Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1464744
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro app at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 37 SKIN PHYSIOLOGY Too Much of a Good Thing Understanding the implications of overexfoliation by Dave Waggoner PROFESSIONAL ESTHETICIANS ARE IN THE BUSINESS of exfoliation. We know and teach that exfoliation is necessary to help dead skin cells shed, which will reveal the fresh, radiant skin just below the surface. However, you can rest assured our clients often misuse their retail products, and many of them are exfoliating too much and too often. In the treatment room, estheticians can unknowingly promote overexfoliation by using an incorrect exfoliation product or simply overprocessing the skin with double or triple methods of exfoliation in one service. When it comes to exfoliation, the adage "less is more" should be your mantra. Generally, skin should be exfoliated only once or twice per week to help expedite skin cell turnover without causing damage. Read that last sentence again. That's once or twice per week. As a professional esthetician, this is one of the most requested topics I'm asked to comment on. It seems most consumers think it's totally fine to use scrubs and exfoliating acids daily. Woah, slow down, everyone! Tell your clients to take it easy on the skin that's trying to protect them! Even if they use a gentle scrub, advise them to be aware of exfoliating too often. Overexfoliation leads to wearing down and damaging the skin's microbiome, which often leads to excessive dryness. Think about the skin's microbiome as a microscopic protective army with millions of warriors. The skin, and therefore the microbiome, is under constant assault from environmental agents, harsh cleansers and soaps, scrubs, deodorants, chemical exfoliation products, and medications. The microbiome is the first line of defense to keep us healthy and in balance. With new awareness