best to use the very smallest granules, in combination with a very light pressure, so as to buff rather than scratch at the protective layer of skin. You can even consider putting your Scrub into your cleanser. The cleanser acts as an extra buffer, reducing any likelihood of scratching.

 

Gommages:   A thickish paste, as in Clarins Doux Peel, or even a sticky gel that turns into oil as it is warmed on the skin like the Mary Cohr Lily Exfoliator.   Again, use a light touch when working these around. These products use plant extracts that assist us to manually rub off the loose debris on the surface. 

Rotary Pumice Stones and Brushes:   There are some made for use on the face, neck and chest. I think these should be left in the hands of the trained therapist as it is extremely easy to over-do the exfoliation action. However I do think they are of great help on the feet and calloused areas of the body.

 

AHA’s, BHA’s and Lactic Acid: These are a passive form of exfoliation. You apply the product after your night-time cleansing, go to bed and when you wake up in the morning the top layer of the skin will have ‘popped off’ and be part of the dust in the room. Although this method actually exfoliates more deeply than the scrubs, it is a very gentle way of achieving a good result. However, the acids work using the moisture in the upper layers of the skin and so overuse of these would also lead to dry skin.   Lactic Acid and Lactobionic Acid (a polyhydroxy acid as found in Tru Skin Revealing Gel) which, like the rest of the AHA’s has a surface action are much the mildest versions. Beta Hydroxy Acid (Salicylic Acid at 2%) is particularly good for congested areas because it has the ability to break the lipid plug of the blackhead and whitehead and penetrate down into the follicle, potentially allowing it to function properly again. 

 

All the active acids should be used in small percentages, but it is hard to know what you are actually using as it very much depends on what else is in the formula.    Trial and error are often the only way to gather information as to which one works best for you.