Have you ever thought about a chemical peel but just weren’t sure what one could do for you? At Revive Wellness Group in Gibsonburg and Perrysburg, OH, we can tell you the benefits are many. This might explain why these treatments have remained immensely popular for more than 50 years. For more details, continue reading. We have the information you need to decide if peels are right for you.
How Long Will the Results From a Chemical Peel Last?
The answer to this question depends on the depth and strength of peel you receive, as well as your skin type and condition. All peels yield their results by removing the surface layers of skin. This is where dead cells, dirt, oil, and other debris collect. Fine lines and dulling also occur at the surface. Removing these layers helps refine your complexion and undo many effects of time.
You should also know peels are defined by their strength. Light peels are gentle and formulated with ingredients like glycolic acid and salicylic acid. These treatments require no downtime and can be easily accepted by a variety of skin types. The trade is in your results. You’ll see brighter, more radiant skin that lasts between one and two months, a smaller timeframe than that provided by deeper peels.
Medium Peels
Medium peels, as their name suggests, penetrate to medium layers of the skin. To be more specific, they remove cells from both the epidermis (surface) and upper layers of the dermis. These treatments easily erase acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles to smooth and refresh your appearance. They also regulate oil production to minimize or altogether stop acne breakouts. Finally, medium peels improve skin texture and laxity.
Their versatility is owed to the slightly stronger acids they contain, such as trichloracetic acid. These ingredients remove layers of damaged skin to maximize healing. Medium peels are also highly customizable to meet your skincare needs directly. Having said all that, these peels deliver long-lasting results that can persist between three and nine months. Again, the variation depends on your skin and the condition(s) you’re treating.
Deep Peels
Deep peels use the strongest acids but also deliver the most dramatic results. They are instrumental in revitalizing a complexion that, with time, has grown dull and depleted. Concerns that can be treated include coarse wrinkles, severe sun damage, and profound acne scars.
Not all patients are suitable for deep peels because of the potential bleaching effects. It’s also a whole-face treatment, meaning those who want to target only specific areas of concern should opt for other treatments. Those who are suitable for deep peels, however, enjoy results that continue for years. Such effects can alter your entire appearance by taking years off your face. Your skin health is similarly and visibly improved.
Which Peel Is Right for You?
Many patients ask this question, and the trick is in knowing what you want to achieve with a peel. If you simply want to exfoliate your skin and whisk away common concerns, a light peel may work just fine. If you hope to remove lines, wrinkles, or scars, a medium peel might be in order. And to improve significant wrinkles or sun damage, a deep peel will likely be necessary.
Keep in mind most peels require multiple treatments delivered several weeks or months apart. This allows your skin to fully heal between visits and achieve optimal effects. We will advise you on the best skincare regimen for your skin type following your peel. We’ll also show you the right way to apply gentle, natural exfoliants to keep skin from tearing. In total, this advice will help maintain your gorgeous chemical peel results.
Tips to Optimize Your Peel
As long as we’re on the subject of your peel results, we have a few optimization tips to share. The first is hands-off. By this, we mean you should avoid touching, picking, or scratching your face after treatment. If you see tiny flakes of skin peeling, it’s best to let them shed naturally. Manually removing dead skin can lead to scarring. Instead, let your face heal on its own to reveal the healthy, glowing tissues that lie in waiting.
You should also pull your hair back from your face to minimize breakouts. This extra step allows your skin to move through the peeling process without making contact with your fingers as you brush away stray strands. Touching skin with dirty fingers, even if just for a moment, can aggravate new tissues and cause breakouts that may require attention from our team.
Lightly Moisturize
After a chemical peel, your skin needs fewer products rather than more. In fact, the only two products you’ll really need, at least for a time, are sunscreen and a neutral moisturizer. Everything else in your arsenal can temporarily go on the shelf. In addition, we recommend you use only a little moisturizer, meaning just enough to be comfortable.
As you apply face cream or lotion, it’s best to gently pat it in rather than rub or scrub it in. Use just a small amount and feel free to reapply throughout the day as needed. You can resume your regular routine once your skin no longer feels sensitive, which is usually about a week after treatment.
Use Sunscreen
A peel helps remove sun-damaged skin, so the last thing you want is to expose new, vulnerable tissues to harsh UV rays. Luckily, you can easily protect your face with a layer of sunscreen. Whether spending time outside, sitting by a window, or working in front of any type of screen, fresh tissues need to be safeguarded. A sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher should be worn every day, even when the sky is overcast.
Delay Exfoliation
Exfoliation can be skipped in the days immediately following a peel. This means hard cleansing brushes, Retinols, resurfacing acids, and facial scrubs are off-limits. You can resume exfoliation as soon as your skin is no longer hyper-sensitive. We’ll review this in greater detail on the day of your appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might be wondering about the safety record associated with peels. We’re happy to report dermatologists have safely used these treatments for more than five decades with excellent results. Even patients with Black or Brown skin can undergo treatment without fear of hyperpigmentation – if you choose the right provider and the right peel.
As for results, you can expect them to develop within one to 14 days, depending on the type of peel you choose. Deep peels naturally take a little longer because they penetrate into underlying tissue layers. A light peel may require three to five treatments to achieve optimal results. A deep peel, on the other hand, can only be administered once.
Do Peels Hurt?
Many misconceptions surround peels, including the myth that they hurt. We’re here to tell you they absolutely do not cause pain. These treatments are, in fact, favored by many dermatologists for their ease of use and efficacy. As mentioned earlier, they’re right for sensitive skin and are much gentler than mechanical exfoliators. They also ramp up your skin’s natural cellular turnover to promote healthy skin from within.
Will My Skin Peel for Weeks?
Again, the answer is no. A number of patients, especially those who choose light peels, experience no visible peeling. Nor is peeling necessary to reap the incredible benefits of treatment. Keep in mind peels work at the cellular level, and skin flakes are simply side effects of dead cells sloughing away from the surface.
How Long Does Treatment Take?
Most peels can be completed in about 30 minutes. Some patients even refer to peels as “the lunchtime facial.” Makeup can typically be worn the next day unless you choose a deep peel, and the recovery steps are easy to follow.
Do Peels Really Increase Collagen Production?
Chemical peels do indeed amplify your body’s collagen production. By inducing a slight trauma to the skin, they trigger your body’s natural healing processes. This prompts a jump in collagen production to replace that lost by time. Peels promote collagen remodeling so that existing fibers are tightened and/or rearranged. These effects help skin to gradually look more youthful and supple, even as underlying tissues grow firmer and more elastic.
Enjoy More A-Peeling Skin
Chemical peels can quickly rejuvenate your face with long-lasting results that vary according to the treatment you choose. Light peels commonly deliver results for one to two months, while their medium counterparts can last up to nine months. The effects of deep peels are both the most dramatic and longest-lasting, continuing for years after treatment. Schedule your consultation today by calling Revive Wellness Group in Gibsonburg and Perrysburg, OH.