Image via Clarisonic

My friend Gen has a neurotic tendency when it comes to her skin (don't we all!?), but hers is scary damaging: she's a "picker," meaning she pores over each pore and when she sees an anomaly, she will ATTACK! She's been to behavioral therapists who've suggested a number of solutions, none of which worked, until she discovered what works for her: brushing her face!

Lest you are now beginning to think that my friend is nuts, she's not. She's just one very creative thinker who happens to be proactive when it comes to skincare, and I'm not talking about a kit you order from Jessica Simpson. Usually, one must replace an unhealthy addiction with a (hopefully) healthy one, and she found that by gently polishing her skin with a soft toothbrush, she gets an almost porcelain finish that mimics microdermabrasion, and the results are so divine that she could care less about picking, but still gets her hands-on attention satisfied. Now, while I'm not 100 percent sure that any derm would give the thumbs up to toothbrushing the skin (unless the brush is very soft, you could really damage your pores), but she recently visited me, and I had to admit her complexion looked better than ever.

Now, while I'm rather loath to recommend such a practice, it did make me re-think an actually derm-recommended scrubbing tool who's market presence I've been ignoring simply because it seems way too "fussy" to me: the Clarasonic Skin Care System, an electronic brush made with Dupont Supersoft non-porous bristles that are gentle enough for daily use. The benefits supposedly include deep cleansing for even the most sensitive skin, and increased absorption of all your anti-aging, vitamin-infused skincare products (when you brush pre-application).

This all makes sense to me, but I'm still not sure I can handle a daily extra step. What do you think? Would you start brushing your skin (just like your hair and teeth) if it delivered great results?