A Look at the Practice of Exfoliation
By Erika Tennenbaum
It has been concluded through years of inquiry that modern, urbane human beings have two major fears- the fear of speaking in public, and the fear of death. As comedian Jerry Seinfeld once observed, ‘’So, at a funeral, you’re better off being the guy in the coffin than the guy giving the eulogy.” Aside from that joke, I’m sure the fear of dying would be top on the list for most of us.
We were all given the blessing and curse of knowledge of our own mortality. This awareness, albeit very real, remains relatively abstract until physical evidence of it shows up. When we are young, the idea of succumbing to old age, for most of us, is unheard of. Honestly, I’m 44, not too old for sure, but I have become very aware of my aging. The aches and pains of my body and the subtle lines forming on my face remind me every day. Yet, like my younger self, the idea of getting truly old is still in the abstract.
As time moves on, and if I’m lucky enough to make it into my senior years, I will watch as my skin drops to the force of gravity, my hair whitens, and my joints deteriorate from wear, reminding me of my inevitable demise… Okay, I know I am sounding quite dire here, but realize that this is all germane to my point. It is because of this deep-seated fear of death, and not vanity as one might think, that the billion-dollar industry behind the “anti-aging” movement was born.
Formula for Aging
Here is a great example. Our need to think we can control the natural cycle of life- birth, aging and death, has gotten our best scientific minds hard at work. In fact, renowned theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku is currently trying to develop a formula for agelessness! Yes, while Dr. Kaku is looking for ways to help future space travelers survive cosmic worm holes, he is also working ways to keep us young! He’s not there yet, but I appreciate the effort for sure. I however, have a formula for why we age:
- GRAVITY+TIME+EXPOSURE=AGING
We know there have been huge strides in understanding how to live longer. The importance of exercise, water, proper diets and positive attitudes all lead to a healthy life. When you take the aging equation into consideration, you can imagine that the look and resilience of our skin will be susceptible. The skin is on the front lines of environmental bombardment.
Our skin is alive. It goes through its own biological functions like our other organs. One of the biggest functions our skin goes through is a shedding process. The skin layers shed to make room for new layers to grow. These new layers want to live and thrive, keeping us looking youthful and radiant. If we don’t periodically get rid of the dead cells remaining on the surface of our skin, the look of agelessness will elude us.
People have been fighting and protecting themselves from the aging process for centuries. The billions upon billions of dollars that are exchanged in the beauty industry are representative of how strong those mortal fears still exist in all of us today.
Over the ages, exfoliation became the coveted practice for a brilliant complexion. I could confidently say that every possible way to exfoliate the skin has been tried and practiced in search of the fountain of youth. Since it has proven to be successful in its purpose, exfoliation is prone to being both misused and overused. That’s why it’s important to remember that, as with everything in life, exfoliation should also be done with careful moderation.
Key considerations when exfoliating your skin
All the ways in which exfoliating has been explored over the years can be broken down into to two distinctive categories:
- Chemically breaking down the dead cells using acids, enzymes and/or fermenters.
- Manually loosen the cells with scrubs using micro grits, like salts and sugars.
For over 20 years I have studied the effects exfoliation has on the average human skin.
*I am setting aside extreme types of skin conditions like severe acne and rosacea, as these conditions need deeper scrutiny to whether they should be exfoliated at all.
This practice should not be taken lightly. Even when done right, exfoliation can be quite harsh. Please remember that new skin that has been freshly revealed by exfoliation is now quite vulnerable to the elements that cause aging. It is because of this that inappropriate exfoliation can cause damage. The pulling and prodding at the skin makes it vulnerable and week. There is a very delicate line when using any kind of exfoliant. Remember to consult with an experienced aesthetician or dermatologist before you attempt to take on the dreaded dead skin cells alone!
I’ve noticed over the years that dissolution of the dead, dry layers are the least aggressive and most efficient way to exfoliate. Scrubs and brushes are incredibly abrasive. Using scrubs can cause a ripple effect:
- Manual exfoliants are subject to excessive pressure and damaging friction.
- This causes microscopic tears and abrasions in the skin.
- Those tears and abrasions become subject to bacterial and viral infections.
- Those infections cause breakouts and redness
- The response to the micro infections take time to show up
- Within that time lapse people think the scrubs are working
- With those false rewards, overuse is inevitable.
- A vicious cycle continues…
Food for the Skin
Have you ever heard of AHA’s or Alpha Hydroxy Acids? These are five acids that are present in many different foods. AHA’s have been proven very potent exfoliators. You can see their synthetic versions on the shelves of salons, dermatologist offices and pharmacies everywhere. Since I’m a fan of food as skin care, I get my skin care right from the source. Here are some examples of where you can find AHA’s in foods.
- Malic acid: found in fruits like pineapple and papaya
- Malic acids will cleanse the dead and stimulate cell growth
- Lactic acid: found in yogurts and unpasteurized vinegars
- Lactic acid is a protein enzyme.
- Proteins support keratin
- Citric acid: found in lemons and limes
- Citric acid evaporates dead skin cells
- It also brightens and polishes the surface skin
- Tartaric acid: found in salts
- Tartaric acid is purifying and moisturizing
- Glycolic acid: found in sugars
- Glycolic acid is a vehicle for the absorption of the other acids
- It helps heal infections and impurities
- Note: When using the salts and sugars, allow them to dissolve in a small amount of water before applying. Avoid using them as a scrub.
- Care of the skin post exfoliation is VERY IMPORTANT!