Fall is the season for shifting your skin care toward more intensive treatments. In this week’s newsletter, we take a look at chemical peels, which are among the most researched non-invasive, medical-grade skin treatments available. Chemical peels have been around for quite some time and for good reason — they work. They can treat a variety of skin concerns from hyperpigmentation and melasma to acne, acne scarring, skin tone, texture, and the visible effects of aging on our skin.
What are chemical peels?
Chemical peels are cosmetic treatments that involve the careful exfoliation of the skin using different acid components, such as phenol, alpha and beta hydroxy acids and other natural ingredients. Chemical peels affect two layers of the skin: the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the visible outer layer, and the dermis sits just beneath. Medical-grade chemical peels typically remove a controlled amount of skin cells from the epidermis, and some stronger peels may also remove a small part of the dermis. By exfoliating the outer most layer(s) of skin, chemical peels help promote and rebuild healthy collagen in the skin, and the new, revealed skin will have better tone and texture, and appear visibly healthier.
Our team at Wise Med Spa uses a variety of chemical peels to treat a number of skin issues, including reversing sun damage and signs of aging, treating hyperpigmentation and melasma, improving pore size, clearing acne, mask acne & reducing acne scars, softening fine lines & wrinkles, and stimulating collagen growth and elastin production. Each peel is different, and can help target your specific skin issues, thus it’s important to have your skin evaluated by our professionals prior to treatment.
What to expect?
Radhika, the Nurse Practitioner at Wise Med Spa, put together this helpful video to demonstrate what it’s really like getting a chemical peel, what the aftercare looks like, as well as what you can expect from the post-peel process.
When should you not get a chemical peel?
Chemical peels often cause redness and peeling, which may take 1–2 weeks to go away. It is also important to keep the face dry and not to shower or use face wash for the first 24 hours. Thus, it’s best to not get a chemical peel on a day that you will have to be excessively active, nor right before any big events, since peeling will be occurring. It’s also not advised to use makeup until the skin has healed and stopped peeling.
Is getting a chemical peel right for you?
Chemical peels are safe for most skin types, and since there are many different kinds of chemical peels available, there will most likely be a peel that works for you. Wise Med Spa also offers a number of more intense treatments, including CO2 laser skin resurfacing, PicoWay and VBeam laser treatments, etc., which can help you achieve your aesthetic goals sooner. The best way to determine which procedure can be the most beneficial for you is to come in for a complimentary consultation.
