Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are a great way to give your face a refreshed, youthful and brighter appearance. They can also address skin imperfections such as acne, acne scars, enlarged pores, rough texture, hyperpigmentation and fine lines by reducing the appearance of these imperfections. If you start getting chemical peels routinely beginning in your 30s and 40s along with a good skin regimen it is possible to avoid needing to get pricier anti-aging treatments in the future. Almost anybody can benefit from chemical peels regardless of skin type, skin tone, sensitivity or gender.

The first questions to answer about chemical peels are what they are and what they do to the skin. Chemical peels are acids that are applied to the top layer of the skin (epidermis) to break apart the bonds of skin cells in order to allow the rapid shedding of those skin cells. The rapid shedding allows more youthful and healthier skin to appear. It takes an average of 30 days for skin cells to be produced by the basal stem cell layer of the epidermis and migrate up to the top layer of the epidermis before they are shredded. The appearance of the top layer of the skin is affected by different factors such as age (the older we get the slower the shedding), environment (i.e., pollution, sun rays, dry climate), dehydration and facial movement (e.g., squinting, smoking, anger). By shedding the top layer of the skin, the skin cells that have yet to be exposed to those factors appear youthful, healthier and brighter. There are different acids that are used in chemical peels such as glycolic, salicylic, malic, lactic, trichloroacetic to name the most common. Acids occur naturally from either dairy or fruit sugars. Depending on what concerns are being addressed, different acids can be combined (forming a solution) in a chemical peel.

Chemical peels cause the skin to shed in the form of transparent layers that “peel off” over an average of 1-2 weeks. How deep a chemical peel penetrates down into the skin determines whether the peel is a superficial, mid or a deep depth peel. The deeper the peel penetrates, the longer the discomfort, the peeling and healing process will take; however, the better and longer the results. Not everyone is a candidate for mid to deep depth peels. Since it is usually unknown how a patient’s skin will respond, It is always recommended to start off with doing a superficial chemical peel.

Chemical peels can treat a wide array of skin conditions including acne, melasma, ice pick and boxcar acne scars, wrinkles, uneven and dull skin. Make sure to choose a professional that is knowledgeable with using chemical peels on different skin types along with having the ability to treat any adverse events if they were to arise. Remember, Mobile Skin Screening can perform chemical peels in the privacy of your home to address your skin concerns.