Let us first understand the skin and its' functions before we jump into exfoliation. The skin consists of 7 layers: epidermis (which is composed of 5 sub-layers), dermis, and subcutaneous.
- The epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone.
- The dermis, beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands.
- The deeper subcutaneous tissue is made of fat and connective tissue.
The skin protects the body from microbes and pollution, helps to regulate body's temperature, and contains nerve endings that permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold.
Skin functions
- protection
- sensation
- heat regulation
- hydration control
- vitamin D production
- detoxification through sweating
- absorption of oxygen and topical nutrients
- aesthetic, visual health
Congestion and dull skin: Please note that your skin cells die daily, and we have a full set of skin cells every 28 days. If untreated, your dead skin cells linger on your face and create problems down the road. Have you wondered why skin sometimes looks lifeless and dull? It's pretty simple, dead cells that continually slough off of the epidermis mixed with aged skin cells and sebum form a filthy layer on its surface. Diet has a lot to do with congestion of the pores as well. Over-processed foods, fried oil, dairy and sugar are not good for your health.They also directly affect the skin's functions and appearance. Proper cleanse and exfoliation ensures proper skin functions. Topically used skin care products make a huge difference, it can be helpful or distressing. Most soaps are stripping the natural skin oil (sebum) and expose skin to elements and pollution, which can lead to the growth of bacteria (which then forms acne). However, a gentle face cleanser washes away dirt, pollution, make-up and sunscreen without irritation and leaves skin clean and soft.
Polishing off aged skin, i.e, exfoliation: Exfoliation is the removal of aged skin cells off the outer layer of the skin and is one of the most important steps of home skincare routine for your skin. Exfoliation not only helps many skin problems, it also increases blood circulation, which in turn helps you to achieve healthy looking and radiant skin. It also helps to speed up new cell growth.
Home care products: It is important to choose the right product for your skin type and condition. There are many DIY recipes on the internet for exfoliating products. I agree it is fun to mix up some food items and lather it on the skin. However, just like any other profession, it requires some knowledge to make a safe and efficient product. Most home recipes recommend using salt or sugar for physical exfoliation. Well, if you use a microscope to look at these granules, you will see that salt and sugar granules are like raw crystals with sharp edges. When rubbed on to the skin it makes miniature incisions that are various shapes and may create multiple scars later. Another factor is skin types and current skin condition. It is a great idea to talk to skin expert before you invest in a skin exfoliant. Even if the skin is rough, it might be irritated by other products, chemical peels, laser or other treatments, and need to be healed first.
Our exfoliants loved by all: Glowing Skin Treatment, Charcoal Microfoliant, Enzyme Microfoliant, Jojoba Exfoliant. Contact us for a consultation for which one will be the best choice for you.
Professional exfoliating treatments: Home care skin care products are great and necessary to maintain healthy skin, but it cannot replace professional Facials. Once again, there are many different techniques and equipment out there. Microdermabrasion, Hydro-infusion, chemical peels, manual exfoliation, enzymes, acids, lasers... Talk to a professional, ask for a consultation before making your decision. What worked for your friend may not be right for you.
Crystal Microdermabrasion: With this method, your skin undergoes physical exfoliation. Microcrystals are blasted against your skin through pressure and vacuumed out through a wand. This is great for tougher skin, if you have more sensitive skin, this may not be a great choice for you.
Diamond Tip with serum infusion: With this method, your skin undergoes both physical and liquid exfoliation. A wand with a diamond tip is brushed up against your skin, physically agitating your skin cells while an acid/enzyme based serum flows through your pores and gets vacuumed up. Dead skin cells are sucked up and younger skin cells get rejuvenated with the enzyme serum. This is great for combination skin, some sensitive skin like this treatment as it is more hydrating than just crystal microdermabrasion.
HydroRenewal: This method uses a liquid proprietary cocktail of concentrated fruit acid exfoliation. Using vortex technology, an acid/enzyme based serum is infused into the skin and vacuumed out. This is ideal for more sensitive skin that cannot undergo physical exfoliation. Although enzymes are strong, it is less irritating.
A note in regards to laser treatments and chemical peels, these are highly invasive and can be seriously damaging to the skin. Your skin might look good (after healing the initial somewhat controlled damage of the skin) but it may destroy oil glands within the skin. This will cause the skin to be permanently dry and may leave skin paper thin. These types of treatments also interfere with skin's detox through perspiration. When it comes to skincare, most times, less is more.
Various exfoliating treatments we offer: Most of our classic facials include a manual exfoliation with the product. Here are some targeted treatments: Oxygenated Microdermabrasion, Apple AHA Peel, Diamond-Fruit Acid-Dermabrasion, HydroRenewal, Radiant Skin Facial. Contact us for a consultation for which one will be the best choice for you.
Infusing nutrients and nurturing skin cells after exfoliation: This is a very important and often neglected step after exfoliation, whether at home or at the spa. Now that the top layer of the skin is polished off, it is a great time to feed the skin with nutrients. It is the perfect time for a mask, serums, and oxygenating products. Exfoliation reveals a new layer of the skin and promotes product penetration. At our spa, we will never leave skin untreated after a deep exfoliation.