To Scrub or Not to Scrub

Exfoliation is an excellent skincare tool, but it may not always be the best option to try first.  Daily exfoliation helps moisturizer penetrate better, and daily hydration helps exfoliation be more effective. It creates a beautiful synergy. Whether the skin is feeling dry, or makeup isn’t going on smoothly, or uneven pigment is the challenge, knowing the intended goal helps determine the intensity of exfoliation needed.  When preparing for professional treatment like microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, or a chemical peel, it is wise to limit exfoliation and instead focus on hydration for a positive and longer lasting result.

Here's a visual analogy to help you understand the correlation between exfoliation and hydration. Have you ever cooked something that spilled over and made a crunchy mess on a pan?  We all have!  In the olden days we would just grab an SOS pad (y'all remember those) and scrub the heck out of that pan. The problem is we would scratch the pan without ever getting it clean. The solution I have found is soaking that crunchy mess before trying clean it! Soaking (hydrating) makes it easy to clean with a soft sponge and without scratching the pan. Now think about your skin in the same way and you can see how starting with hydration can increase the effectiveness of exfoliation. 

Let’s take it a little deeper (pun intended!) Professional treatments can take exfoliation much deeper than at home products will.  This is by design.  We all know at least one person who doesn’t feel like they have washed their face successfully unless it’s red and squeaky when they are finished.  This can lead to inflammation and damage to the moisture barrier which can perpetuate whatever challenge you're facing.  Someone could really do some damage with aggressive tools at home – let’s leave that to the professionals.

Here's another visual for you regarding professional treatments.  Think about refinishing a piece of wood furniture. The first step would be sanding the top layer off the furniture for a beautiful even penetration of stain or application of paint. That correlates to the exfoliation of your skin that allows a high performance product or chemical peel to penetrate at a deeper level.  Remember in this situation that well hydrated skin will exfoliate better, so consider giving your skin 2-4 weeks of focused moisture prior to any professional treatment for better and longer lasting results.  Just like finishing that piece of furniture with a wax or sealant any professional treatment will be finished with a high quality moisture and sun protection as well as a recommended home care routine to keep the skin well hydrated while it restores and repairs itself.

Frustrated with your skin and think exfoliation is the answer?  Try a little extra moisture first, especially at night when the skin repairs itself and you might be surprised with the results.