Why is Exfoliation Crucial?
Exfoliation (the getting rid of dead skin cells) is a crucial step in any skin care program. If dead skin cells are not properly removed, the stratum corneum layer thickens. Skin is afflicted with cell build-up.

This is an unattractive condition. Skin is pale and lifeless, since these cells dull the pink glow of healthy skin. Frequently, tiny wrinkles and flakes become noticeable.

It is also bad for your health. Cell build-up leads to:

• dehydration
• poor oxidation
• sluggish circulation
• formation of blemishes
• rough, unevenly-textured skin

Furthermore, the thick layer of keratinized cells forms a barrier, preventing products that might help alleviate these conditions from reaching the deeper epidermal layers.

The Scotch Tape Test
To see if you have build-up of epidermal cells, and/or need to remove the environmental pollutants that adhere to them, take a piece of clear scotch tape. Stick it to the face (or the back of the hand) and then peel it off. When you examine it, you can see whether or not there is debris that needs to be removed.

What Happens to Dead Skin Cells after they are formed?
The skin is constantly regenerating. The germinitive, or basal, layer of the epidermis generates skin cells and gives them their color. This is a continual process. As new cells are generated, the previously generated cells are pushed up toward the surface.

During the approximately 28 days which it takes from creation of skin cells to their appearance on the surface, the cells go through various changes in shape. They lose their color and die. Ideally, dead cells are then shed, or sloughed off. In reality this rarely happens.

Instead, usually the sebum, or oil, secreted by the skin hardens when it cools on the surface. The epidermal scales are imbedded in the sebum and remain on the surface of the skin. This problem is compounded as we age, since the generation of cells is less efficient. Substances in our environment also plaster these epidermal scales to the skin.

The result of this buildup of dead cells is dull, flat-looking skin that has lost its vitality and glow.

What Can You Do About It?
All skin types, but especially oily and mature skins, need care programs that include products for diminishing cell attachment (corneocyte adhesion) and sloughing of unwanted cells. The challenge is to do so safely, that is to dislodge and remove buildup of dead cells without removing cells that are needed by the body for protection.

There are two main types of products on the market that facilitate exfoliation, sloughing accelerators and mechanical exfolients. They can be used together in daily and weekly care programs but make sure you start with effective daily cleansing.

Sloughing accelerators - contain various combinations of acids and other exfoliation ingredients which dissolve the intercellular cement which holds the dead cells on the surface together. Once the intercellular cement is dissolved, cells are no longer attached and are easily removed. The two most prominent sloughing accelerators are alpha-hydroxy acids and salicylic acid. In top-notch exfoliating cleansers, these acids are combined with plant extracts that add skin-soothing and moisturizing properties. Two tips to keep in mind when using sloughing accelerators:

First, you should use a cleanser that contains both oil and water. The oils, when applied to the skin, heat up to skin temperature and melt the skin's natural sebum, thereby loosening the cells that have become lodged in it. The water phase removes the water-soluble pollutants that had become attached.
     
Second, you should be careful in your choice of a facecloth or sponge. Cosmetic sponges gently aid in dislodging stubborn cells while you wipe off the cleanser. Whichever you use should be washed regularly. It's more usual to boil a cosmetic sponge than a facecloth, but this is the surest way to destroy any bacteria growing in the moist environment they provide.

Mechanical exfoliants physically remove the cells from the surface of the skin. Mechanical exfolients not only aid in sloughing unwanted cells, they refine the texture of the skin and stimulate cell renewal. They further benefit the skin by leaving it ideally prepared for subsequent caring or intensive treatments. The two most common types of mechanical exfolients are scrubs and peels. One caution when using mechanical exfolients - be sure to avoid the delicate, easily-damaged mouth and eye areas.

Continuing to capture youthful glow and vitality in your skin takes time and planning. But any effective program will start with the importance of good cleansing. Regular clearing away of excess debris and buildup on the surface of the skin (through exfoliation) encourages new cell regeneration, improves the health of the skin, and starts it on the path to becoming smooth and soft.