Proper Exfoliation, Could Chemical Peels be the Answer?

By Mandy Rimmer

We are all as bad as each other when it comes to our skin, we all want soft healthy looking skin but most of us can’t really be bothered with the maintenance or haven’t got time! Here are a few suggestions if you have decided you want to make time or it is crunch time and something’s got to be done!!

One very important and often overlooked aspect of skin care is proper exfoliation. Without proper exfoliation, pores can get blocked, oil and sebum conglomerate and the risk of infection, acne, and numerous other skin conditions grows astronomically. Due to the social media and press coverage we are now hearing more about deadly skin conditions like nodular melanoma (which can be deadly) We use higher SPF (Sun Protection Factor) sun lotions to protect our skin and shield us from harsh UV rays and the aging effects of the sun and less harsh cleansers and soaps so we don’t strip away our skin moisture. Women, as a whole, spend billions of dollars on skin care products to look younger.  Most, however, still overlook the importance of proper and routine skin exfoliation.

Exfoliation is the process of removing the outer most layers of skin cells which reveals the younger, fresher and healthier looking skin underneath.  For most practical purposes, the outermost layer of skin consists of dead skin cells.  These dead skin cells if allowed to stay too long can cause clogged pores, acne and numerous other skin conditions and maladies.  Through exfoliation we remove these dead skin cells and allow the skin to breathe.  Proper exfoliation can also result in increased production of collagen which is considered to be one of the holy grails of skin care and anti aging skin treatments.  Collagen, if you didn’t already know is responsible for making the skin look younger and plumper.  Without proper levels of collagen, skin looks wrinkled, dried out and very unhealthy. 

Proper exfoliation can be done in several different ways:

1)      Microdermabrasion. 

2)      Dermabrasion.

3)      Light “lunchtime” skin peels.

4)      Deeper skin peels (like TCA peels and the Obagi Blue Peel).

5)      Laser treatment and therapy.

The first, Microdermabrasion is the most popular, but also the least effective of the 5 methods of exfoliation.  Microdermabrasion uses very fine particles or crystals to polish the skin and lightly abrade the skin. They are barely effective if at all and most of the advertising associated with this can be listed with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) as gross misstatements or in some cases as complete lies.

Dermabrasion is literally controlled sand blasting of the face or use of a dermabrader tool with a sanding effect.  Either will achieve a sanding effect which will remove several layers of skin similar to a deeper skin peel or exfoliation (The only difference is that Dermabrasion is not associated with a gain in collagen production as deeper skin peels like a TCA peel are).  Dermabrasion is usually done as an outpatient treatment in a doctor’s office or medi spa.  Usually it is performed by the doctor as there is a higher risk of skin stretching and scarring if it is done incorrectly.

A light skin or chemical peel can be helpful for exfoliation, but will only affect the outer most layer of skin (higher concentrations can have deeper results, however).  Usually glycolic acid an AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) is used as it is derived from sugar and few people have allergies and/or reactions to its use on their skin and not really recommended for acne.  Light skin peels are sometimes referred to as lunchtime peels as they can be done in less than 20 minutes and have little or no downtime.  So the person having it done can literally go right back to work.  Another chemical peel that is sometimes used is salicylic acid.  Salicylic acid is a BHA (Beta Hydroxyl acid) which is oil and not water soluble.  This is helpful with light acne as water soluble treatments like glycolic cannot penetrate blocked or filled oil glands. 

A deeper skin peel like the infamous TCA skin peel (as seen on many reality TV shows) and the Obagi Blue Peel is similar in results to a deeper Dermabrasion, but with less risk.  Unlike with a dermabrader tool which will keep abrading until turned off, TCA (trichloroacetic acid), the main ingredient of a TCA peel, will self neutralize?  This makes it is safer for application.  Deeper skin peels and chemical peels have also been documented to increase collagen production as an added after effect – something Dermabrasion is not known for. 

Similar in effect to the deeper skin peels and TCA peels is laser therapy, the last of these exfoliation methods.  It is every bit as effective as the deeper skin and chemical peels, but can that little bit more expensive over a longer period of time. Laser's are commonly used for several different types of procedure's and can have very benefical effects on the skin.

 “Proper exfoliation of the skin will result in cleaner and healthier skin.  To properly exfoliate a chemical peel like the TCA peel or laser peeling along with proper hydration is key.”  So, it is important to also stay properly hydrated during exfoliation.  This will give you an idea of what method suits your skin.

Proper exfoliation will result in healthier skin and less risk of infections like acne.  Article courtesy of Wakeup with Makeup