How Chemical Peel Care Letters

One of the most common procedures in cosmetic dermatology is the chemical peel. They treat everything from acne scars to wrinkles, making skin look smoother, brighter, and healthier.

This is the information you need to know about aftercare if you have recently undergone a chemical peel to maximize your results and maintain the healthiest possible appearance for your skin.

In this exposition, we’ll also cover chemical peeling treatments and chemical peel benefits.

How Chemical Peel Care Letters

Each patient receives a customized chemical peel based on their skin type and skin concern. The treatments vary in intensity and depth of penetration, resulting in different aftercare recommendations for each patient.

Your medical provider will explain how to treat your skin post-treatment to help it heal safely and to maximize the effects of the procedure.

The following tips are universal and apply to all chemical peel patients.

Dos: 5 Things to Do After a Chemical Peel

1. Listen to Your Chemical Peel Provider

Choose a board-certified medical professional for the treatment because chemical peels use acid solutions to penetrate the skin. It requires medical knowledge and experience. To ensure your safety after the treatment, follow your medical provider’s instructions on how to care for your skin. They are the most knowledgeable about the changes made to your skin and how to maintain the effectiveness of the chemical peel.

2. Wash Your Skin with Lukewarm Water

The skin is very sensitive after a chemical peel. Cold or hot water may feel uncomfortable and aggravate your skin. To avoid any skin irritation, use cool or lukewarm water when you rinse your face.

3. Use Sunscreen

Resurfaced skin after a chemical peel is more sensitive to UV rays. If you expose it to the sun, it may cause inflammation. Sunscreen is always an essential skincare product, but it becomes especially crucial after a chemical peel because it protects the skin when its natural barrier is still weak. Make sure you use it whenever you go outside or spend time near a window.

We recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. EltaMD UV Pure is a great choice for patients after a chemical peel treatment because it checks all the boxes as a highly protective sun-blocking product for all skin types, including sensitive.

4. Use Gentle Skincare Products

In line with the above recommendations, use skincare products that won’t irritate and additionally dry out your sensitive skin. Go for soap-free cleansers and water-based moisturizers without harsh ingredients. Avoid retinol, exfoliating agents, and other abrasive components.

Your medical provider may recommend a gentle cleanser and moisturizer to use after the treatment to ensure your skin stays clean and well hydrated. The team at Vibrant Skin Bar suggests SkinMedica’s Facial Cleanser because it doesn’t strip the face of its natural oils. The cleanser’s soothing and calming properties are suitable for all skin types.

5. Moisturize

Skin is drier than usual after a chemical peel, and you need to hydrate it. Your medical provider may recommend a heavy-duty ointment after a deep peel. After light or medium peels, Replenish Hydrating Cream is a wonderful choice because it thoroughly hydrates and soothes sensitive skin.  

A moisturizer improves your skin’s natural protective barrier. Apply it several times a day or whenever your skin feels tight and you need to soften it to ease the discomfort. If you feel that you need extra hydration, look for gentle hydrating mists that you can spray on your face throughout the day without applying pressure on the skin.  Osmosis MD Infuse Nutrient Activating Mist restores moisture while fortifying your skin’s natural barrier with antioxidants.

Don’ts: 6 Things to Avoid After a Chemical Peel

1. Don’t Touch, Pick, or Scratch

Medical providers warn against applying pressure on treated skin after most cosmetic treatments. Chemical peels not only expose raw, sensitive skin, but they also cause the top layers of skin to peel. Such effects may frustrate patients and tempt them to remove the peeling skin with their fingers.

Peeling, touching, picking, or scratching the skin after a chemical peel can lead to bleeding, infections, breakouts, and scarring. Use a moisturizer instead and let the skin shed off naturally to avoid complications.

2. Don’t Exfoliate

You’ve already exfoliated your skin with a chemical peel. The newly resurfaced skin is free of dead cells, oil, and dirt, so additional exfoliation can only irritate it and cause damage. You should wait about a week for light and medium peels, or until the skin heals completely, before exfoliating it.

3. Don’t Use Too Many Skincare Products

Swap your usual beauty routine for a minimal skincare regime. After a chemical peel, it’s best to stick to a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Avoid retinol creams and heavier products with active ingredients and irritants.

After a medium peel, wait about one week to resume your usual skincare routine. After a deep peel, you will have to wait longer for your skin to completely heal.

4. Avoid Other Cosmetic Treatments

To prevent unnecessary damage to sensitive skin, wait about two weeks before you get another cosmetic treatment. That includes facial waxing, Botox, dermal fillers, laser resurfacing, and other potentially abrasive procedures.

5. Don’t Expose Your Skin to Excessive Heat

Avoid exposure to the sun, tanning beds, saunas, hot tubs, and other sources of heat. Excessive heat and sweating can irritate the skin, cause an infection, and extend recovery time after a chemical peel.

6. Avoid Strenuous Physical Activity

Avoid intensive workouts for the same reason you would avoid saunas. Strenuous physical activity causes excessive sweating and increases blood circulation, which can intensify the side effects of your chemical peel and delay recovery.

Chemical Peeling Treatment

A chemical peel is a solution applied to the face to remove dead skin cells and stimulate the growth of new cells.

The aim is to improve the appearance of the skin—for example, by reducing age spots and evening out skin tone.

There are 3 types of peels, called superficial, medium and deep.

Superficial and medium peels are usually safe, as long as they’re done correctly. This type of peel is not permanent and it needs to be repeated.

Deeper peels are riskier. They’re longer-lasting and do not usually need to be repeated.

Chemical Peel Benefits

1. Give Your Skincare Products a Boost

During your treatment, a dermatologist will apply a solution of chemicals to the surface of your skin. When removed, the chemical peel will take dull surface skin cells along with it.

Shedding the topmost layer of your skin will tell living skin cells to multiply and move to the surface. This signals your body to boost collagen production, which will improve your skin’s elasticity. The reaction increases natural hyaluronic acid production, too.

As a result, your skin will begin to look and feel younger.

Smoother skin appears more radiant. It’s also more receptive to skincare products.

After a chemical peel, you’ll notice your skincare products will perform better. Now there are no longer dead skin cells at the surface of your skin. This makes it easier for your products to penetrate the skin’s surface and get to work!

2. Easy Exfoliation

At the beginning of your treatment, a professional will first thoroughly clean your skin. Then, they’ll apply a chemical solution (such as glycolic or salicylic acid) to a small area of your skin. Most chemical peels have a gel-like consistency.

This layer creates a controlled wound. You’ll feel a slight burning sensation, which lasts about 10 minutes. When the chemical solution is removed, new skin will take the place of old skin.

This process allows the chemical peel to reach deeper than other solutions.

One of the reasons many people request a deep chemical peel is to experience smoother-looking skin. Chemical peels also improve your skin tone and texture.

After removing dead skin cells, the peel will also deposit skin-healing ingredients into your skin. Now you’re exfoliating and giving your skin a boost.

If you’re looking for a skincare treatment that will leave your skin feeling like silk, try a chemical peel.

3. Minimize Sun Damage

A chemical peel benefits patients with hyperpigmentation as well.

Hyperpigmentation causes some patches of skin to appear darker than others. While normal, increased skin pigmentation sometimes occurs if you’re suffering from another condition. Addison’s disease, for instance, can occasionally result in hyperpigmentation.

Requesting a mild chemical peel can help heal your sunspots, freckles, and other pigmentation problems. Sun damage can also age your skin, causing fine lines and blotchiness.

With a chemical peel, you can ease these symptoms by treating your wrinkles to appear younger!

4. Control Melasma

Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentary disorder that’s often resistant to certain treatments. While a common, chronic form of skin hyperpigmentation, melasma can negatively impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.

In some cases, melasma is caused by hormonal surges. Patients who are pregnant may notice an increase in melasma during and after their pregnancy. While taking a birth control pill can help balance hormones and melasma, there still isn’t a permanent cure for this condition.

Many patients treat their melasma with sunblock and hormone management.

Other patients have found that a chemical peel benefits their melasma as well. If you’re noticing an increase in pigmentation problems, try a chemical peel for dark spots.

5. Soften Fine Lines

There are three main types of chemical peels you can choose from, ranging from mild to deep. Each formula can help treat different skin issues. The best option for deep scars and wrinkles, however, is a deep peel.

Unlike other peels, which may require more than one treatment, a single deep chemical peel often provides results after one session. However, you’ll need longer (about six to 12 months) to heal after a deep peel.

Deep peels are popular among older consumers.

These peels can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles near the forehead, eyes, and mouth. For moderate lines, a medium peel is also effective.

After a medium or deep peel, make sure to protect your skin from the sun. Wear a hat and a layer of SPF sunscreen. Otherwise, you could permanently change your skin’s texture or color.

Protecting your skin after a deep chemical peel will also help prolong the treatment’s results.

6. Reduce Acne Marks

Some chemical peels can help ease your acne breakouts. They can also help reduce scarring from skin blemishes.

Chemical peels unclog your pores and remove blackheads from the surface of your skin.

At the same time, they’re also able to deposit ingredients into the skin that help your post-pimple marks fade away.

The best chemical peel for acne will contain salicylic and lactic acid. Salicylic acid also lingers in your skin’s pores. This allows the acid to keep the pores clear over a period of time.

You can also ask about acids like trichloroacetic acid to help scars fade away.

Unlike resurfacing lasers, choosing a chemical peel will require no downtime. It’s also safe for all skin tones. A resurfacing laser could also result in an acne flare-up, so a chemical peel benefits acne-prone skin better than this alternative treatment.

7. Easily Customizable

The market for chemical peel facial rejuvenation is expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2026. One of the reasons for this popularity is the fact that chemical peels are low-risk. They’re safe for every skin color and don’t come with a risk of hyperpigmentation.

Doctors can also mix and match different acids to address specific skin concerns.

Since chemical peels are easily customizable, you don’t have to worry about a one-size-fits-all approach to your skin

Conclusion

Chemical peels are an excellent way to take years off your skin. However, it’s important to stick to best aftercare practices to ensure the treatment’s safety and effectiveness. Most importantly, listen to your medical provider and stick to their post-treatment advice for the best results.