La Mer Skin Care – Exfoliation – Is Your Skin Ready For It?

2. Exfoliation

Exfoliation not only facilitates cell turnover and enhances skin appearance, but it can also prevent pore clogging, dark spots, acne, black, and whiteheads. When exfoliating, however, always consider how best to exfoliate as some methods might irritate or damage the skin further – in these instances, exfoliation might do more harm than good!

Christine McMackin, an advanced aesthetic specialist and family nurse practitioner certified with Sond, and Rachael Burns, consultant dermatologist for Sond, advise against mechanical exfoliation products if your skin is broken out or sensitive since physical exfoliation may create micro-tears on its surface and lead to inflammation and clogged pores.

Chemical exfoliants containing AHAs can help unclog pores. When selecting such treatments, follow all instructions on their packaging. Alternatively, physical exfoliants like scrubs and brushes can also help. Lastly, for something more natural, you could try exfoliating with dry oats by grinding some up in a blender/food processor, mixing with some oil, and applying to your face as needed.