Let’s just start with a fun fact, 70% of the dust around your house is composed of dead skin cells. What are dead skin cells? Skin cells that have grown old lived their full life cycle, and are not contributing to any functions of the skin are dead skin cells. Our body sheds these dead skin cells via a rejuvenation process to keep our skin healthy which can fulfill all its functions. This rejuvenation process is referred to as the skin cell turnover cycle.
WHAT IS CELLULAR TURNOVER?
Cellular turnover is the process of shedding dead skin cells and replacing them with younger cells.
If you don’t work on cellular turnover, you get a build on the surface on the skin and thks stagnation can lead to issues such as acne, hyperpigmentation, milia and uneven skin texture
Your skin (as well as everything else in your body) is made up of cells. Each cell has a lifespan and for skin cells, that is around 28 days or slower, depending on your age.
New skin cells are created in the deepest layer of your skin, called the basal layer. It is the bottom part of the top part of your epidermis.
As a new skin cell matures, it travels up through the layers of your skin, getting fatter and plumper with collagen and nutrients, until it reaches the top.
When the fat, plump skin cells get to the top layer of your skin they die. Ideally, they have sloughed off the surface of your skin, revealing the next layer of fat, plump skin cells.
This entire process is what makes up cell turnover, and it’s what makes our skin look and feel more youthful. When we are young, the process of cell turnover happens rapidly, however, as we age it slows down. When we are children the skin turns over about every 14 days. By the time you reach your 20s, skin cellular turnover reduces by 24 to 30 days. When we are in our 40s, our cells turn over every 45 to 60 days and extend to every 60 to 90 days as we continue to age.
In addition to aging, sun exposure, stress, and hormones affect this skin cycle as well.
HOW DO I INCRESE MY CELL TUROVER?
Exfoliation helps to remove dead surface skin cells to reveal a glowing, more smooth complexion. While the processes of exfoliating and cellular turnover are similar, exfoliation differs because it’s the process of removing old skin cells through a tool, scrub, or chemical,
To increase the rate of cell turnover, you can also take matters into your own hands. Through chemical and manual exfoliation.
- Many chemical peels, like glycolic acid penetrates the most surface layers, making them safe for at-home use.
- Retinol serums can help remove the top layers of the skin and promote cellular turnover
- Mechanical exfoliation uses relies on an abrasive to remove dead skin cells. Mechanical exfoliation aids often include
Although stimulating cell turnover through exfoliation can bring about a health, glowing complexion, remember not to over-exfoliate the skin. This may result in redness, sensitivity and irritation. Typically, you can safely use chemical exfoliants once every week or two.
Derca offers multiple homecare solutions to help you improve your cellular turn over including:
1. Mechanical: VITAMIN C SKIN POLISH
Lightweight exfoliating gel to cleanse the skin from make-up and debris. This gel is a gentle granular and enzymatic scrub wit hydrolyzed Jojoba Oil and Vitamin C and Coconut Oil to remove dead skin build-up and reduce open pore size.
2. Chemical: AHA HOME PEEL KIT
Alpha Hydroxy Acid skin peel with Glycolic acid, Aloe Vera and Chamomile to allow natural skin peeling while hydrating the skin and causing no inflammation. This peel has a 1.9pH and self neutralizes after 10 minutes. Great for the treatment of open pores, sagging skin, blackheads, milia, fines lines, wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and melasma.
3. Retinol: TRIPLE ACTIVE RETINOL COMPLEX
Advance active serum with a high percentage of active ingredients selected to treat hyperpigmentation, melasma, sun spots, scarring and anti-aging. This biophase slow release retinol is perfect to treat dermal pigmentation without adverse reactions.
Cell turn over is the holy grail to have healthier, firmer, more radiant skin. So start today to make sure your skin stays plumper and more youthful for longer.