Each inch of your skin contains 19 million cells, about 1,000 nerve endings, 20 blood vessels, and around 600 sweat glands. The complex mix of water, protein, fat, and minerals it contains give your skin its strength and glowing, smooth appearance. Many beauty treatments, including chemical peels from our Albuquerque-based spa, claim to accelerate skin cell turnover—but what exactly does this mean, and why is it so important for your complexion?

Most of the time, we don’t even realize when the skin is taking care of itself through its own biological processes.

What we refer to as “skin cell turnover” is the process of your skin constantly getting rid of dead cells to reveal new, younger cells that replace them and maintain its overall health. This turnover process happens roughly every 28 days for adults and is vital for skin health, as the outer layers are constantly damaged by external aggressors like UV radiation, bacteria, air pollution, and harsh chemicals.

When your skin cell turnover is fast, like it is during childhood, the skin is smoother, supple, and more radiant, but the cycle becomes slower and less efficient as you get older. When skin cell turnover stagnates, you end up with blocked pores, dull skin, uneven texture, acne, hyperpigmentation, milia, and an increased risk of developing wrinkles.

In order to maintain bright, healthy skin, you can:

  • Use chemical or mechanical exfoliants to scrub away the dead cells.
  • Apply products containing strong ingredients such as retinols that accelerate cell turnover, or vitamin C products to undo damage from free radicals.
  • Improve your diet by consuming healthy, vitamin- and mineral-rich foods along with plenty of water to help flush toxins out of the body and reduce your sugar intake to control inflammation.
  • Exercise regularly to enhance blood circulation and cleanse the skin.
  • Make sure that you’re getting enough rest. You need at least seven hours of good sleep each night to give your skin time to repair itself and generate new cells.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of chemical peels from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants, call us at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.