skin exfoliant

[jaye]

I use an exfoliant cream on my face from time to time. Sometimes it causes skin to peel, but lately I don't seem to be getting any results. Does it stop working after a while? Would switching to a different brand help?

[Sharon]

Sounds like your skin is getting stronger and you need to step up to an exfoliant with a higher concentration of glycolic acid. It doesn't have to be a different brand altogether, just a stronger cream. And you should use it every day or even twice a day (not just from time to time), especially if you're not noticing any results.
What are you using now?

[danya]

Hi Jaye,
To answer your questions, you dont have to continue to peel to be getting effective treatment and results from your skincare program. In fact, if you're not peeling as much as you used to, it's a good sign that your skin is healthier, thicker and in better shape than when you started. Some people do like to see the peeling though to be reassured that they're not wasting their money on lotions and potions, so to speak.
If you're one of those people, you can gradually increase the strength of your treatments, or you can use combination therapy to compound the effects of what you're already using.
I'm not sure what you're currently using.... If you use a glycolic or salicylic acid, you could add a Vitamin A cream like prescription Retin-A or Renova. Or you might simply want to add an exfoliating scrub once a week to give your skin a boost.
Bottom line... dont stop your skin care routine because you're no longer peeling. And most of all, dont forget your sunscreen since 90% of facial aging is due to sun exposure!
Danya

[jaye]

I'm using an alpha hydroxyacid base cream and a skin lightener with 4% hydroquinone. My goal is to lighten dark spots so as to have a more uniform appearance to my skin. Is there anything else I can do to speed up the process?