If you have blackheads, acne, dry skin, oily skin, or rough skin, exfoliation can help. By exfoliating your skin, you can remove the damaged outer layer of skin cells, which is the first step in improving your skin’s overall health and appearance.

Exfoliation Methods

There are many different methods that you can use to exfoliate your skin. When choosing over-the-counter products, try to find effective products that will not irritate your skin. If you have sensitive skin or a skin condition, such as rosacea, eczema, seborrhea, or dermatitis, you may want to consult your doctor or dermatologist to find the most effective exfoliating method for your skin type.

The most common type of exfoliation methods include:

Enzyme Peels

Topical products containing enzymes can be applied to the skin as a method of exfoliation. The enzymes peel dead skin away, leaving the remaining skin feeling fresh and new.

Mechanical Peels

Mechanical peels, or scrubs as they are sometimes known, can slough off dead skin cells and renew your skin’s appearance. Mechanical peels vary in method and can be easily obtained at the average day spa. However, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to consider another method.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion procedures disrupt the surface of the skin and remove damaged skin cells. There are two forms of microdermabrasion: superficial microdermabrasion and deep microdermabrasion. Superficial microdermabrasion removes the non-living skin cells that occupy the top 3 to 5 layers of skin. Deep microdermabrasion involves disruption of the entire epidermis. Though this exfoliation method has risks, when performed correctly, microdermabrasion can greatly improve the appearance of skin.

Natural Acids

Topical products containing natural acids, such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) can do wonders for your skin. Unfortunately, not all products containing natural acids are created equal. AHAs and BHA are only effective as exfoliants at certain concentrations. AHAs will work best at a 5% to 8% concentration, in a product with a PH level of 3 or 4. BHA will work best at a 1% to 2% concentration, in a product with a PH level of 3 or 4. Both AHAs and BHA lose their effectiveness in products with high PH levels.

Related Articles
	Exfoliation - A Fresh, New You! What is the secret to fresh, glowing, more porcelain-like skin? Well there’s more than one, actually, but the one we’ll be discussing here is exfoliation - the process of scrubbing away the outer layer of dry and dull skin, to reveal fresher, newer skin underneath. Exfoliation reveals   ...Read more		Natural Exfoliation Exfoliation is a critical part of any routine leading to healthy trouble free skin. It removes flaky, dry, dead skin which enables other skin treatments to penetrate and be more effective. Often, chemicals added to commercial products are too harsh for sensitive skin. There are plenty ...Read more