Your skin naturally sheds dead skin cells to make way for new ones every single day. Exfoliation is designed to help nudge the process along a little faster, encouraging more even, efficient cell turnover that reveals brighter, softer skin. Exfoliating skincare products can often be placed into one of two categories: physical exfoliators and chemical exfoliators. Some, like  Microdermabrasion Face, combine both. But what exactly is the difference between these two types of exfoliation, and how can you make them work for you?

PHYSICAL EXFOLIATION
Physical exfoliation refers to any procedure that involves manual polishing, buffing, or scraping of skin to remove dead skin cells. This can include scrubbing with a washcloth, using a rotating brush head, or using a product that contains buffing grains. While physical exfoliation can feel satisfying to perform, it’s easy to go overboard - either by scrubbing too hard, or by using overly-abrasive products (like those featuring large, ground-up kernels). If you opt for a physical exfoliator, it’s important to choose a product that is  adapted to the skin you’re treating—and to be gentle!

CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION
Chemical exfoliation meanwhile doesn’t require any mechanical scrubbing. Instead, it relies on active ingredients such as alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids to break down the bonds between cells, decongesting pores and increasing turnover. The benefit of chemical exfoliation is that the risk for damaging your skin may be lower, as you can’t be tempted to over-scrub until your barrier is raw and damaged. It can also provide more even exfoliation as it doesn’t rely on your hands to manually target a given zone.

CAN YOU COMBINE BOTH?
The short answer is yes—but with a caveat. Rather than using two separate products (e.g. a physical scrub followed by, say, a glycolic acid peel), you should look for one multitasking product that’s specifically designed to do both simultaneously. The reason: an all-in-one product is more likely to be calibrated to strike an optimal balance between the two methods, ensuring you don’t combine an overly-harsh scrub with a concentrated chemical peel—the latter being a surefire recipe for barrier damage. To safely bring you the benefits of both physicalandchemical exfoliation,  Microdermabrasion Face pairs finely-milled biocelluose microgranules with a complementary concentration of glycolic and lactic acid, both AHAs. These powerhouse exfoliating ingredients work in tandem to gently slough off dead skin layers and dissolve skin cells close to the end of their life, resulting in more effective exfoliation and smoother, brighter, healthier skin.

WHAT IS MICRODERMABRASION?
Microdermabrasion is an in-office procedure performed by dermatologists, in which fine crystals are used to buff away the top layer of skin, then sucked away by a vacuum action. Microdermabrasion Face by Dr. BRANDT aims to provide a more everyday, at-home alternative to this procedure. Its combination of physical and chemical exfoliation provides a more comprehensive, advanced level of exfoliation—yet is gentle enough for regular use. After 4 weeks of use: 

100% reported product softens and smooths skin*

100% reported skin looks more even*

88% presented improvement in skin texture**

87% showed reduction of wrinkles and expression lines**

94% presented improvement in skin luminosity**

100% presented an increase in skin hydration***

The benefits of regular exfoliation include improved texture, an improvement in the look of acne scars, and fewer fine lines and wrinkles. Sound good? Explore the full  Microdermabrasion collection from Dr. BRANDT here.