Okay okay, here we are again. Some CV Weekly readers were kind enough to point out that we barely “scratched the surface” on the topic of exfoliating, so let’s take a deeper look this week.
Clearly I’m a big fan of exfoliating. I practice some form of physical exfoliation daily. What we barely had room to discuss last week is the art of chemical exfoliation. Many of the beauty products on the market today list ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid and retinoic acid. Although the term acid generally sounds scary, these products help to reveal the natural beauty of your skin.
Using a face and/or body wash containing salicylic acid will help keep skin clean and clear. You may not see any visible exfoliation, but a cleanser such as Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash containing 2% salicylic acid will help maintain clear skin by unclogging pores without drying out skin.
Retinoic acid, or retinoids, work by increasing your cellular turnover. It typically takes 30 days for old cells to reach the surface of your skin. Incorporating the use of a retinoic acid at night will help speed up the process. Initially retinoids were used for treatment of acne, but now dermatologists recommend the use of retinoids (tretinoin) for all patients, even those with sensitive skin. Of course some are better than others and I personally love the more mild Renova, which is available by prescription only. Using moisturizer and sunscreen during the day is critical when using a retinoid at night since the product will make your skin more sensitive to sun and increase your risk of sun damage.
Looking to jumpstart the exfoliation train? Then consider a chemical peel performed by a skin care professional. There are as many options for chemical peels as there are cleansing washes, but don’t be overwhelmed. It’s always a good idea to start off gently and work your way up. Be prepared to look like you were the subject of a sunburn for about a week. Your skin will tighten up, form a light to moderate crust and then peel off, revealing a new you. The down time is the worst part, but the benefits are well worth it. A good chemical peel will leave you with luminous skin with markedly reduced dark spots and fine lines. Aging hands and décolletage can be treated too. Heavy moisturizer, sunscreen and avoidance of direct sun exposure are critical during the healing process.
If you’ve already tried a chemical peel and are ready to take exfoliating to the next level, there is a laser made for you. A simple photo-facial treatment by a certified practitioner may be just what you’re looking for. This IPL (intense pulse light) treatment will exfoliate your skin, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles while also treating red and brown spots. It’s a unique treatment that is able to target multiple chromophores and lends great results over a course of 3-5 treatments.
Regardless of which method or combination of methods you use, exfoliating does far more than just enhancing your natural beauty. Exfoliating is helpful in treating medical conditions such as Keratosis Polaris, acne, psoriasis, and hyper pigmentation.
We could go on and on about the topic, but for now it’s time to apply sit back and soak it up. Don’t forget to moisturize and slather on the sunscreen!
