Why We Should All Be Exfoliating

Our skin is the largest organ on our body.  Perhaps you don’t even give it much thought or credit on a day-to-day basis, but it’s constantly doing some pretty amazing things for us.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology, your skin sheds about 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells everyday, even though you do not see it happening. Your skin sheds a layer of these dead cells every 24 hours and renews itself about every 28 days. Your skin protects your inside organs while keeping infections out and prevents you from getting sick.

So the least we can do is take good care of it.  One great way to do that is to exfoliate. This is basically helping the body along with its natural function of replacing old skin cells with new ones.  Here are some reasons why exfoliating is a great idea.

Exfoliating can result in:

·      Smoother, softer skin. One reason for this is that moisturizers and lotions are absorbed better  

·      Improved looking skin. It removes any dull skin and dead skin cells from the top layer of your epidermis. By removing these dead cells, exfoliation can help keep pores from becoming clogged and leave skin with a refreshed and clean feeling. What's the benefit to clean and clear pores? Clogged pores can result in blackheads and acne. Additionally, when pores are clogged, they appear larger. You can help diminish their appearance by keeping them clog-free.

·      Improved health of your skin. It speeds up the skin renewal process. This may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and even discoloration of skin.

Additionally it’s a great idea because:

·      It’s Easy! Just buy an exfoliating brush or scrubber to have on hand in the bathroom or shower.

·      They do it at Spas.  Why not treat yourself to a little self-care and pampering in the comfort of your own home?

·      It has been done for centuries.  This is another health practice that has stood the test of time.  Exfoliation practices can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian times, and across many different cultures from ancient roman baths to Turkish hammans.

Just remember not to overdo it.  A couple times a week is ideal.