Effects of too much exfoliation
Exfoliation is a natural and necessary process. When skin is properly exfoliated, skin is smoother, brighter, and more hydrated. Too much of a good thing is not always good. Over exfoliation can break down your skin barrier. Skin can become what I like to call “angry” and irritated. I believe everyone has a different frequency they should exfoliate. I try to explain to clients that some people can do a couple times a week and other more frequently. Finding the right frequency is what you as an aesthetician can do to help your client get the best results. Sometimes the directions on the bottle do not work for all skin types and that is where you step in to help guide them in getting the right home care regimen.
The goal of exfoliation is to restore the natural exfoliation process of the skin. When exfoliation is done properly with the guidance of a licensed professional, cell turnover can be optimized and help clients have a healthy skin glow.
Key Benefits of Exfoliation
- Improved texture
- Even skin tone
- Softer finelines and wrinkles
- Unclogged pores
- Clearer complexion
- Reduction in breakouts
Teaching clients about using the proper scrubs or enzymes can make a huge difference in their skincare regimen. Instead of using the grocery store apricot scrub that can be harsh and cause micro-tears and inflammation, they can choose a scrub formulated with gentle jojoba beads. They can also use a gentle enzyme like the papaya pineapple enzyme which can be used on all skin types.
For deeper exfoliation, they should trust that you can do these procedures in your office. It is safer and they will avoid the risk of creating unwanted issues like hyperpigmentation, hypo pigmentation, redness, inflammation, increasing sensitivity or scarring.
Examples of Chemical Exfoliation
- AHAs
- BHAs
- Enzymes
Examples of Mechanical Exfoliation
- Dermaplaning
- Microdermabrasion
- Scrubs
- Skin Scrubber
Signs of Over Exfoliation
- Redness
- Dehydrated
- Inflamed
- Skin tightness
- Flaking skin
Many times just switching your client to another way of exfoliation can be the key to getting results desired. Frequency of exfoliation can also help. Not all skin types need to exfoliate as frequently. This is why going to an esthetician is so important. We can assist clients in figuring out what ingredients and frequency are best for our skin.