Abby Borbon-Roaquin, manager and clinician at Ulan Medical Spa in San Diego, California, has been a registered nurse for over 14 years, the last four of them in aesthetic medicine. Here, she explains the process of exfoliation and how it is done both in medical spas and at home.
Why You Need to Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a natural process through which your dead skin cells are replaced, exposing the new skin underneath. Normally, it happens about every five weeks. But as we age, our skin doesn’t exfoliate as quickly as it did when we were younger, so we need a little boost. When you don’t exfoliate, you get a buildup of dead skin, which makes it look dull and gives it an uneven texture. Exfoliation smoothes the skin’s texture and promotes skin turnover. Dead skin build-up can accentuate lines and wrinkles, clog your pores, and make you more prone to acne.
Medical Spa Exfoliation Treatments
Skin can be exfoliated mechanically or chemically:
1. An example of mechanical exfoliation is microdermabrasion. A quick procedure designed to remove dead skin cells, microdermabrasion uses either fine aluminum oxide crystals or a diamond-tipped head to gently abrade the skin as the tip planes across with a slight vacuuming action.
2. An example of chemical exfoliation is chemical peels. A chemical peel is a procedure that uses a chemical solution that causes the outer layers of damaged skin to peel off. This treatment can be customized according to your goals and needs by selecting the type of acid used, the amount of time your skin is exposed to it, and the number of layers applied. For example, glycolic acids and trichloroacetic acids are usually used for anti-aging and pigment problems, while salicylic acids are usually the choice for acne-prone skin.
At-Home Exfoliation Treatments
At-home exfoliation is a must in order to maintain and enhance the results achieved through in-office treatments. Face washes, gels, and lotions that contain chemical exfoliants can be used at home, as the concentrations are designed for daily use.
At Ulan Medical Spa, we recommend a face wash that contains 7% glycolic acid by Prescribed Solutions, a physician-grade skincare line. We may also recommend a mini-peel gel by Glytone, also physician-grade line. This mini-peel gel, which contains 10.8% glycolic acid, is applied to the face. You leave it on for about 10 minutes, two to three times a week, at home to give your skin a boost. You may have to ease into this regimen. For example, especially if you have sensitive or dry skin, you could start twice a week with the face wash, and work your way up to being able to do it daily.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
