Dan's Papers - October 12, 2007 - Soften Your Surface

When thinking about exfoliating, we are usually paying a visit to a tanning salon, preparing the skin for an instant tan, or simply wanting a quick turnover of some dull, dry skin. When you find your skin getting sort of ordinary looking, this is a procedure that will give your skin a wakeup call.

It's important for us to do this technique during the summer but equally important and necessary in the fall and winter months. After a summer spent applying tanning lotions and sunblocks, these are going to need removing and this isn't accomplished by just washing with a cloth.

Exfoliating simply means removing the outermost layer of skin, revealing a clean, polished, newly revived skin. It tightens and allows a new sheen that has been hiding under layers of dull, dead skin to shine through. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells as well, to create an immediate improvement in the skin's appearance. This approach stimulates young skin cells as well as collagen. When you are less than 30 years old, your skin does this by itself, but over thirty the process slows down.

There are several ways to exfoliate, but there are three popular methods used to obtain the best results - chemically, enzyme and manual or mechanic. Many over the counter products contain gylcolic acid or other AHA's. Natural enzyme skin peels are a form of a cellular exfoliation accelerator and they produce results similar to a Glycolic Acid Peel. Enzyme peels are less irritating and are recommended for all skin types, including extra sensitive skin. You can get a microdermabrasion by a licensed aesthetician, who will use a delicate wand-type instrument through which micro-crystals are deposited on the skin and vacuumed up in one sweep. This not only polishes the skin, but lines are markedly reduced, and spots are diminished. Most salons now offer this as one of their services.

To perform an exfoliation yourself, look to a local beauty supply or drug store for a wide range of products. Many different types of slightly abrasive agents are used to exfoliate the skin, sinking it into the pores and cleaning them out. One of the bonuses is that there is a faster cell turnover rate. Hypoallergenic and non-comedongenic are two important words you want to see on the product you purchase. Another reason to exfoliate is that it helps penetration. This is important if you are one of the smart ones who slathers herself in sunblock all summer. Instead of having the lotion sit on dead skin cells, it buffs and prepares the skin for an even application. Many of the liquid and bar soaps now include little buffers in them. Use one of those little mitts with the cloth on one side and a loofah-type material on the other. You can slip your favorite soap inside and use it in the shower. You can pick up Dove Bar Soap and also their liquid with tiny exfoliating beads infused into it. Bath and Body Shop offers several delicious scented Botanical Exfoliating Soaps. Before trying out spray tanning products or booths, it is wise to exfoliate before applying the product or you will have the streakiest, fake looking tan under the sun. Pay close attention to knees, heels and elbows because the skin is thicker there, with more lines and wrinkles. A bi-weekly exfoliation will keep your skin in perfect condition and if you feel you need more to even out skin tones and acne, visit your dermatologist.