What To Know About Chemical Peel Is Best For Acne
Chemical peels are a popular treatment for acne, and you might be wondering if they’re right for you. The good news is that there are many types of peels, so it’s likely that one or more of them will work for your skin.
The bad news? There’s no way to know which one is best without doing a little research. And that’s where we come in! We’ve put together a quick guide to help you understand what chemical peels are, how they work, and what to look for when choosing one that will work best for your skin type.
Radical facial peels, like the one hundred percent glycolic acid peel, has become popular with people who want to achieve a bright and smooth finish on the skin. And with good reason: it delivers dramatic results, when done correctly. Sadly, you don’t have to throw away your 100 percent glycolic acid solution before the effects wear off completely, particularly if you don’t use it properly. Let’s take a look at what makes chemical peels different from other products that are out there today and how to use them for optimal results, including a healthy and radiant complexion. Read on to learn more Chemical Peel For Acne At Home /Chemical Peel For Acne Scars.
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What To Know About Chemical Peel Is Best For Acne
Supermodels say that the recipe for flawless healthy skin is peace of mind and 7 litres of water per day. But we both know that’s a lie. You can’t just wish those unclogged pores away; you have to fight them. That’s where chemical peels come in.
As opposed to physical peels and exfoliators, chemical peels are products containing active ingredients that gently remove dead skin cells, revealing newer, brighter, and firmer skin underneath.
Chemical peeling is great therapy for skin with acne and it doubles as a preventive measure for acne-prone skin. This is because the ‘’peeling’’ action wipes away dead skin cells and dirt that tends to clog pores and cause inflammation.
Before you dive ahead into improving your general skin health by using chemical peels, here are a few things you need to know;
What are Chemical Peels?
According to beauty experts, a chemical peel is an acid solution used in cosmetics to cause a controlled degree of injury to the skin surface during the process removing dead skin cells, oil and dirt, leaving your skin feeling new and tight.
In reality, a chemical peel does not involve any peeling motion. What it does instead is that it exfoliates your skin with acids such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid. After application, they can be washed off with cool water.
Chemical Peel For Acne At Home
The action is experienced on a cellular level, so there is no real physical injury to your skin.
What are they used for?
People go for chemical peels for a lot of reasons. Here are a few;
- To treat acne scars
- To reduce the size of your pores
- To reduce wrinkling and fine lines around the eyes and mouth
- To treat hyperpigmentation
- For sunburns and melasma
- To lighten dark spots
To fast-healscars - To fight blackheads
- To improve overall skin texture
Types of Chemical Peels
There are generally three kinds of chemical peels based on intensity;
- Light peel,
- Medium peel
- and deep peels.
The choice of a peeling method depends on your skin needs. For basic skin maintenance, a light peel will do. For smoother and better skin texture, a medium peel will do. When it comes to scars and acne, a deep peel is advised.
Light peels may be achieved at home, but for the more intense medium and deep peels, it is wiser to book an appointment with your dermatologist to prevent harming your skin.
At-Home Peels vs Professional peels
While you could buy a peel pad from the store and do the work yourself, it usually is more relaxing to get a peel done at a spa, or with a doctor. Not only are they better at it, they usually incorporate some forms of massage or aftercare tips.
Preparing for a Chemical Peel
Before your chemical peel, it is important to not make any drastic changes to your skincare routine, as this may throw off your skin’s balance. However, reduce the frequency of exfoliation, especially if you use a physical exfoliator.
Since you’ll be applying acids to your skin, stay away from any bleaching products, including hair dyes and bleaches. Also, avoid waxing and depilating products.
Ensure that you share your routine with your cosmetologist or dermatologist.
What to expect during a peel?
While chemical peels are not associated with physical pulling on your skin, the acids cause a burning or stinging sensation on the skin. Often, you may need to be sedated before the procedure begins. At other times, the pain may be eased by a cold compress or proper air conditioning.
As a result, you may not be able to drive yourself home. Make arrangements after consulting your doctor.
Pros vs Cons
As expected, after a peel, your skin will feel soft and supple. On the downside, you will experience redness that lasts a period ranging from a few days to a whole month. During this period, it is crucial to keep the skin moisturised and protect it from the sun with a hydrating sunscreen. Your new skin will need a few weeks of pampering before your results start to show.
Other more serious side effects include;
- facial swelling
- dark or light patches on the skin
- infections from injury, especially for people with Herpes simplex
However, these side effects are rare and can be avoided by patch testing with a patch of skin before a peel.
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Chemical peels can improve the skin’s appearance. In this treatment, a chemical solution is applied to the skin, which makes it “blister” and eventually peel off. The new skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin.
Chemical peels can be done on the face, neck, or hands. They can be used to:
- Reduce fine lines under the eyes and around the mouth
- Treat wrinkles caused by sun damage and aging
- Improve the appearance of mild scars
- Treat certain types of acne
- Reduce age spots, freckles, and dark patches (melasma) due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills
- Improve the look and feel of skin
Areas of sun damage may improve after chemical peeling.
After a chemical peel, skin is temporarily more sensitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen every day. It should say “broad-spectrum” on the label, meaning it protects against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Also, it should be a physical sunscreen and be above SPF 30. Limit your time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Who Is a Good Candidate For a Chemical Peel?
Generally, fair-skinned and light-haired patients are better candidates for chemical peels. If you have darker skin, you may also have good results, depending upon the type of problem being treated. But you also may be more likely to have an uneven skin tone after the procedure.
Skin sags, bulges, and more severe wrinkles do not respond well to chemical peels. They may need other kinds of cosmetic surgical procedures, such as laser resurfacing, a facelift, brow lift, eyelid lift, or soft tissue filler (collagen or fat). A dermatologic surgeon can help determine the most appropriate type of treatment for you.
Before You Get a Chemical Peel
Tell your doctor if you have any history of scarring, cold sores that keep coming back, or facial X-rays.
Before you get a chemical peel, your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain drugs and prepare your skin by using other medications, such as Retin-A, Renova, or glycolic acid. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs.
Work with your doctor to determine the depth of your peel. This decision depends upon the condition of your skin and your goals for treatment.
Ask your doctor in advance whether you will need to have someone drive you home after your peel.
How Chemical Peels Are Done
You can get a chemical peel in a doctor’s office or in a surgery center. It’s an outpatient procedure, meaning there’s no overnight stay.
The professional who does your peel will first clean your skin thoroughly. Then they will apply one or more chemical solutions — such as glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, or carbolic acid (phenol) — to small areas of your skin. That creates a controlled wound, letting new skin take its place.
During a chemical peel, most people feel a burning sensation that lasts about five to ten minutes, followed by a stinging sensation. Putting cool compresses on the skin may ease that stinging. You may need pain medication during or after a deeper peel.
What To Expect After the Chemical Peel
Depending upon the type of chemical peel, a reaction similar to sunburn occurs following the procedure. Peeling usually involves redness followed by scaling that ends within three to seven days. Mild peels may be repeated at one to four-week intervals until you get the look you’re after.
Medium-depth and deep peeling may result in swelling as well as blisters that may break, crust, turn brown, and peel off over a period of seven to 14 days. Medium-depth peels may be repeated in six to 12 months, if necessary.
After treatment, you may need bandages for several days on part or all of the skin that was treated.
You’ll need to avoid the sun for several months after a chemical peel since your new skin will be fragile.
Possible Complications
Some skin types are more likely to develop a temporary or permanent color change in the skin after a chemical peel. Taking birth control pills, subsequent pregnancy, or a family history of brownish discoloration on the face may make that more likely.
There is a low risk of scarring in certain areas of the face. Some people may be more likely to scar. If scarring does happen, it can usually be treated with good results.
For people with a history of herpes outbreaks, there is a small risk of reactivating cold sores. Your doctor can prescribe medication to prevent or treat that.
A chemical peel is a mixture of chemicals that forms gel-like consistency. It’s applied to the face in order to smooth the surface of the skin, remove the appearance of fine lines and remove blemishes. There are three types of chemical peels: mild, medium-depth and deep. Each have their advantages and serve different purposes.
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Chemical Peel For Acne Scars
- Chemical peels help to smooth dry skin
- Can help with pigmentation problems
- Controls acne
- Removes blemishes
- Less recovery time
- Helps with mild sun-damage
- Reduces mild blotchiness
- Fresher and younger looking appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Medium-Depth Chemical Peel?
- Thin facial lines are removed or the appearance is less noticeable
- The medium-depth reduces facial birthmarks
- The pigmentation in the skin is improved
- Helps with dry skin and old acne scarring
- Helps with sun-damaged skin
- Improves blotchy skin
- Younger looking overall appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Deep Chemical Peel?
- Ability to remove pre-cancerous growths
- Deeper acne scar emanation
- Long lasting effect
- Eliminates deeper lines on the face??
- Controls acne
- Helps with deep or course wrinkles
- Age spot removal
- Only a single treatment is necessary
- Smoother skin, younger appearance
- Long-term results are very good when the peel is specifically for acne scarring
The advantages of chemical peels are many, and all three help with different issues. The deep chemical peels are reserved for those with the worst types of skin problems, including serious acne, scarring and birthmarks. Some disadvantages of chemical peels need mentioning.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Chemical Peel?
- Excessive peeling normally happens more with the medium-depth peel and particularly with the deep peel
- Stinging sensation when initially applied
- Redness appears. Again, this is particularly so with the deep and medium peels. The light peel normally results in peeling like a sunburn.
- Temporarily may feel a bit of numbness
- Deep chemical peels can cause a crusting or scabbing after the treatment, as the deep dead skin cells are sleuthing off. This is temporary.
- Sensitivity to the sun ? you will need to stay out of the sun for a short time after the peel as your skin is more sensitive
- Costs can also be a disadvantage for some, since the average chemical peel cost $500 for each treatment
While some disadvantages do exist for chemical peels, the advantages do outweigh them particularly for those suffering from severe skin problems, such as acne or acne scarring. Even with the disadvantages, most people that have had them report they would have it again because of the overall improvement of their skin’s surface and the younger fresher look the entire chemical peels bring about. The discomforts often associated with a chemical peel are temporary and subside rather quickly.