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"  The benefits of regular exfoliation have been known since ancient Egyptian times, when abrasive masks made of ground alabaster and pumice sloughed off dry facial skin. Thankfully, methods have evolved over the ages, but the principle remains the same: As cells move from the dermis to the epidermis over the course of their life cycle, they gradually die, which causes the skin&amp;#039;s surface to appear rough and flat. Removing them\u2014whether with chemical peels or manual scrubs\u2014allows light to bounce evenly off of the skin, creating a more radiant complexion (while also de-clogging pores and boosting the efficacy of serums and moisturizers). As desirable as this may be, many commonly used at-home exfoliants have drawbacks: chemical products can redden sensitive types and spark bumpy flare-ups that last for days; sandpapery gloves and loofahs can harbor bacteria; ground-up organic substances such as apricot kernels and walnuts can cause damaging cuts to the dermis; and nonbiodegradable plastic beads found in some cleansers can ultimately end up in the ocean after washing down the drain. &amp;quot;Scrubs often abrade too deeply, causing inflammation and triggering breakouts in those who are prone to acne,&amp;quot; says Newport Beach, California\u2013based dermatologist Anne Marie McNeill, MD, PhD. &amp;quot;Unfortunately, this makes some people less likely to exfoliate.&amp;quot; Enter micro-exfoliation cloths, which are an adaptation of microfiber technology originally developed in the 1980s for use in household cleaning. (Each fiber is 100 times thinner than human hair; when woven together, they create a smooth surface area with millions of dirt-trapping spaces between the strands.) The cloths can be paired with any facial cleanser that does not contain crystals or beads, making them easier than most exfoliation methods, which can be messy or require multiple steps. And since they&amp;#039;re washable and reusable for a month or more, they&amp;#039;re also environmentally friendly.  The cloths&amp;#039; biggest boon, however, is their mildness: Moving the nano-fibers across the skin shears off only the top layer stratum corneum cells, leaving the delicate dermis untouched and alleviating the risk of redness and inflammation. Since the cloths contain no chemicals or granules, even retinoid fans\u2014who are typically told to avoid manual scrubs\u2014can tolerate them without irritation, though Leslie Baumann, MD, author of The Skin Type Solution, urges caution. &amp;quot;Only once you&amp;#039;ve been on retinoids for two months and are past the most sensitive stage of treatment should you try them,&amp;quot; she says. The manufacturers of the cloths claim they mimic the effects of microdermabrasion (without the hefty price tag), but no one should expect to see such dramatic results. &amp;quot;The cloths will speed cell turnover, increasing clarity and reducing sunspots and fine lines without disadvantages associated with other scrubs,&amp;quot; Baumann says, &amp;quot;but they&amp;#039;re too superficial to stimulate collagen.&amp;quot; Also, there&amp;#039;s a danger of overexfoliation: The cloths should be applied with light pressure and never for more than two minutes. &amp;quot;People might misjudge the softness of these cloths and think they can remove their mascara with them,&amp;quot; says Renee Ryan, makeup artist for Cargo Cosmetics, who preps skin for foundation with the brand&amp;#039;s Blu_Ray Polishing Cloths. &amp;quot;Don&amp;#039;t do that. They may be gentle, but they&amp;#039;re not that gentle.&amp;quot; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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