| Your skin naturally sheds dead cells every day, | | | | growth. Enzyme peels are gentle exfoliators and |
| which helps to keep it smooth and fresh looking. | | | | leave skin noticeably smoother and softer after |
| But after the age of 35, the dead cells that make | | | | only one treatment. They can be used as part of |
| up the outer layer of your skin are not shed as | | | | a weekly or monthly facial treatment and can |
| rapidly as when you were younger. As dead cells | | | | even be used daily as part of a program to |
| accumulate, they make your skin look dull and dry | | | | rejuvenate aging skin. |
| and you lose the healthy, radiant look that | | | | Alpha-hydroxy acids are natural exfoliators |
| characterizes youthful skin. You can greatly | | | | derived from foods such as citrus fruits (citric |
| improve the appearance of your skin by regularly | | | | acid), sour milk (lactic acid), grapes (tarÂtaric |
| removing the top layer of dead skin cells, a | | | | acid), sugar cane (glycolic acid), and apples (malic |
| process called exfoliation. Exfoliation is | | | | acid). These gentle, natural acids work by |
| accomplished by using grainy scrubs that | | | | loosening the "glue" that binds the outermost layer |
| physically remove dead cells through gentle | | | | of surface cells together, which increases the |
| abraÂsion, or fruit-enzyme skin peels or | | | | shedÂding of dead skin cells and encourages |
| alpha-hydroxy acid skin peels, which dissolve the | | | | the formation of new skin cells. The idea of using |
| top layer of dead skin cells. | | | | the natural acids found in foods to renew the skin |
| Natural scrubs are made from finely ground | | | | is not new-Cleopatra bathed in buttermilk, and red |
| fibrous plant mateÂrial such as oatmeal, corn | | | | wine has been used for centuries as a skin wash. |
| meal, almonds, and apricot kernels. Be cautious | | | | Alpha-hydroxy acids improve skin texture and |
| when using grainy scrubs, because many are too | | | | color, reduce fine lines and age spots, and make |
| harsh to use on the delicate skin of your face. For | | | | pores appear smaller. Although you will usually |
| a gentle scrub that will not irritate your skin. | | | | notice smoother skin after the first treatment, |
| Although many grainy scrubs are too abrasive to | | | | you'll need to use alphaÂhydroxy acids on a |
| use on your face, they are perfect to use as an | | | | regular basis for two months or longer to see a |
| allover exfoliator for your body. Your body builds | | | | significant improvement in skin texture and |
| up dead skin cells just as your face does and | | | | diminishment of fine lines. There are a variety of |
| benefits from a weekly exfoliÂating | | | | natural products available, and most contain |
| treatment. | | | | between 5 and 15 percent alpha-hydroxy acids. |
| Fruit-enzyme peels are made from fruit or | | | | Products that contain higher percentages of |
| vegetable enzymes that exfoliate the skin in | | | | alpha-hydroxy acids will create faster results, but |
| approximately 20 minutes without scrubÂbing. | | | | often cause stinging or tingling sensations when |
| Many contain green papaya, which contains the | | | | applied to the skin. These reactions are not usually |
| protein digesting enzyme papain. Dead skin | | | | a cause for conÂcern, but severe stinging or |
| cells are composed primarily of protein, and | | | | redness indicates an undue sensitivity or allergic |
| enzyme peels digest the dead skin cells on the | | | | reaction and you should try a different product |
| surÂface of the skin without harming new cell | | | | with a lower concentration of alpha-hydroxy acids. |