Chemical Peel

Light Chemical peels results in healthier, glowing skin. This new approach to the superficial chemical peel uses a new generation of alpha hydroxy in combination with other peeling agents to maximize the skin rejuvenating effect while minimizing irritation.

Benefits

The immediate benefits include radiant and glowing skin, which is evident after one peel. A slight tightening of the skin, improvement in clarity, better color and smoother skin texture are also benefits you will notice after light peel treatments.

Why do I need skin rejuvenation and resurfacing?

Remember as a child, your skin was soft and smooth. Unfortunately, over the years, the sun, wind, and airborne toxins have taken their toll, and your skin may now be showing signs of aging. Aging changes occur in the epidermal, dermal, and subcutaneous layers of the skin, resulting in wrinkles, skin laxity, broken capillaries, and various forms of hyperpigmentation. The skin’s surface may develop coarse, leathery texture, lose clarity, or brilliance. It may appear dull, with little or no reflection of natural sunlight. Despite eating better, living healthier and keeping fit, your facial skin may not reflect the way you feel inside. If you want to reverse these years of wear and tear caused by sun, the environment, and natural aging, skin rejuvenation or resurfacing may be right for you.

What are the effects of aging on my skin?

Our skin is constantly rejuvenating itself. New cells develop from the deeper layers, pushing the older dying cells to the surface. These non-vital cells act as a protective barrier and flake off throughout the day. Due to excess sun exposure, the environment and natural aging, the layers of dead skin cells begin to accumulate on the outer surface. The glue that holds these cells in place becomes more adhesive, resulting in a dull, rough wrinkled texture. At the same time, pigment cells begin to group together, giving rise to splotchy pigmentation and capillary blood vessels become visible on the surface as small spider veins.

What is skin rejuvenation and resurfacing?

Very simply, skin rejuvenation and resurfacing are treatment options that remove the outer layers of the skin to improve the texture, clarity and overall appearance of your skin. Skin rejuvenation can be achieved in a number of ways. Think of these options like the rungs of a ladder. The bottom rung represents superficial treatments that remove the outermost layers of dead skin cells. As you move up the ladder of options, you penetrate deeper into the skin layers to effect more change. With more change comes a smoother, clearer and more youthful appearance. However, deeper treatments are also accompanied by greater risks. So it comes down to choices. Fortunately, in this day and age, we have many options.

What can skin resurfacing treat?

Conditions that can be treated with skin resurfacing include:

• Static Wrinkles: These wrinkles are visible at all times and do not change in appearance with facial movement.
• Dynamic Wrinkles: These are expression lines that may appear as folds when the skin is not moving and may deepen with facial movement or expression.
• Pigmentation: Freckles, sun spots, melasma, or other darkened patches of skin result mainly from sun exposure.
• Scars: As a result of acne or injury to the skin, scars may be rolling (a wavy appearance to the skin), pitted, discolored, or have raised borders.
• Vascular Conditions: Blood vessels visible on the surface of the skin, vascular lesions that appear as tiny blood filled blisters, or even a constant flush of facial redness.
• Loss of Skin Tone: Weakening of the supportive skin structures (collagen and elastin fibers) that result in a loss of skin firmness or the development of cellulite.

How can skin care products help me?

Skin care products, ones that are either dispensed in a physician’s office or sold by prescription, break down the sticky glue between the dead skin cells of the epidermis, causing them to exfoliate. There are literally hundreds of skin care products available on the market—Retin A, Tretenoin, glycolic acid, just to name a few. There are two things you should remember about all these products. One, they all do the same thing, and two, they are all equally effective. It ultimately comes down to your physician’s clinical experience in dealing with your particular skin type and your satisfaction with the product price, look, and feel. It may come down to trial and error when trying to find the correct fit. Skin care products are at the lowest rung of the ladder of skin rejuvenation. Results will be subtle and generally take 3–4 months to materialize. These products will typically improve the appearance of your skin from point A to point B, but most of us expect to see significant improvements. We want to be up at point D, E and F, and we want it yesterday. Skin care products alone won’t get you there, but they are an important first step in the rejuvenation process. Individuals looking for better and faster results need to move up the ladder and consider in-office resurfacing options.

How do chemical peels help with resurfacing?

Just as there are a number of different skin products lines, there are a number of different chemical agents, which when applied to the skin surface will cause exfoliation and rejuvenation. Superficial (light) chemical agents such as salicylic acid can provide similar results to that of microdermabrasion. Like microdermabrasion, these superficial chemical peels are most effective when done in a series of treatments. The various types of chemical peeling agents come in different strengths. The strength often determines the depth of penetration by the chemical into the skin surface. The effects of superficial peels are limited to the outer epidermis, the dead skin cell layer. Within a few days, these cells flake off, leaving a thinner, smoother outer surface. Other examples of superficial peeling agents include: glycolic acid and 10–25% Trichloroacetic acid.

Medium-depth chemical peels not only cause exfoliation of the outer epidermis, but also penetrate into the top layers of the dermis. In so doing, medium-depth peels set off a chain reaction in the skin to reorganize and make new collagen, adding to the collagen-elastic matrix layer. The new skin is fresher, smoother and somewhat tighter. With a 35% Trichloroacetic acid chemical peel, expect the recovery process to take at least a week. Makeup can usually be applied by the 7th day, when normal activity can also be resumed. Results will typically last for 12–24 months.

All Chemical peels are performed by our skin care professionals. During your personal consultation the benefits and risks of each peel with be discussed. Our Skin Care Professionals under the direction of Dr. Stephen Nogan will help you with a comprehensive skin care treatment plan.