Why should you exfoliate your face and/or body regularly?
When you exfoliate, through home treatments and in-clinic procedures, you're removing the dead skin cells and forcing your skin into the habit of faster cell turnover. Getting into the habit of exfoliating and going for regular treatments will ensure that your skin remains healthy and that it functions optimally. In the long run, it helps slow down the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, poor texture, enlarged pores, dull complexion, stretch marks and Keratosis Pilaris (acid bumps commonly formed on the back of the arms). You should exfoliate twice a week at home, to ensure that your skin is absorbing your moisturiser, serums and actives properly.
Are there any risks to exfoliating?
It is essential to remember that too much exfoliation can damage your skin's barrier, resulting in flaking, dehydration and inflammation. Over-exfoliation may even stimulate melanin activity, causing an increased possibility of hyperpigmentation, which is very relevant for darker skins in particular.
Using the correct products is also essential, and has an enormous impact on the results achieved.
Our advice is to seek professional guidance on when and how often to exfoliate at home, with the prescription of the correct products.
What are the in-clinic exfoliation options?
Professional in-clinic treatments such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and Dermapen, remove the layers of dead skin on the skin’s surface and stimulate collagen at the deeper layers of the skin, once the treatment is complete.
Chemical peels vary widely in strength, ranging from superficial peels to more invasive peels. The stronger and more aggressive the peel, the more aggressive the exfoliation and the more downtime you'll require. It is very important for a trained professional to recommend the correct chemical peel as not all skin types require the same treatment, and it can be a dangerous procedure if not applied correctly.
Microdermabrasion is a quick procedure that requires no downtime. The skin is gently polished with crystals, lifting dead skin cells off the surface of the skin, leaving the skin smoother, softer and more radiant.
Dermapen or micro-needling is a treatment that relies on the skin’s ability to heal itself. Following the treatment, the skin destroys old, damaged tissue and replaces it with new and healthy skin. This form of exfoliation and skin stimulation causes the formation and maturation of collagen.
To find out more about which exfoliation treatments are suitable for you, visit the nearest Renewal Institute Branch and book a consultation with one of our Skin Renewal Doctors.