Four skintastic reasons to get a chemical peel TODAY!
If you've hit a plateau in your skin care regimen, it might be time to take a look at a chemical peel.
The benefits of seeing an esthetician for a peel series are endless: reduced wrinkles/fine lines, brighter skin, thicker skin, the list goes on. Today I will be covering my four favorite reasons to try out this treatment!
I've recently started offering chemical peels at my own salon but I'm finding many clients have reservations when they hear the word "peel." They think their face will fall off in giant chunks. While there are definitely peels out there that go deep enough in the skin to cause that standard peeling (see photo below, property of Image Skincare), this isn't always the case!
The above peel was a physician strength TCA peel, the stuff that goes really deep. Not all peels are like this, however. So coming up on this blog I'll be featuring a peel series on myself to show clients what superficial peels can be like.
But first, let's start with some reasons why you should call up your esthetician today about this amazing treatment.
At-home treatments can be unsafe
Chemical peels are considered an advanced treatment in esthetics. My philosophy when it comes to skin care is "safety first." Applying a peel at home on yourself has the potential to cause burns and scarring. Estheticians also know how long to keep a peel on a client (probably not as long as you think) which can reduce these risks.
The scary thing about doing an at-home peel is that you can get products on Amazon...which I do not condone. As an Image Skincare provider, I have access to only certain types of peels from the company. They offer a physician-only TCA peel that has 12% TCA. But Amazon offers 25%, 35% and even 100% TCA solutions that anybody can buy.
DO. NOT. DO. THIS.
Education is essential in skin care, so leave the serious stuff to the professionals. Besides, ordering from Amazon doesn't mean you're actually getting the product that is advertised.
With all that being said, there are most certainly "peels" you can do at home, but they are more along the lines of light peels that contain AHAs and BHAs like glycolic and salicylic acids. These are safe for at-home use.
It's a great way to exfoliate deeper
Peels are chemical exfoliaters, as opposed to the physical kind such as microdermabrasion. Physical exfoliation removes corneocytes on the outer layer of the epidermis (think skin flaking off). Chemical exfoliation does a bit more.
The acids in chemical peels not only remove skin cells, but they dissolve the glue-like bond that holds the cells together. This creates faster cell renewal, which can aid in even skin tone and softer skin.
A series of peels can help knock out acne
A high concentration blend of salicylic and glycolic acids makes a good base for acne peels. Salicylic acid penetrates through the skin's follicles and is great for those with oiliness. As a BHA, it can also be less irritating than AHAs.
Glycolic acid, as an AHA, will penetrate deeper into the skin and aid in collagen production, leading to thicker and smoother skin.
Image's acne peel also contains plant cells that kill off acne bacteria, as well as ingredients that lighten pigmentation and treat acne lesions.
Skin will look smoother
It all comes back to that sweet, sweet cell turnover.
When dead skin cells accumulate and aren't sloughed off, the skin can look bumpy, rough and dull. Regular chemical peels keep those cells cycling through to reveal, fresh, smooth, bright skin!
What skin concerns would you want to fix through chemical peels? What are your concerns? Comment below!