Why autumn is the best time for microdermabrasion and chemical peels
Did you know there’s seasonality to skincare? Because there definitely is!
You’ve probably noticed some changes in your skin depending on the season. Changes like drier skin in the winter and more defined freckles or amplification of uneven skin tone in the summer.
The changing of the seasons can cause big shifts in your skincare needs and priorities.
Different climate, temperature, humidity, sun exposure, and lifestyle all impact your skin differently. These seasonal variations also impact when some skincare treatments are best suited.
Exfoliation at home and in the salon is a big one that you want to cater to the time of year.
Why? The sun ☀️
Shorter days call for exfoliation
What Exactly Do Exfoliation Treatments Do?
In its most basic sense, exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer-most layer of your skin. This is accomplished with chemical exfoliation or physical exfoliation.
Chemical Exfoliation
Chemical exfoliation removes dead skin cells with chemistry—namely acids. There are a few group of acids that chemically exfoliate in slightly different ways:
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), like glycolic, citric, and lactic acid, dissolve in water and work on the very surface of your skin.
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), such as salicylic acid, dissolve in oil and therefore penetrate into your pores in addition to working on the surface. Due to their oil solubility, BHAs work well with oily skin and at treating acne.
Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), commonly lactobionic acid, galactose, and gluconolactone, dissolve in water like AHAs. They have larger molecules so do not penetrate as deeply and stay on the surface of the skin. These characteristics make PHAs a great choice for those with sensitive skin.
It’s not uncommon for skincare products designed for exfoliation to combine different types of chemical exfoliants to achieve various desired results.
Physical Exfoliation
Physical exfoliation removes dead skin cells physically—with manual agitation. Some examples are:
Scrubs — both DIY sugar or coffee scrubs and over-the-counter cleansing scrubs
Exfoliation gloves or mitts
Brushes
Loofas
Pumice stones
Microdermabrasion
Even when you’re scratching your skin with your finger nails, you are technically physically exfoliating.
Physical exfoliation exclusively works on the surface of your skin, unlike the penetrating ability of some chemical exfoliants. So if you’re looking to treat more severe cases of hyperpigmentation or deeper wrinkles, you may want to opt for chemical exfoliants. Be sure to ask your skincare specialist about what may be most effective for your skin.
With both chemical and physical exfoliation, there is a range of intensities. The exfoliation ingredients you can purchase over-the-counter aren’t as strong as what dermatologists and skincare specialists use at the salon for chemical peels.
Depending on your unique skin and skincare goals, some treatments may be better suited for you than others. Choosing a chemical exfoliant that is too strong or scrubbing too hard with a physical exfoliant can damage your skin and actually make the problems you’re addressing worse. Using exfoliation too frequently can also have the same consequences.
Working closely with a skincare expert is important for finding the right exfoliation type and frequency for your specific skin and the particular results want to achieve.
WaNt to get started with exfoliation?
Visiting Teresa in Cedar Rapids for a skincare consultation and personalized facial is the perfect place to start.
Benefits of Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion and chemical peels are such well-known and popular professional exfoliation treatments because they can offer a collection of desirable skin benefits—and to an impressive degree.
So what kind of benefits can exfoliation give us?
Brightening of the skin
Evening skin tone
Treating wrinkles and fine lines
Reversing sun damage
Healing acne scarring
Reducing the appearance of dark spots and freckles
Improving skin texture
Treating and controlling certain kinds of acne
And because professional exfoliation treatments are more intense forms of exfoliation, they can achieve more dramatic results than home treatments alone. Integrate these treatments into your personalized skincare plan to maximize their results and even increase the effectiveness of the products you use at home.
Protecting Your Skin Post-Exfoliation
There is a very important consideration to keep in mind when using exfoliation, especially the more intense professional treatments —> sun protection.
Sun exposure is a heavy contributor to many of our skin problems. It can produce hyperpigmentation (think sun spots or age spots), accelerate aging of the skin, kill elasticity, and damage collagen.
So of course skincare experts are constantly reminding us of the importance of SPF.
But why are we particularly concerned about sun exposure when we’re exfoliating?
Remember what we’re doing with exfoliation: we’re removing all those dead skin cells sitting on the surface of our skin. The skin that’s been revealed is indeed newer and brighter, but it’s also more vulnerable. It’s more sensitive and accumulates that sun damage faster and easier.
And the results of that sun damage are exactly the kinds of skin challenges that you’re trying to treat by exfoliating.
So when you’re not diligently protecting your exfoliated skin from the sun, you’re effectively negating your treatments.
The Fall Advantage:
Why Autumn is Perfect for Exfoliation
That brings us to the importance of strategically timing your focus on exfoliation.
The summer is full of outdoor activities like baseball games, BBQs, picnics, and days at the pool or splash pad. Not to mention vacations to gorgeous beachy destinations.
Our summer lifestyles are simply more entangled with the sun.
We all try our best to stay on top of reapplying SPF, but there are bound to be gaps.
And when the risk of sun damage is elevated due to exfoliation treatments, there is little room or forgiveness for error.
So instead, opt for a time of year with less exposure! As the summer ends and the weather cools, we are very naturally decreasing our daily UV rays.
School and routines return, so gone are the sunny vacations.
Baseball and soccer games have wrapped up.
The weather gets chilly so we start to prefer time indoors.
We turn over our wardrobe and our sleeves and hems get longer, exposing less of our skin.
The days continuously get shorter and shorter.
Autumn is also the perfect moment to assess and address the sun damage you accumulated over the hot and humid Iowa summer. With just enough time to work up to a beautiful glow come the holiday (and Christmas card) season.
Make the Most of Shorter Days
Ingredients and treatments and nightly routines are all tools in our skincare toolbox. But adding in strategic timing and altering our skincare priorities or goals to flow with the seasons can help all our other tools work even better.
We recognize it’s tempting to follow the exact same skincare regimen with the exact same skincare products throughout the entire year.
The desire makes sense! Following the same routine month after month is simple, it’s straightforward, and you don’t have to think about it much.
But why are you investing in skincare in the first place?
⭐ To manifest the best version of your skin
⭐ To reach your specific skincare goals
Taking the time to recognize how the change of the season may be interacting with your skincare treatments will maximize your efforts. You’ll achieve your goals more efficiently and effectively.
Beyond the fall—talk to your skincare specialist if you notice your skin going through changes with the seasons and what you can change in your routine to adapt.
Start maximizing the exfoliation season
Take advantage of the shorter days and focus on that exfoliation with microdermabrasion or a chemical peel in our Iowa-based salon.
Not sure which treatment to book? Give us a call at (319) 373-9596 and we’ll help you choose the best option for you.