House of Aesthetix casts off dull surface skin cells to improve fine lines, discoloration, and acne. An experienced skin expert can recommend the right peel for your unique needs.
For Skin Type 2 patients with enlarged pores, blackheads, mild breakouts, and tight skin, I recommend a peel with salicylic, lactic, and glycolic acids. This combination is designed to penetrate the pore lining and address clogged pores, while lactic acid and glycolic work on the surface to dissolve and digest dead skin cells.
The sun can leave behind fine lines, freckles, and sun spots, making you look older than you are. A chemical peel can remove these marks and improve your complexion to look younger.
It’s important to use sunscreen daily to maintain the results of a chemical peel. When the skin is freshly peeled, it’s sensitive and needs to be protected from harmful UV rays.
A light chemical peel can also improve pigmentation issues like freckles, sun spots, and melasma. These mild peels typically contain alpha hydroxy acids, which can help brighten the skin tone and remove discoloration. If you have a more severe sun damage problem, your doctor may recommend a medium or deep chemical peel.
The stronger the chemical peel, the more extensive the damage that’s reversed. Deeper peels typically include trichloroacetic acid, which can reach more layers of the skin to treat deeper wrinkles and other damage.
These peels can take a while to heal because the skin is removed, but they offer more significant results. They can even out the skin tone, reduce the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles, improve acne scars, and diminish dark spots.
If you’re considering a chemical peel to reverse sun damage, talk to your skin care professional about the best options for your unique needs and skin type. A light peel will help improve fine lines and wrinkles, but a medium or deep peel will also improve sagging skin and uneven color.
If you’re new to chemical peels, your skincare professional will probably start you with a light peel. This will allow them to see how your skin responds and determine whether a deeper peel is right for you. After treatment, your skin might be red or tight, but you should refrain from rubbing or picking at it. You should also keep the area hydrated with an unscented moisturizing cream and avoid using scrubs on your face. In addition, it’s important to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen daily to protect the newly regenerated layer of your skin from the sun’s rays.
Chemical peels can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by exfoliating your skin and removing dead, dry layers. This helps your skin look smoother, younger, and healthier. Your medical professional may use a light peel for mild damage or medium and deep peels for more serious problems.
During a light peel, your medical professional will use a cotton ball, gauze, or brush to apply a chemical solution such as salicylic acid to the affected area of your face. The chemical causes a controlled injury to your skin, causing it to turn white and feel slightly stinging. The chemical is then removed, a neutralizing solution will be applied, and your skin can return to its normal state.
A light peel targets the outermost layer of your skin to exfoliate and reduce fine lines. It also removes the blotchy appearance of sun damage. This type of peel is often used to treat small blemishes on the face and other parts of the body, such as the neck, chest/decolletage, arms, and legs.
After a light peel, your skin will likely experience redness and scaling for several days. This is because the old skin sheds to reveal new, refreshed skin underneath. You may need to wear loose clothing for a few days and avoid using products that irritate your skin until the redness disappears.
Moderate chemical peels target the outermost layer and part of the middle layer to give your skin a fresher, more youthful look. This treatment best suits people with moderate sun damage, scars, or wrinkles. It is not recommended for people prone to keloids or other irregularities that require delicate changes in a small area.
A deep chemical peel removes the outermost and some of the middle layers of your skin, revealing fresher, younger-looking skin underneath. This treatment is ideal for reducing more severe signs of aging, such as deep wrinkles, scarring, and age spots. It is not recommended for people with sagging skin or prone to keloid scarring or bleeding easily.
A chemical peel can fade brown spots, scars, or uneven skin tone and help reduce blackheads. A light, medium, or deep peel may be recommended depending on your needs. These treatments can remove the top layer of dead skin cells that cause discoloration and can be combined with laser treatment for optimal results.
Your skin care professional will recommend a pre-treatment regimen before your peel to achieve the best results. This includes avoiding retinoid products and possibly taking oral antibiotics or antiviral medication. Depending on the peel you receive, you must stop waxing or using depilatory hair removal products and facial scrubs for a week before your procedure. You should also arrange to have someone drive you home after your peel if you get a deep peel.
During the peel, your skin will be thoroughly cleansed, and any open sores or lesions will be treated. A numbing cream or mask may make the process more comfortable. The chemical peel will then be applied to your skin and left on for a specified time. Your skin care professional will then remove and neutralize the peel off your face.
After a chemical peel, your skin will be red and dry for a few days to a week or longer, depending on the intensity of your peel. It is important to remember that cosmetic procedures take time, so you must commit to consistent treatment and at-home care to see a noticeable difference in your appearance.
During your initial consultation, you will be asked about your medical history and any skin conditions you have. Your skin care specialist will then be able to match the right type of peel for your needs. While it is true that darker skin can often tolerate stronger peels than lighter skin, this varies from patient to patient. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green works closely with her patients to determine the ideal chemical peel for their unique skin needs.
Chemical peels help reduce acne scars by removing the outermost skin layer containing oil and dead cells. This causes the skin to regenerate new layers that are usually smoother and less scarred. It can also lighten dark spots and improve a dull complexion caused by sun damage or precancerous scaly spots (actinic keratosis).
The chemical peel treatment is performed in your doctor’s office or a surgery center as an outpatient procedure. Your doctor will clean your face and apply the chemical solution to small areas of your skin using a cotton-tipped applicator. The type of peel your doctor uses will depend on the severity of your condition. A mild peel may contain glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid. A deep peel may contain phenol or carbolic acid.
Depending on the type of peel used, your skin will feel itchy or burning for several minutes. Putting cool compresses on your skin can help to ease these sensations. You should take an over-the-counter pain reliever before and after your peel, especially if you have a deeper peel.
You might notice some redness after your peel, but this typically fades within a few hours or up to five days after treatment. Following your doctor’s post-peel care instructions is important to ensure proper healing. This will include using a prescription cream or moisturizer appropriate for your skin type, using sunscreen to protect the healing skin, and avoiding exercise and other physical activity.
In rare cases, high-concentration chemical peels can cause permanent or long-term changes in skin pigmentation. This can occur in darker skin tones as inflammation from the chemical peel triggers your body’s natural pigmentation system to produce more melanin. This can result in a black or dark brown scar or block melanin production altogether, causing a lighter-than-normal blotch.
Some people have a higher risk of scarring than others. You should tell your doctor if you have a history of keloid scarring, cold sores that keep coming back, or facial X-rays. You should also tell your doctor if you’re taking a blood thinner or have heart disease.