For the next few articles, I’m going to talk about peels that can be done by a trained, qualified and competent esthetician.
Whether the peel is one that can be done by an esthetician or a more invasive peel by a medical professional the number of applications or layers, strength of the concentration and time left on the skin all affect the depth, downtime and results.
Light Peels
Although these treatments do thin the top layer of skin (stratum corneum), a light peel is not considered to be a true peel. Because it is so mild there may be little or no obvious sloughing of the skin.
In this peel, low concentrations of an acid such as alpha hydroxy, glycolic, and lactic or fruit acid are applied to the skin for a short period of time. Or, with newer processing such as the products that I use, the acid is self deactivating so that it doesn’t have to be removed leaving the nutrients of the acid in place. You may feel a mild tingling or stinging sensation that goes away very quickly with some light fanning. With the peels that I use, there is no downtime, results are immediately visible.
This peel could be done, once a month to keep the look fresh and healthy. You must follow the at-home instructions – for the next 2 days; do nothing to raise your body heat, no sun or tanning beds, no hot water on the area peeled, no workouts. Raising the body’s heat in the days following the peel could reactivate the peel causing it to go deeper. You must also use the home care products so that what you put on your face afterwards is compatible with the peel and there is not an adverse reaction.
The Acids
Alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids: Alpha hydroxy includes glycolic (sugar cane), lactic (milk) and pyruvic acid (which converts to lactic acid on the skin). These acids are found in nature and are generally milder with little chance of adverse allergic or other negative reactions. Glycolic can free impacted debris from the skin and can improve texture but has little effect on smoothing out acne scars or fine lines and wrinkles. Lactic acid is ideal for sensitive skin as it is hydrating as well as effective in maintaining the skin’s proper pH to help eliminate germs, toxins and dead cells.
Salicylic, a beta hydroxy acid, is naturally occurs in willow bark and wintergreen. It is also synthesized. It is the active ingredient in many skin care products used in the treatment of psoriasis and acne. As with all the acids, it causes skin cells to slough off. It also can penetrate into the pores to help prevent the clogging and clean out bacteria. Individuals with an allergy to aspirin are not candidates for this product.
