Chemical exfoliation has gained a lot of popularity in the skincare community. Effective ingredients paired with visible results has made use of chemical exfoliants a routine practice. But given that it is being talked about so much these days, the key details and specifics can be lost in translation in favour of trendy ingredients and celeb-approved recommendations. This is why we got our in-hour skin expert Dr. Sravya C Tipirneni to lay out the basics – what it means and how to undertake it safely.
Dr. Tipirneni revealed, “Chemical exfoliation basically deals with the skin cells – our skin cells have a natural cycle all over the body and typically regenerate every month approximately. But, our environmental factors like lifestyle, stress, exercise, sun exposure, and ageing can slow the process down. That’s why we have exfoliation as a remedy for this. It’s a simple and quick way of removing the dead skin cells and this can really help in improving your complexion, glow, brightening the face and fading other scars and blemishes or sunspots that may be there on your face”.
Benefits of chemical exfoliation
As seen above, the regular practice of chemical exfoliation can help slough off dead skin cells and in turn, afford your skin many benefits. This is primarily due to the use of lots of different kinds of acids. To name a few, there is azelaic acid, carbolic acid, citric acid, galactose, glycolic acid, lactic acid, gluconolactone, lactobionic, malic acid, mandelic acid, retinoid acid, salicylic acid and tartaric acid.
Proper and guided use of these acids to chemically exfoliate your skin can help refine your skin, revealing fresh skin underneath. It can also aid in better absorption of the other products in your skincare routine.
How does chemical exfoliation work
Chemical exfoliants are acids that get rid of the dead skin cells and improve or increase the cell turnover cycle in order for the skin cells to shed. They come in different concentrations – the weaker acids can usually be bought over-the-counter, while the stronger ones or the higher strength ones are usually done in the dermatologist’s clinic in the form of a chemical peel. They work by breaking the bonds that hold the skin cells together.
As these bonds are broken by the chemical, the top layers of the skin eventually shed in different cycles and they reveal the naturally regenerated, rejuvenated and brighter skin underneath. With regular use and the correct concentration of acid, the skin will feel smooth, look even toned, the pores look visibly reduced, and unclogged. It will also help in fading the signs of ageing, tan removal and treating acne.
