Exfoliation Can Give You a Bright New Outlook

Exfoliation is the key to younger and healthier looking skin. As we age, our skin cells turn over more slowly which causes a dull complexion. Exfoliation is how we gently remove those skin cells so new cells can give us a fresher look. Softly buffing away the outer layer of dead skin cells allows newer skin cells to be exposed.

As children our skin renews itself every seven to ten days giving us a flawless and glowing face. Teenager's skin turns over every two to three weeks and without proper exfoliation can lead to clogging of the pores. Adult's skin turns over at the rate of one to one and a half months! This is why it is so important to gently exfoliate your skin to renew it. Men who have problems with folliculitis from shaving would benefit greatly from exfoliating.

How you choose to exfoliate is one consideration, while another is how often to exfoliate. If you have problem skin that is thick or congested easily you may want to do it twice a week. If you have normal or sensitive skin exfoliating once a week is a better choice. Over exfoliation can lead to sensitized skin or micro tears in the skin. One way to prevent sensitizing your skin is to use a gentle product.

Choosing the proper product is very important. You do not want to use products that use harsh elements such as nuts shells, seeds or other similar items. These shells break down into small tiny triangle shaped fragments and are too harsh to the skin. These fragments can cause small micro tears in the skin. Over aggressive exfoliation can lead to broken capillaries and redness. It is better to choose a product that uses corn or oat which breaks down into tiny rounded pieces. Products such as these are gentler to your skin. An inexpensive option is to make a paste of baking soda and water and exfoliate the skin this way. Do not be sold on expensive products, rather than the ingredients that are in the products for exfoliation.

Your skin may not turn over as quickly as it once did, but that's no reason to be left with a dull or flaky complexion. There are many products on the market today that will help you gently buff away the dull layer or dead skin cells. Exfoliating on a regular basis will leave you skin that glows with beauty!