Home Peels & Aggressive Scrubs – Be Very Careful

Home peels and aggressive scrubs can be very bad for the skin.  With all of the skin care products on the market today, it is easy to get carried away and do more harm than good.  A quick search on the internet for chemical peels will bring up all sorts of home peels that absolutely shouldn’t be performed by anyone other than a professional.  I’ve even found some home peels on the internet that should only be performed by a physician, with extensive follow-up.  There are home microdermabrasion machines, enzyme peels, scrubs that will tear the skin and even Botox alternatives that you can inject yourself.  These are really bad ideas, especially the DIY Botox.  In the long run, saving a little money by ordering do it yourself home peels and products over the internet is not worth it.  Advice and treatments from an experienced professional who knows product ingredients and what treatments and products can be safely combined is invaluable when it comes to protecting your skin and avoiding long term damage and aging.

Why Home Peels & Aggressive Scrubs Are Bad

I would never recommend that anyone do at-home peels, and I typically recommend that mild, at-home scrubs should only be done 1-2 times per week, and if you are getting regular in-spa treatments, weekly exfoliation is rarely necessary.  Anything more aggressive than that and you are just asking for trouble.  The skin needs time to rejuvenate and rebuild.  Signs of over-exfoliation are redness, dryness, dry patches, flaking, tightness, stinging and burning and even an over production of oil, causing blackheads, milia and breakouts.  It can also lead to impaired barrier function.

When there is Impaired barrier function, essential functions of the skin are not possible.  This can cause or exacerbate many common skin conditions, including dermatitis and rosacea.  A healthy barrier function is critical for the appearance and function of the skin.  The skin’s stratum corneum (the non-living layer of our epidermis) is supposed to provide a shield from the environment.  When this is damaged, it leads to transepidermal water loss or the evaporation of our natural moisturizing factor.  This can lead to inflammation and irritation.

This article in no way is saying that you shouldn’t exfoliate.  When done correctly, with proper timing and the correct products, along with soothing, moisturizing and protective after-care products, exfoliation is good for the skin.  It keeps it smooth and healthy looking.  It increases collagen and allows trapped oil and bacteria to get out.  It should, however, be done under a professional’s guidance, following their exact instructions.  More is never better!

One of my favorite home exfoliants is Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant.  It is a powder that is rice based which when combined with water, lemon juice, or organic tea it will remove dead skin cells and soften skin while antioxidant rich strawberries and rhubarb cleanse and tighten pores.  Although, while directions say it can be used daily, I still don’t recommend using it more than two times per week.

For a listing of in-spa exfoliations, performed by experienced Estheticians, click here