Exfoliate for the Seasons
By Pam Patterson

 Professional exfoliation for the health of your skin should be done at least every 3 months. The best to time to exfoliate is when your skin has seen the  ravage  of a season past.  Summer tends to create the worst damage. The use of sun blocks or the lack of one, sweating, and the proverbial sunburn then peel, will make your skin scream for attention. So, why exfoliate?

Over a 3 month period of time, your skin goes through cycles every 28-45 days. New skin cells form ,  and a new layer of dead skin sloughs off.  The problem is the skin can get sluggish, causing those dead skin layers to accumulate and stick together like glue instead of sloughing off evenly.  After 3 months of accumulation the skin can look dull and tired. 

 Add damage to the cells and you have the potential for pre-cancerous lesions to form.   Pay attention to the rough patches you see on your skin. Also, check for any irregular moles. Have your skin checked from head to toe by a dermatologist on a regular basis. Skin cancer can affect any age, even if you are young!

So what , you ask, is professional exfoliation? Maybe you have scrubs at home and a rotating brush with micro-crystals. Those can be used regularly, but still don’t replace professional exfoliation.  Licensed Aestheticians have a number of different exfoliants to use based on your personal skin needs, and the extent of the damage done. Look for experience when choosing your licensed Aesthetician.

Enzyme exfoliants are usually called proteolytic enzymes for they have digestive enzymes that work like little Pac-Men on the skin. They only digest dead skin cells and leave live skin cells alone. Theses are generally papaya and pineapple enzymes, however pumpkin enzymes work well too.

Then there are AHA, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or BHA, Beta Hydroxy Acid exfoliation. These can be naturally occurring, citrus or chemical. The basis is to dissolve the gluey substance holding those dead skin cells on for eternity, or so it seems.

Microdermabrasion. Professional machines work with a vacuum system and a continuous flow of very fine crystals that are passed over the skin several times, sloughing off many layers of dead skin. Other professional machines may use diamond tip hand pieces, salt, or walnut granules. This action can also promote the formation of collagen to firm the skin.
   
It is important to consider your face, however your arms, legs, and back need a good exfoliation as well. So don’t wait to get in for a treatment. When too much damage has occurred, then a series of treatments would be needed. It is worth it for the health of your skin?