Is Chemical Peel Bad For Skin
Possible risks of chemical peels include: darkening or lightening of the skin – this can be permanent. cold sores returning if you’ve had them before. scarring or an infection – although this is rare.
A chemical peel is an excellent way to get rid of certain types of scars or discoloration. However, it does not work well for all skin types. If you have dry skin and a prior history of acne or if you have large pores, you may not benefit fully from a chemical peel. It also might not be right for those with hyperpigmentation, melasma, sun damage or wickeling skin because they can be more likely to develop serious side effects such as infections, burning, irritation and redness.
Chemical peels are a great treatment for improving your skin’s appearance and rejuvenating your face. However, there is some confusion about what chemical peels can do. This article will clarify the benefits of chemical peel treatments. Read on to learn more on chemical peel at home/chemical peel for hyperpigmentation.
Is Chemical Peel Bad For Skin
Out with the old and in with the new. Chemical peels treat fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, pore size, acne, pigmentation, and more. These aesthetic treatments are some of the most sought-after, and millions of people are already enjoying the life-changing benefits. At AURAE MD in La Jolla, CA, we offer the widest variety of peels to reveal a new, radiant, you. Read on to find the top ten benefits of chemical peels.
A chemical peel is a powerful skin exfoliating solution applied to the face, neck, or hands to reveal the smooth and clear skin underneath. What makes this technique so popular is that it’s useful for a variety of skin concerns.
Are All Chemical Peels the Same?
No, there are different peels. Peels are generally classified by their ingredients. Each skin condition may respond differently to the ingredients in a peel. For example, wrinkles, pigment problems, and superficial blemishes respond very well to a stronger peel. Acne often responds best to salicylic acid peels.
Alpha-hydroxy (AHA), glycolic, lactic, or fruit acid peels are among the gentlest peels. Stronger options like trichloroacetic acid peels penetrate the skin more deeply and can rid the skin of wrinkles.
All peels can provide skin rejuvenating benefits, but your skin’s type and condition dictates which peel to use. Contacting Dr. Margo Aura Emami is the best way to find out which peel is right for you.
How Does a Chemical Peel Work?
The exact process varies depending on the chosen peel. Your skin is thoroughly cleansed and prepared for the treatment before the application of the peel. Next, a chemical solution is applied to your skin and left in place for a designated time. While you wait, the peel solution exfoliates the skin. Once the peel has completed its work, it is peeled away to reveal new, regenerated skin.
Is There Anything to Avoid After a Chemical Peel?
After receiving any peel, it’s essential to avoid the sun while your skin heals.
Superficial Peels
Superficial peels take one to seven days to heal fully. Use lotion or cream on the skin while it heals. Wear sunscreen every day after your skin heals. You can wear makeup the day after your appointment.
Medium Peels
Medium peels take five to ten days to heal completely. The skin may peel during this time. If you have a history of cold sores, you may be advised to take antiviral medication during this time. Use a mild lotion or cream on the skin during the healing process. After five to seven days, you can wear makeup.
Benefits of Chemical Peels
There is a peel for all the most common skin concerns. Below are the top ten benefits of a chemical peel.
1. Treats Acne
Topical acne treatments can only go so far, and a peel exfoliates deeper. Getting a peel cleanses your skin more thoroughly and reveals a fresh new layer of skin, without the acne. Peels for acne work best when received in a series, and Dr. Margo Aura Emami can customize a peel schedule to help keep your skin blemish-free.
2. Minimizes Pores
Large pores are a common concern for many, and all who have them wish they’d go away. Removing the outer, often damaged layer of skin with a peel has the benefit of making pores look smaller.
3. Erases Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Nothing leaves us stuck in the past as much as lines on the skin. These reminders prevent us from living in—and fully enjoying—the present moment. When fine lines or wrinkles have got you down, peels come to the rescue. These chemical solutions can permanently remove fine lines and ease even the toughest wrinkles.
4. Fades Discoloration
You deserve to feel confident, vibrant, and beautiful. If sunspots, discoloration, and hyperpigmentation are getting in your way, a peel can help. Many clients find that a peel lifts discoloration from the skin for good.
5. Lifts Skin
When you don’t want the downtime of a facelift, a peel could be the right alternative for you. Skin lifting is one of the incredible benefits a peel offers.
6. Soothes Scarring
There is an implied permanence with scarring that isn’t accurate. Many scars from acne or anything else recede when exposed to the chemicals found in a peel.
7. Balances Texture
Uneven skin tone and blemishes add a dimension to the skin that many people don’t want. Peels bring balance to the overall texture of the skin.
8. Smooths Skin
Peels are best known for unparalleled skin-smoothing benefits. By lifting rigid layers of skin from the face, neck, or hands, the result is gorgeously smooth and touchable skin.
9. Non-Invasive Treatment
This treatment is one of the most effective options not requiring needles or surgery. Some clients pair this treatment with other treatments because of this. For others, it’s comforting to know that they can achieve their desired look without surgery.
Chemical Peel For Hyperpigmentation
Chemical peel. A chemical peel uses acids at stronger concentrations to treat the desired area of skin. They reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation by removing the top layer of your skin (epidermis). Deeper versions may also penetrate the middle layer of your skin (dermis) to produce more dramatic results.
Ablative lasers are the most intense, and they involve removing layers of your skin. Non-ablative procedures, on the other hand, target the dermis to promote collagen growth and tightening effects.
Ablative lasers are stronger, but they may cause more side effects. Both destroy elements in your skin to ensure that new skin cells grow back tighter and more toned.
Who should try this?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to skin resurfacing.
Ablative lasers may work better for people with fair skin. For some people, non-ablative versions may cause the skin to darken instead of lighten.
Your dermatologist will work with you to assess your discoloration and overall skin tone to select the best option for your skin.
5. Intense pulse light therapy (IPL)
IPL therapy is a type of non-ablative (fractional) laser treatment. Also known as a photofacial, IPL therapy stimulates collagen growth within the dermis. It usually requires multiple sessions.
IPL is used for overall pigmentation issues, but flat spots especially respond to this treatment. It may also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, spider veins, and enlarged pores.
Who should try this?
According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), IPL works best for people with fair skin.
6. Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is an in-office procedure used to treat hyperpigmentation that affects the epidermis only (superficial scarring).
During the procedure, your dermatologist will use a drill-like handheld tool with a wire brush or another abrasive attachment. The tool is then swiped across your skin to rapidly — but gently — remove the epidermis.
You may need multiple sessions to achieve your ideal result.
Who should try this?
Microdermabrasion works best on superficial scars. Your dermatologist can help you determine whether this treatment is right for you.
It also works well for people with fairer skin.
7. Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion also involves the removal of your epidermis, but its effects continue down to a part of your dermis.
While dermabrasion is sometimes used to smooth out wrinkles, the procedure has been historically used to address texture concerns. These include:
- acne scars
- age spots
- chickenpox scars
- injury scars
- sun damage
As with microdermabrasion, your dermatologist will use a drill-like handheld tool with a wire brush or other abrasive attachment. They’ll move the tool across your skin to rapidly — but gently — remove your entire epidermis and the top part of your dermis.
Who should try this?
Dermabrasion may be a good option if you’re looking to decrease pigmentation at a faster rate than microdermabrasion.
It works best for fairer skin. However, further hyperpigmentation as a result of the procedure can occur with all skin types. The new patches of hyperpigmentation may lighten after about eight weeks.
8. Lightening creams
Lightening creams are over-the-counter (OTC) treatments that work with select ingredients to help decrease pigmentation. Many of these creams are available in stronger prescription forms.
They’re usually applied once or twice a day to help lighten the skin over time. Topical treatments for lightening also come in gel form.
Common ingredients found in OTC lightening products include:
- licorice extract
- vitamin B-3 (niacinamide)
Who should try this?
Lightening creams or gels work best for flat spots, such as melasma or age spots. They’re effective for patches of discoloration on most skin types.
Online retailers make it easy to access beauty and skin care products that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. You should only purchase products from retailers and manufacturers that you trust.
Although a nonsurgical cosmetic treatment likely won’t give you the same dramatic results as a surgical facelift, noninvasive procedures can be very effective at targeting:
- wrinkles and deep creases
- loss of facial volume
- skin tone and texture
With that in mind, here are some of the key benefits of nonsurgical cosmetic treatments.
Benefits
- More affordable. Compared with surgical facelifts, nonsurgical or minimally invasive procedures are a fraction of the cost. On average, a surgical facelift costs around $8,000. A Botox treatment costs about $500, and a chemical peel will run you around $550.
- Less recovery time. In general, the recovery time is significantly less. With some procedures, you can be back at work the same day.
- In and out of the doctor’s office quickly. Many nonsurgical treatments take less than an hour to complete.
- Less discomfort. Compared with a surgical procedure, nonsurgical treatments typically have minimal aftercare. In many cases, you can manage any discomfort with over-the-counter pain medication.
- Fewer risks overall. Because you don’t need general anesthesia or large incisions, fewer risks are typically involved with nonsurgical cosmetic procedures.
According to Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD, board-certified dermatologist of Westlake Dermatology, skin laxity is only one component of aging. She explained that loss of volume in your face is also an important cause of premature aging.
“A surgical facelift won’t fix many of the fine lines and crepe-y skin texture that develops with age. That is where fillers and skin resurfacing devices like lasers come in,” she says.
Wrinkle reduction and facial volume
Dermal fillers are another option for wrinkle reduction, said Nikhil Dhingra, MD, of Spring Street Dermatology. In addition, dermal fillers can also help restore lost volume to certain areas of your face.
Dermal fillers are injectable treatments that consist of gel-like substances, such as hyaluronic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, or calcium hydroxylapatite. Your doctor will inject these substances beneath your skin.
Some popular dermal fillers include:
- Bellafill
- Juvaderm
- Restylane
- Radiesse
- Sculptra
“These are excellent for a ‘liquid lift,’ which can prop up cheekbones, reinflate chins and jawlines, and enhance facial contours to restore a more revitalized face,” Dhingra said.
Dermal fillers last about 6 to 12 months and may require upkeep to maintain the results. In general, dermal fillers cost around $690 to $800.
As far as downsides, Dhingra said they carry a small risk of:
- bruising
- swelling
- infection
Dhingra also warned about more serious, though rare, complications like blindness. Because of the possibility of this serious side effect, it’s essential that dermal filler treatments are done by a highly trained board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
Another rare yet possible complication is tissue death. This happens when the filler gets into a blood vessel and blocks blood flow to your skin, causing skin death. This can be catastrophic if not recognized early, and can lead to wounds on your nose, lips, or cheeks.
Make sure your doctor or plastic surgeon has extensive experience with filler procedures and is prepared with a “disaster kit” to treat and reverse this condition if it’s recognized early enough.