How Not to Exfoliate

Some experts will tell you that exfoliation, whether chemical or physical, is the only scientifically proven way to reverse skin aging. [I disagree because I believe peptides have enough science behind them as effective skin anti-agers, but that’s a subject for another blog.] The point is that exfoliation is broadly accepted as an effective skin antiaging therapy.



I have long believed that chemical exfoliation is superior to physical. In its April 2004 issue, Good Housekeeping consulted New York City dermatologist Heidi Waldorf regarding physical exfoliation and reported, “Rubbing your face raw with a harsh brush or a loofah on a regular basis not only doesn’t help, it makes your skin drier, can aggravate acne – and can cause permanent damage like broken capillaries.”



Now scientists have even questioned the advisability of microdermbrasion, one of the mildest forms of physical exfoliation. In the March 2006 issue of Dermatologic Surgery, researchers presented results of a study which evaluated skin health after repeated microdermabrasion treatments.



Ceramide levels in the stratum corneum are a good indicator of skin health. The researchers found that ceramide levels increased after the first three microdermabrasion treatments; but declined to below base levels with subsequent treatments. The decrease in ceramides was not visible but has insidious consequences for the skin.



Ceramides are lipids which play a critical role in the water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum. As ceramides decrease, the skin’s moisture content decreases. Water moving into and out of the skin cells, not only keeps the skin youthfully plump, but also is the vehicle for removing the harmful by-products of cellular metabolism.



Tags: microdermabrasion, exfoliation, ceramides