A chemical peel, also known as chemexfoliation or dermapeeling, uses a chemical solution to improve the appearance of your skin. In this treatment, a chemical solution is applied to your skin, which causes trauma or injury to your skin’s layers. The skin layers eventually peel off revealing more youthful skin. The new skin is usually smoother with fewer lines and wrinkles, has a more even color and is brighter in complexion.
A medical-grade peel is an exfoliation and resurfacing treatment that gently unglues and peels away your skin’s topmost layers. The goal is to rid your face of dead, unhealthy cells and allow smooth, dynamic cells waiting underneath to surface.
Peels work by inducing acute inflammation. Don’t let these words scare you – inflammation is actually a key component of the treatment. Skin responds with increased growth of new cells and amplified collagen production. Both help to give your complexion the boost it needs by plumping and firming tissues, whisking away wrinkles, and restoring a youthful glow.
Why Choose a Medical-Grade Chemical Peel?
Medical-grade chemical peels are well researched and have proven benefits for all types of skin. Whether your skin is acne-scarred, hyperpigmented, or showing signs of age, a chemical peel could be the nonsurgical & non-invasive medical aesthetic transformation you need.
The Benefits:
- Lightens the appearance of acne scars & hyperpigmentation for a more even skin tone.
- Softens the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.
- Medical-grade chemical peels can eliminate the build-up of pigment that causes dark undereye circles.
- Removes the layer of dead skin & reveals a brighter, more hydrated layer.
- The newly exfoliated skin will better soak up regular skincare products including lotions and serums.
- The new, smoother skin texture allows for more even makeup application.
Time Tested and Proven
Peels have indeed withstood the test of time. You might remember these treatments from the 1990s when they first rose to popularity after proving to refresh and revive skin. Although peels have evolved considerably since their early days – thanks to refined techniques and gentler ingredients, they’re much more sophisticated – you can still trust in effective, dependable results. We use peels to:
- Improve skin texture
- Increase cellular turnover
- Reduce fine lines
- Correct hyperpigmentation
- Unclog pores and clear acne
- Improve minor scarring
- Even skin tone
- Impart a dewy radiance
Discerning the Difference
So, what is the difference between medical-grade and non-medical-grade? Peels in the latter category come pre-packaged and contain only minute amounts of active ingredients. Although these treatments are safe, they rarely perform as expected and the results they do give are likely to be short-lived. You should also know non-medical-grade peels cannot be personalized to suit your aesthetic goals.
A medical-grade peel, on the other hand, can be customized. These treatments contain a much higher percentage of active ingredients and can only be administered by licensed professionals. While medical-grade peels do exfoliate the skin, they also achieve much more. They support tissue healing and restructuring not to change your appearance but rather to address concerns commonly associated with aging.
Types of Medical Grade Chemical Peels
Depending on the condition you’re trying to treat, your skin care expert will choose a chemical peel from three depths:
Superficial chemical peels: These are designed to remove damaged cells on the outermost layer of the skin. This treatment uses mild acids such as alpha-hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate. Superficial chemicals peels are used to address problems with dry skin, uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and some minor discoloration. This peel typically allows you to return to your regular activities with little to no downtime. Superficial peels can be performed every three to four weeks, depending on your skin type.
Medium-depth chemical peels: This type of treatment involves the removal of skin cells from the epidermis and the dermis (the upper part of the middle layer of skin). A medium chemical peel can treat uneven skin tone, deeper wrinkles, mild-photo aging, acne scars, and enhancement of skin vitality. Agents used for medium-depth medical grade chemical peels include glycolic acid, Jessner’s solution, and trichloroacetic acid (TCA). This treatment can require a little bit of downtime and repeat sessions to maintain your results.
Deep chemical peels: These are quite aggressive and used to remove dead skin cells from the epidermis down to the reticular layer of the dermis. They are used for deeper facial wrinkles, precancerous growths, scars, and areas that appear blotchy. Deep peels are not very common today due to longer recovery times and unpredictable results.
Understanding Chemical Peels
Medical-grade peels differ in their depth of penetration. Superficial peels penetrate just below the skin’s surface, while medium peels penetrate the epidermis (skin’s top layer) to reach the papillary dermis. Deep peels aim to penetrate to the medireticular dermis. This is the layer of dense connective tissues that comprise the bulk of the dermis. The medirectiulcar dermis is also where collagen and elastin abundantly exist.
The peel you need will depend on your skin’s overall health and the conditions you want to treat. To illustrate, if you simply want to exfoliate skin and improve tone and texture, a superficial peel will probably do the trick. But if you want to smooth away significant lines and wrinkles, you’ll need a deeper peel.
This Treatment Fights the Aging Process
To understand the answer to this question, it’s important to first understand that as we age, the cellular turnover process slows substantially. Cellular turnover allows the skin to shed dead tissues and, at the same time, reduce photo damage and other concerns. Peels support cellular turnover to promote a healthier, more radiant complexion. And like any product in your skincare routine, regularly receiving peels will help you see the best results.
Proper Skincare Is Crucial
You also need to be an active participant in the peel itself. This means committing to caring for your skin after treatment, and the first step in this process is keeping hands off your skin. Fingers, even those that are frequently washed, carry bacteria that can interfere with the skin’s natural healing process.
You should also keep hair pulled away from your face to avoid breakouts. Moisturizing is equally important because your post-treatment skin will be sensitive. But don’t choose a slew of products that may contain irritating ingredients. Instead, focus specifically on a gentle moisturizer and quality sunscreen.
Stay Out of the Sun
Speaking of sunscreen, now is a great time to mention that sun exposure can damage the new, vulnerable skin your peel has just revealed. Whether you plan to spend time outdoors, sit by a window, or work on any kind of electronic device, you need a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and broad-spectrum safety ratings. And you need to apply this skin protectant every single day.
Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages
What Are the Advantages of a Mild Chemical Peel?
- Chemical peels help to smooth dry skin
- Can help with pigmentation problems
- Controls acne
- Removes blemishes
- Less recovery time
- Helps with mild sun-damage
- Reduces mild blotchiness
- Fresher and younger looking appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Medium-Depth Chemical Peel?
- Thin facial lines are removed or the appearance is less noticeable
- The medium-depth reduces facial birthmarks
- The pigmentation in the skin is improved
- Helps with dry skin and old acne scarring
- Helps with sun-damaged skin
- Improves blotchy skin
- Younger looking overall appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Deep Chemical Peel?
- Ability to remove pre-cancerous growths
- Deeper acne scar emanation
- Long lasting effect
- Eliminates deeper lines on the face??
- Controls acne
- Helps with deep or course wrinkles
- Age spot removal
- Only a single treatment is necessary
- Smoother skin, younger appearance
- Long-term results are very good when the peel is specifically for acne scarring
The advantages of chemical peels are many, and all three help with different issues. The deep chemical peels are reserved for those with the worst types of skin problems, including serious acne, scarring and birthmarks. Some disadvantages of chemical peels need mentioning.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Chemical Peel?
- Excessive peeling normally happens more with the medium-depth peel and particularly with the deep peel
- Stinging sensation when initially applied
- Redness appears. Again, this is particularly so with the deep and medium peels. The light peel normally results in peeling like a sunburn.
- Temporarily may feel a bit of numbness
- Deep chemical peels can cause a crusting or scabbing after the treatment, as the deep dead skin cells are sleuthing off. This is temporary.
- Sensitivity to the sun ? you will need to stay out of the sun for a short time after the peel as your skin is more sensitive
- Costs can also be a disadvantage for some, since the average chemical peel cost $500 for each treatment
While some disadvantages do exist for chemical peels, the advantages do outweigh them particularly for those suffering from severe skin problems, such as acne or acne scarring. Even with the disadvantages, most people that have had them report they would have it again because of the overall improvement of their skin’s surface and the younger fresher look the entire chemical peels bring about. The discomforts often associated with a chemical peel are temporary and subside rather quickly.
Chemical Peel For Hyperpigmentation
A chemical peel uses acids at stronger concentrations to treat the desired area of skin. They reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation by removing the top layer of your skin (epidermis). Deeper versions may also penetrate the middle layer of your skin (dermis) to produce more dramatic results.