I was diverted from peels by melanoma. Just to tie them together - if you are getting peels, wear a good SPF 25 or better sunscreen everyday rain or shine, indoors or out. You don't want the new skin to get into the condition of the old skin.
Anyhow, you're prepped for your peel and come in for your appointment.
Most good peels done by competent estheticians are self neutralizing. That means that the acid neutralizes itself and doesn't have to be removed. That also means that after your peel for a couple of days, you will have some important responsibilities.
After you're made comfortable, the esthetician will discuss what peel will be used and why. Your skin will be cleansed then a neutralizer will be applied. The neutralizer removes any oils and debris on the skin so that the peel will work properly.
When the peel is applied, it is important that you communicate with your esthetician. (In fact, with any treatment it is important to communicate with your esthetician.) Good feed back is to rate your discomfort on a 1 to 10 scale with 5 being ideal. The esthetician also needs to know areas or spots that are uncomfortable. This is not the time to tough it out!
After the peel has been applied and allowed to penetrate another layer may be applied for a deeper peel. If its your first time, one layer will probably be sufficient.
After the peel medium other serums are massaged into the skin. These serums are designed to penetrate the skin and to aid in the healing and reconditioning of the skin.
The final step is always sunscreen and you must be vigilant about your sunscreen use from now on.
Here's where your responsibility after a peel comes in - you cannot do things that will heat up the body for the next 48 hours or you could reactivate the peel causing it to be deeper than you wanted. This means, no gym, sauna, jacuzzi, tanning, swimming, marathons, bicycling - I'm sure that you get the picture - for 48 hours.
Be sure to use the products recommended by your esthetician using other products may accelerate or diminish the effect of the peel. As long as you went to all that trouble and paid the esthetician all that money you may as well follow her instructions.
In a few days you may have some flaking but you should not have great scabbing hanging off skin. Your skin will be fresh looking and on the way to recovery.
