People have been using chemical peels as a form of skin rejuvenation for thousands of years. Though the techniques have developed greatly since the Ancient Egyptians, the principals remain the same.
What are Chemical Peels?
The basic concept of a chemical peel is to apply a chemical solution to your skin, let it blister and eventually peel off. In result, you will have much a smoother skin with far less wrinkles.
What Are They Best For?
- To reduce and treat wrinkles caused by both raging and sun damage
- Improve the appearance of mild scars
- Treat certain kinds of acne
- Reduce age spots, freckles, and dark patches
- Generally improve the look and feel of your skin
What You Need to Know Beforehand
You will always pay a price for beauty, in this case, the price includes pain and patience. Chemical peels will hurt and it will always take time to recover.
However, you need to be aware that the strength of peel you choose as well as your skin type will usually determine the amount of pain and recovery time.
Superficial chemical peels are great to remove dull and dead skin cells and revive your face. Whereas deep chemical peels are made from very strong acids and are fantastic for dramatic skin improvements.
What is the Recovery Process Like?
Superficial chemical peels often only take a few days to recover from, unlike your more serious, deep peels, which can take up to 3 weeks.
The most common side effects that have been noted are:
- Redness
- Irritation
- Crusting
What You Should Watch Out For
Doctors will usually prescribe a steroid lotion or soothing cream to help with the discomfort. Though you should note that these side effects are temporary, more serious long term damage can be done.
You should always consult a professional dermatologist before acting on any decision to have a deep chemical peel.
You should never have a chemical peel if you:
- Have an infection
- Are pregnant or nursing
- Have recently been treated for acne
- Have an active skin disease
- Have cut or broken skin
- Are sunburned
- Have active Herpes simplex 1 sores
And If You Don’t Want to Go Through The Pain?
If you are not too keen on going through the experience of having a deep peel done, you should opt for a “lunchtime peel”.
This an easy, less painful way to get your skin, brighter and smoother. A dermatologist will apply a mild acid to your face, neck, chest, or even hands, and the recovery process takes a matter of hours.
Though you can wear makeup again the same day, make sure to avoid the sun and protect yourself properly.
If you’re more the DIY kind when it comes to skincare, you might be interested to learn more about the hydrating beauty treatments filled with lemon juice.