Exfoliation - Video

If you do much reading in beauty magazines or if you spend any time around a beauty shop, you are bound to hear talk about exfoliation. What exactly is it, and can it help you?

Exfoliation is a never-ending cycle because your skin is made up of different layers, the topmost of which are dead. This layer is removed during exfoliation, and then the body starts the process of replacing that missing skin layer with a brand new layer of dead skin cells.

Some people feel that exfoliation provides a more youthful-looking skin and promotes health. But there is no medical evidence of health promotion. As to whether exfoliation provides more youthful-looking skin, that's up to you.

Exfoliation does make it easier, however, for your skin to absorb additional moisturizers and beauty treatments. And that's why many spas will include exfoliation as a part of any facial or body treatment.

There are two types of exfoliation: chemical and mechanical. Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals to remove the dead skin. A common form of chemical exfoliation is a facial peel. Mechanical exfoliation relies on some type of abrasion to remove the skin cells. Items such as sea salt, coffee grounds, sugar, almond shells, or even loofahs are used to rub the skin and remove the skin cells.

In most cases exfoliation is not a harmful process, it simply aids and accelerates nature's process of sloughing off the dead skin cells. It is possible, however, to exfoliate the wrong areas or to exfoliate areas too much. An experienced exfoliation specialist should be sensitive to these issues during any treatment.