Do: Why You Need to Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the removal of the dead cells on the surface layer of your skin, usually done by the application of an abrasive product or tool, or by a chemical agent. Now, the words “abrasive” and “chemical” can sound kind of scary, but don’t worry it is a perfectly natural function of your skin. In fact it is essential! While the terminology can sound harsh or even intimidating,  methods can range from medical grade on the potent side to extremely mild (think a cotton washcloth).

Have you ever heard that most dust is made of 80 to 99% human skin cells? Well this is actually a myth, but it originated because it does contain some amount of human skin and hair due to this natural process. If you didn’t shed this layer of skin, new skin wouldn’t have anywhere to go. This shedding should happen naturally, but it can be reduced by wearing synthetic clothing and lack of activity. This leads to dry skin and a weakened state of skin health, which can result in negative effects like skin sagging, wrinkles, or cellulite. Gah!

Fortunately, there are ways to aid in the process of skin turnover, specifically the topic of this article: exfoliation!

This article will give an outline of the main benefits associated with these aspects of what skin exfoliation does:  remove dead skin cells, promote new cell growth, and increase circulation.

1. Good-bye dead skin

Exfoliating removes the dead skin cell at the top most layer of your skin. These cells, called the cuticle, are dead and offer protection to the cells below. As the flake off, new cells move to the top. These cells slough of normally from movement, contact with things, and scratching your skin.

The benefits of removing this top layer of dead skin is that moisture applied topically can get deeper to the healthy cells. This means you wont keep slathering on lotion only to have to repeat later, again and again. This is because if you have too much dead skin, it will absorb the moisture in the lotion applied only to have it evaporate away, since this is not active skin. This is actually wasting money with wasted products! Not only are the products wasted by overuse, but what goes on your skin is less effective. You can see how even if you are supplying your skin with lots of expensive good-quality products, if you aren’t properly exfoliating it might not have a big impact. This is true for face and body.

Needless to say, this older dead skin will be less attractive and probably rough or dull. Dead skin also adds to the effects of wrinkles and fine lines on your face. To get touchable lovely skin, get rid of it!

2. Say yes to new cells

So you definitely need to get rid of excess dead skin. But what about the healthy skin? As the top layer sloughs away, new skin replaces it. Exfoliation helps to encourage and activate new cell growth, resulting in softer, better looking skin. It is important to note that deep exfoliation should only be done once a week to avoid overtaxing the skin.

Exfoliation promotes the growth of new skin cells, and also the supporting structures like collagen fibers. Collagen fibers are what gives skin structure and elasticity, aka youthful firmness.

3. Circulation, baby!

The mechanical action of exfoliation also promotes circulation in the skin, both blood and lymph. Circulation is what gets nutrients and water to the skin while taking away toxins and waste. Mechanically aiding skin circulation is important since pressure from the heart and muscles do not directly affect capillary action and micro-circulation within the skin layer. This can be achieved through scrubbing and exfoliation, or with massage and any other forms of moving contact or pressure (for example percussion, vibration, or cupping).

Sloughing off the top layer of skin allows for clear pores and better perspiration. Guess what? Better circulation and skin functioning again! Clear pores will also reduce your tendency to get break outs.

Hopefully  you now understand that exfoliating your skin is an essential component to a good skin care routine. This is true for both for face and body.