Exfoliation:

To remove, as in the removal of dead skin by a scrub, peel or mask. Exfoliation is a method for the control of cell regeneration.

Exfoliation itself is essential for skin health. Despite the risk of irritation, removing the damaged outer layer of skin is an essential skin-care need of many different skin types. If you have dry skin, oily skin, blackheads, acne skin, sun-damaged skin, flaky skin( not caused by a skin disease or a skin disorder), or a rough surface texture, those problems are best handled by products that exfoliate and help dead skin cells slough off from surface of the skin.

Exfoliating Oily Skin:

Oily skin or skin with clogged pores, blackheads or blemishes can occur if the oil gland produces too much sebum. Sebum is a soft wax that should liquefy when it reaches the surface of the pore, spreading a thin, protective layer over the skin. But when too much of sebum is produced the liquefying process can get backed up. Add to that problem a tendency for skin cells that should be naturally sloughing off to instead fall inside the pore and get stuck. The more skin cells that build up in the oil gland, the more oil be held back from flowing easily out of the pore, because the pore is the exit path for oil, and the result is blackhead or a blemish.
Often with oily skin, cells that should be shedding on a regular, daily basis are being held back. One thing that keeps cells from sloughing off is sebum. The oil works as an adhesive, preventing the shedding skin cells from going where they are supposed to go off the face. One way to keep pores from getting clogged is to help skin cells shed as freely as possible so they don’t get trapped inside the pore. The more you keep skin cells exfoliating in a normal manner, the less cell debris can fill up the pore.

Exfoliating Dry Skin:

The reasons for exfoliating dry skin are different from the ones for treating oily skin, blemished skin, though the objective is the same: removing dead skin cells that are not shedding normally. Skin can be dry for many reasons, including lack of moisture, a buildup of dead skin cell that don’t easily shed, and abnormal skin cells that adhere together in a way that prevents normal exfoliation. Dry looking skin can also be caused by moisturizers that are too emollient and hold dead skin cells in place, preventing healthy shedding. When

Which exfoliants to use:

There are lots of exfoliating products out there, like scrubs, soaps, toners, facial masks, facial peels, abrasive sponges, washcloths, and facial brushes are all designed to exfoliate. Exfoliation works best when done consistently. Facial masks tend to be used irregularly and infrequently. Facial brushes and washcloths are almost impossible to keep clean, they tend to exfoliate unevenly. Cosmetic scrubs contain gritty abrasives that can be unnecessarily irritating, in addition, scrubs often contain thick waxes which can clog pores, and they exfoliate only very surface of the skin, or I can put it that way they are only able to fluff off the top more dead surface-this mechanical action against the skin can cause too much irritation. Our skin defiantly needs exfoliation, but how to do that gently ….

AHAs, BHAs & ENZYMES:

These are the three primary ways to exfoliate skin, either with a product containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or with beta hydroxy acid (BHA), or enzymes.

ALPHA HYROXY ACIDS

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids or AHA is a compound found naturally in many common fruits and other foods. The principal AHA is glycolic acid which is found in sugar cane and sugar beets. Other AHAs include lactic acid from dairy products and malic acid from fruit. Glycolic acid is the most skin-active AHA; and its primary action is to accelerate shedding of abnormal cells in the topmost layers of the skin by decreasing their cohesiveness. Continued use of glycolic-acid-based products may result in a normalized, more compact top layer of the epidermis. This makes the skin smoother. Additionally, it helps to remove comedones (blackheads); and, like retinol, it helps to restore the barrier function of the skin, thereby helping naturally to increase its own moisture content. It also leads to increased collagen production in the upper dermis, resulting in reduction of fine lines. Glycolic acid also has an anti-inflammatory effect and is able to enhance the effects of other topical agents, such as hydroquinone and salicylic acid. It is well-tolerated by many people, but it can cause irritation and stinging in some. It can make the skin more sensitive to the effects of the sun’s UV rays; therefore use of effective sunscreen is essential.

The main benefits of alpha hydroxy acids come from its ability to exfoliate skin. Removal of the outermost layer of the skin stimulates the cells in lower layers to grow and divide, causing the skin to thicken and thus diminishing visible signs of aging through “unglue” the outer layer of dead skin cells, helping increase cell turnover by removing the built-up top layers of skin, allowing healthier cells to come to the surface. Removing this dead layer can improve skin texture and color, unclog pores and allow moisturizers to be better absorbed by the skin. AHAs affect the top layers of skin, and they help to improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin, dry skin, and thickened skin. The thickened skin by sun damage creating dull, and rough texture which can be remove by AHAs nicely.

ENZYMES

Enzymatic exfoliants are protolytic; they attack and digest proteins. More specifically enzymes digest keratin, the protein that the skin cell is composed of when it reaches the S. Corneum layer of the epidermal tissue. Whether in the Papain (from papaya) and bromelain (from pineapple). Both papain and bromelain, when buffered, provide a mild and effective exfoliation of the excessive corneocytes. The enzyme treatment is not limited to exfoliation, it also hydrates the skin, sebum is liquefied and congestion begins to decrease in the tissue. This exfoliation process breaks down the surface resistance of the skin so that follicular impactions may be extracted and products may penetrate more easily and evenly.
BETA HYDROXY ACIDS
Beta Hydroxy Acid or BHA is a derivative of aspirin and is often used in skin care products to accelerate skin cell turnover and help clear pores. It can penetrate more deeply than Alpha Hydroxy Acid and is gentler.
Beta Hydroxy Acid is salicylic acid. This occurs in nature in sweet birch and in wintergreen leaves. Its effect on the epidermis and upper dermis are similar to those of Retin-A, but with less irritation., Its exfoliatory quality helps pigmentary disturbances, and sun damaged skin. Because it does exfoliate, use of sun protection is needed. This mild acid solution can be effective on acne. It encourage the peeling of the top layer of skin and the opening of plugged follicles, which helps reestablish the normal skin-cell replacement cycle.
Another notable aspect of salicylic acid for breakouts is that it has antimicrobial properties. That means it can be effective in killing the bacteria that cause acne. It is soluble in oil and can exfoliate oily skin areas, even within oil-rich pores. Therefore, it has a beneficial effect on acne