Exfoliating
Examples of physical exfoliants include your exfoliating mitts, scrubs or other grainy cleansers that allow you to “buff” away the dead skin cells. Other great mechanical exfoliation techniques include dermaplaning and microdermabrasion. Dermaplaning consists of the esthetician gently scraping a surgical scalpel across the skin at a 45 degree angle, which allows the scalpel to glide smoothly and painlessly across the surface of the skin to remove dead skin cells and vellus hair (aka peach fuzz). Microdermabrasion consists of using a fine diamond tip to gently buff and suction away dead skin cells. Microdermabrasion is ideal for clients with dry skin. The most important part of mechanical exfoliation is to not over exfoliate. Over exfoliating (exfoliating too forcefully or too often) can result in damaging and drying out your healthy skin. It is recommended to use scrubs or grainy exfoliants once every 1-2 weeks and Dermaplaning to be done only by your esthetician once a month.
It is important to find a method of exfoliation that works best for you and your skin, so be open and honest with your esthetician about your skin goals so you can set up a care plan as a team. Be aware that there are some contraindications to each type of exfoliant, so it is important to trust your esthetician if another exfoliant is recommended for you. And just remember to stay moisturized, hydrated, and wear your SPF after any kind of exfoliation! Your skin will thank you!