Fine Lines

10 ASCP Fine Lines TYPES OF EXFOLIATION There are many options for body exfoliation treatments—from head-to-toe scrubs to spot treatments for hands and feet. In general, there are three methods of exfoliation: • Manual: Using a tool that scrubs, like a brush, loofah, or washcloth. • Granular: Using a cleansing product that contains materials such as sugar, rice wax, or almond meal. • Chemical: Using a product or treatment that contains gentle exfoliating acids (like alpha hydroxy, beta hydroxy, or salicylic acids) or enzymes, which help remove dead skin cells and are gentle and nonabrasive on the skin. EXFOLIATING TREATMENTS TO TRY A variety of exfoliating treatments can be added to your esthetics service or combined into a package. Here are a few of the most popular treatments to try as you fight off winter's drying effects and prepare for spring renewal. Dry Brush Treatment This vigorous form of manual exfoliation helps loosen dead skin cells on the body while stimulating and invigorating the skin's surface. Dry brushing is also great for prepping skin for waxing, as it helps lift the hair from the skin surface, prevents ingrown hairs, and allows for more even hair removal. To try this at home, use a dry body brush with a wooden handle and all-natural boar bristles, since this fiber is softer on the skin and can be easily cleaned. To dry brush the body: • Start at the feet and move upward, toward the heart, using light pressure. • Stop at the breast area and dry brush arms in a soft, gentle, circular motion going upward toward the shoulders. • Exfoliate the delicate décolleté and neck by using a smaller face brush. Be sure not to be too aggressive. • Follow dry brushing with a shower or bath to wash away the loosened material, and then finish with body oil or cream that contains moisturizing natural extracts (such as seaweed or vitamin E). If your skin becomes the least bit red or irritated, you are being too aggressive. Also, don't dry brush on areas shaved that day. Why Body Exfoliation? Stress can have enormous negative effects on the body and the skin, including the production of the stress hormone cortisol. Increased cortisol levels can trigger everything from immune dysfunction to inflammation and skin problems. Plump skin cells are continuously traveling from the lower layers of your epidermis to the upper layers of the stratum corneum. Once skin cells reach the surface, they are no longer living cells but flat and scaly debris, ready to be sloughed off. Typically, it takes about one month for a skin cell to pass through all the epidermal layers and be sloughed off, but a disruption (such as stress) in the body's ability to regulate can slow down cell renewal, and result in dull, tired-looking skin. Oily skin tends to saturate dead skin cells, making it difficult for them to fall off naturally. Dry skin tends to let dead skin cells accumulate too quickly, which can make skin look dry and dull. The key benefits of exfoliation include reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone, helping unclog pores to reduce breakouts (which can manifest on the back, buttocks, and thighs), minimizing the appearance of skin imperfections (such as stretch marks and cellulite), and, perhaps most importantly, providing a smoother, more receptive surface for the application and absorption of skin care ingredients to restore the proper moisture barrier to the skin.

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