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The Importance of Exfoliating Your Skin to Help Control Dark Spots

Updated on April 29, 2015
Sea sponge and starfish on bamboo mat
Sea sponge and starfish on bamboo mat | Source

Most women recognize the importance of exfoliating, especially on the face. Exfoliation has benefits for both men and women and the entire body should be exfoliated on a regular basis. Exfoliation can help relieve skin conditions like acne, men who exfoliate their faces unclog hair follicles allowing for a closer shave and whole body exfoliation can help remove toxins, improve the appearance of cellulite and stimulate circulation.

Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that clog pores. A build up of dead skin cells in pores cause blemishes like blackheads and white heads. The more dead skin you remove helps to reduce the build up of oil in pores. Less oil means less blemishes and clearer skin. A warning, over exfoliating can cause irritation and dryness. Dryness, however, especially dry winter skin can be helped with the use of exfoliation. Often we use a heavy cream or lotion to treat dry winter skin and the creams cause a build up that clogs skin making winter skin problems worse. Clogging skin with a moisturizer and trying to moisturize again without exfoliating will not allow the treatment to hydrate your skin. Exfoliate first and then moisturize to reap the benefits of a body lotion or cream.

As the skin ages brown spots start to appear. Exfoliation helps to reduce dark spots by helping to break up the pigmentation and eventually dark spots will fade. A topical treatment that includes vitamin C will help to alleviate dark spots and age spots. Mature skin will also benefit from exfoliation because our skins natural exfoliation processes slow down. By exfoliating you assist your skin and help it look more youthful.

Most chemical exfoliations should not be used on a daily basis. Read all instructions on chemical exfoliants and follow them to the letter. You can use a gentle facial scrub twice a week to help exfoliate problem areas and if you have sensitive skin try a scrub made with natural fruit enzymes instead of acid. Your face and body will thank you sincerely if you try to use only all natural or organic skin treatments and moisturizers. The skin absorbs toxins from anything you put on it. Using a natural, gentle and organic product will help you to avoid absorbing harmful elements that could cause skin problems down the road.

When cleansing your face use an organic cotton washcloth or all natural facial scrubber. These gentle cleansing tools will help to mildly exfoliate in between facials and scrub treatments. Soap is not necessarily a good product for your face especially if you have dry skin. Cleanse with an all natural facial wash appropriate for your skin type and follow with a tonic or antiseptic. Apply moisturizer after following the cleaning steps.


Dry Body Brushing - A Healthy Exfoliation

Speaking of toxins, it is worth mentioning that dry body brushing and body exfoliation will help you to remove toxins from the skin while increasing blood flow. You can feel revitalized and energized from a dry body brush treatment since the process stimulates tissue attached to capillaries to improve blood flow and assists movement of the lymph node system. The lymph nodes are a slow moving waste removing organ. Stimulating your skin will help improve lymph flow especially if you are not a very active person since muscular activity promotes lymph flow.

You can tell if your lymph system is not super productive by the appearance of cellulite. Cellulite forms due to toxic build up in fat cells and is related to lymph and vein congestion. Skin brushing or body exfoliation speeds up the momentum of toxic removal in the system by stimulating blood flow. Proper body exfoliating can alleviate a sluggish lymph flow and improve the appearance of your skin all over your body.

To dry brush always use a plant bristle brush. Natural brushes are recommended. Brush upwards on your body parts. Aim your brush stokes upward toward the lymph node locations in your body. Groin, armpits and neck are locations for lymph nodes. Start your strokes from the left side of your body and finish on the right. After completing your body brushing and exfoliation, take a shower, warm bath or steam in a sauna to help remove toxins further and hydrate your skin. Follow your bath with the application of a soothing natural body lotion to keep in moisture.

How To Exfoliate Your Face Naturally

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