Exfoliation

Our approach to clear skin is proven, scientific, and simple: 3 steps customized to your specific skin condition and goals: Hydrate, Exfoliate, and Treat.

The first step in our three steps routine is hydrating with our Hydrator Serum. Having your skin in a hydrated state is a supported state…. keeping the skin hydrated allows for the exfoliant or treatment to work evenly and more effectively without compromising the skins health. You can read more about this process here. 

The second step in our routine is exfoliation. In this article we will deep dive into how exfoliation works to improve the quality of your skin.

First a reminder: Acne is genetic. If one or both of your parents had acne, you too have a propensity for acne. We call this acne-prone skin. You may have less than 10 pimples or hundreds on your face and body. This is all considered acne-prone skin. Not better or worse, just acne-prone skin that can be cleared with the same 3 steps.

If you genetically have a predisposition from your parents, you have acne-prone skin. Therefore, your new goal will be to maintain clear skin as there is no cure. It is all about management. We will help you adjust and customize your own routine to keep your skin smooth and clear.

Maintaining clear skin is like maintaining a specific clothing size. It takes consistent effort with intention. Our 3 steps makes it easy to establish a routine. So let's dive into step 2: exfoliation.

Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the skin. Acne prone skin is even MORE important to exfoliate as acne prone skin sheds 40-60% more dead skins cells a month than non-acne prone skin. This is significant because the inside of the pores are lined with skin cells. So the skin cells shed off into the pore. The skin cells combined with oil will clog up the pore. Exfoliating will aid in removing the dead skin cells from the top of the skin layers and in the pore. There is only one type of exfoliant that will get into the pore, and that is a chemical or enzyme. Home skin care chemical exfoliants are Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy acids.

When you don’t exfoliate, whatever you use on your skin is like applying skin care over a pair of socks. It won’t get in and just sit on the surface. If you are starting the process of clearing your skin, you may need more exfoliation at the start, and the frequency will decrease with time. The appropriate frequency of exfoliation is determined by skin type and condition… that’s our job. Your job is to apply Mandelic Serum, it is just that simple. Mandelic is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is derived from almonds and is anti-inflammatory and gentle, so a perfect choice for a skin that breaks outs. Mandelic acid dissolves the glue that holds the dead skin cells onto the skin. Evening out skin tone is another super power of Mandelic. With acne it is very common to have some discoloration in the skin after the pimple heals. This is caused by the trauma the skin has gone through. Mandelic will help to breakdown that pigment and fade it.

When it comes to the skin on the body it can handle “more” exfoliation than the chest, face and back of hands can take. So, keep the exfoliating brushes, sponge loofahs, and granular scrubs just on the body. On the face the options would be a chemical.

Frequently asked questions about exfoliation

Why is it important if you have acne-prone skin to exfoliate?

Did you know that you have skin cells lining the inside of your pores? Many don’t! This is very important to know when you have acne, because acne prone skin sheds 40-60% more layers of dead skin cells than non-acne prone skin. These dead skin cells shed into the pore. Oil glands excrete oil into your pore. Now you take dead skin cells and oil and you have a recipe for a clogged pore, which will either stay closed (non-inflamed acne) or can turn into inflamed acne.

Will exfoliation irritate my acne?

There are exfoliants that can be irritating to skin - the biggest culprit would be a manual scrub. Scrubs are not helpful for acne-prone skin.

These products can cause scratches and micro-scratches on the skin, which can lead to more irritation.

What is the best type of exfoliation for acne?

Chemical: Mandelic Serum, Glycolic Lactic Toner, Salicylic Toner. Your personalized routine will include one or more of these options, based upon your skin type and severity of your breakouts.

I don’t have a lot of acne, just a few breakouts here and there, consistently. Do I still need to exfoliate?

Yes, everyone needs to exfoliate. For moderate acne and clear skin, the frequency can be less.