Are chemical peels good for the skin?

The simple answer is yes if applied correctly and the proper precautions are taken after the peel.

Whether you do an at-home treatment or go to a medical aesthetics clinic, the recovery procedure is the same.

The chemical solution used to improve the skin’s appearance of uneven skin tone and other imperfections may include a combination of the following ingredients:

• Salicylic acid
• Malic acid
• Retinol
• Glycolic Acid
• Lactic acid
• Trichloroacetic acid
• Botanical extracts
• Fruit enzymes

Each one of these ingredients performs a specific task.

The combination of the acid ingredients produces a deep skin-penetrating (trichloroacetic acid) solution to remove dead skin cells (glycolic and lactic acids), clear out pores (salicylic acid), and increase collagen (retinol).

The botanical extracts and fruit enzymes serve to refresh and hydrate the skin for that attractive glow.

My face will look like what after a peel?!

In that case, to have the best experience with chemical peels take heed to do the following:

Research the different peels, choose for your skin type

Spas and home-kits offer different chemical peels for different skin types and needs. Either talk with your aesthetician or read through the ingredients on the package to see what would be the best fit for your skin.

Some ingredients can be more aggressive as a deep treatment causing inflammation and more red skin for sensitive skin types.

If you’re looking to reduce wrinkles, you may not need the peel that is also meant to treat acne.
Types of professional chemical peels to review include:

Superficial peels, also known as lunchtime peels or lite peels, might be just what you need. This type uses milder ingredients, like glycolic acid, and causes less of a reaction as they only go to a shallow or medium skin depth.

You can do mid-day medium treatment and continue on with your errands with less redness than a deeper peel.

Deep peels will use more aggressive ingredients to penetrate deep into the skin to further remove impurities. This causes more redness to form and peeling as more layers of skin were treated.

Check Your Skincare Products

To achieve the best results, talk with your medical aesthetician during your consultation to see if any of your daily skincare products should be avoided prior to treatment.

The more water in your system the faster the repair and the better effects of the peel. Plus drinking water and eating right has so many benefits for your skin and body!

How to recover from a chemical peel

With the proper prep before the peel, you should have a leg up on the repair process.

How long does it take to recover from chemical peels?

The exact time will depend on the type of peel and ingredients used. Superficial and medium peels may take up to a week, where a deep peel could take 14 days.

Also, depending on skin sensitivity, some experience taught skin with some redness right after the treatment.

You will probably start the chemical peeling process about 3-5 days post-procedure.

You may experience redness lasting 7 to 14 days, again depending on the type of chemical peel received.

Steps to take for a successful chemical peel

1. Stay consistent with a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and lather on the sunscreen. Your skin is in the healing process, sun exposure should be avoided during this time to allow for less inflammation to occur.
2. Avoid heavy activity and sweating for 2-3 days post chemical peel as this may aggravate the skin further.
3. With the inflamed treated skin in the healing process, avoiding sun lamp exposure, tanning beds, or other heat sources directly on the skin is recommended.
4. Continue without medicated creams for at least 3-5 days as some ingredients may bother the treated skin.
5. Try your best not to peel or pick at your skin as it is peeling and flaking on its own. Peeling pieces of skin that are still attached and aren’t ready to peel could cause bleeding and scarring.

Is a chemical peel worth it?

According to Allure, they are the “secret to perfect skin.” There are many benefits to getting a chemical peel. There are also many amazing before and after photos of those who have been treated with peels.

Just like a good workout, you get sore but as your muscles heal the fat decreases and you look and feel better. Your skin needs a little workout every once in a while, plus a lot of daily care!

After the healing process from a chemical peel expect to have your flaws and imperfections improve. All of this without plastic surgery!

Treat acne, fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and more with a chemical peel that is just right for you.

Before heading to the local pharmacy or skincare boutique for a DIY chemical peel, have a chat with an aesthetician who is experienced with different types of skin and can advise what peel is right for you.

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