Exfoliation & AHAs
The basal cells of your skin divide continuously to replace the cells that are shed from the surface. These basal cells can only divide a certain number of times before they get old and die. This is called the Hayflick limit. When enough basal cells die the skin starts to get thinner because there aren’t enough cells left to keep the balance. This is the reason for the skin slowly thinning as we age.
If cells are removed from the surface too quickly the basal cells will respond by dividing faster and a thickened, leathery skin will form.
Our view is that exfoliation should be mild and infrequent. We use relatively smooth physical abrasives that remove the skin cells that are in the process of flaking off. This gives the skin a smooth, refined look but does not remove cells in the lower layers of the stratum corneum.
Many brands have popularised the use of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s). These are often incorporated in moisturisers and other products for daily use.
AHA’s dissolve the cellular cement that holds cells together. The outer layers of skin then peel off and for a short while, the skin looks more radiant and wrinkles are not as deep. In order for skin to perform its primary function as a barrier to UV and microbes, it needs to maintain a minimum thickness. Its response to thinning will be to increase the rate of cell division in the basal cells and start callous formation. This will result in a thickening of the skin. Wrinkles will look deeper and the skin will be dull and leathery. The only way to quickly get back to looking radiant is to keep using AHA’s.
We are opposed to the continuous use of AHA’s for a simple reason – it accelerates the rate of basal cell division and the basal cells will approach the Hayflick limit faster. This will clearly accelerate aging.
