Every person passionate about facial care knows the importance of exfoliation. Through this process, we eliminate dead skin cells, resulting in a cleaner complexion, with an even tone and a smooth, soft and radiant appearance. In addition, exfoliation is an infallible ally in the fight against acne, blackheads, excess sebum and clogged and enlarged pores.
There are two types of exfoliation that, although they share the same objective, work in different ways and differ slightly in their results. On the one hand, there is mechanical or physical exfoliation and, on the other, chemical exfoliation. Do you want to know what each one consists of and which one is best for you according to your skin’s needs? Keep reading, because here we clear all your doubts.
Mechanical or physical exfoliation is that which is produced by friction with an abrasive. This friction on the skin is responsible for peeling off the outer layer of the skin and removing the dead cells that dull it. It is done either with objects such as sponges or brushes, or with cosmetics that include microgranules in their texture. They are also common in natural formats, such as mixing sugar or coffee beans with oil to result in that texture that rubs the skin.
For their part, chemical exfoliants are cosmetic products composed of acids or enzymes, which break down the lipids that act as glue for the dead cells of the dermis. Among chemical exfoliants we find alphahydroxide acids (AHA), such as glycolic, lactic and mandelic acid; betahydroxide acids (BHA), such as salicylic acid; and polyhydroxy acids (PHA), such as lactobionic acid.
Thus, while mechanical exfoliants carry out this abrasion through physical friction of the granules or bristles of a sponge or brush, chemical exfoliants use different acids to perform the peeling.
Mechanical exfoliants are more aggressive to the skin compared to chemical ones. As long as you use them properly. The abrasion caused by the friction of the physical exfoliant can lead to skin lesions, especially in the case of more sensitive skin. But if you use them in moderation and apply little pressure, you can use them without problems.
In the case of chemical exfoliants, they usually have safe formulations that adapt to each skin type, varying the concentration level of the acids present in their composition. In addition to exfoliating the skin, they help combat blemishes, regulate excess sebum and clean pores deeply. Of course, it is not advisable to mix AHA, BHA and PHA with each other, as it would be very aggressive for the skin.
Whichever you choose, you should never abuse skin exfoliation. It is enough to do it once or twice a week and it is more advisable to do it at night, putting on a moisturizing cream afterwards to restore and calm the dermis and applying sun protection the next day.
