If you’ve ever wished you could pull away the top layer of your skin to reveal a younger, smoother, and softer appearance, you’re not alone. You’re also not crazy, for a treatment that does nearly this exists. It’s the chemical peel; backed by decades of success, many consider it the secret to glowing skin. At Rejuvenate Med Spa in Oak Brook, IL, we may just agree.
How Long Does a Chemical Peel Last?
Your treatment results will depend on your skin type and the issues being addressed. Keep in mind everyone’s skin responds a little differently to cosmetic therapy, and we won’t know your precise results until after treatment. The depth and strength of the peel we choose for you will also impact your appearance.
Having gotten all that out of the way, we can say light peels usually last from one to two months. Medium peels, which use a different combination of slightly stronger acids, usually last from two to six months. Deeper peels that incorporate medical-grade ingredients and remove more profound concerns like wrinkles and folds can last for years.
Light Peels
Which peel is right for you? That depends on your treatment goals. A light peel formulated with mild ingredients can erase age-related dullness and infuse your skin with a luminous goal. Glycolic acid, for instance, is an alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin to restore vibrancy, smoothness, and luminosity.
Most patients – even those with sensitive skin – tolerate light peels very well. These treatments remove only the outermost layer of cells in a session of just 15 to 30 minutes. It’s a great, non-invasive way to target mild damage like hyperpigmentation, acne, and fine lines. Immediately after treatment, your skin will reflect a lovely, pinkish hue and feel soft and refreshed.
Medium Peels
Peels that penetrate more deeply with slightly stronger ingredients fall under the medium category. We recommend a medium peel if you have moderate wrinkles and creases, acne scars, age spots, and/or acne-prone skin. You can expect a longer recovery time with this treatment because it targets deeper skin layers, but the results are well worth the minimal time investment.
In addition to smoothing aging skin, medium peels also benefit congested, acne-prone tissues. An ingredient like salicylic acid might be included to clear away oils that build and cause whiteheads and blackheads (collectively known as comedones). You’ll also enjoy stronger, more youthful skin because medium peels remove both your dermis (skin’s outer layer) and epidermis (the second layer). This means:
- Improved skin tone
- A brighter complexion
- Smoother skin texture
Deep Peels
Patients with intense sun damage, wrinkles, or pre-cancerous lesions generally opt for deep peels. These are much more aggressive than their light and medium counterparts and thus require the longest recovery period. The trade-off, however, is clearer, healthier skin that continues for years.
Anesthesia sometimes accompanies deep peels because the ingredients sink well into facial tissues. You’ll see very dramatic and beautiful results, but deep peels aren’t recommended for those with severely sensitive skin.
Understanding the Nature of Peels
All peels work on the same premise, as you might have guessed from the details given above. A chemical solution is applied to the skin and removed after a certain amount of time. The solution penetrates skin layers, allowing each peel to achieve a specific depth. The skin then loosens and lifts away to eliminate common concerns.
Before you think your face will be left skinless, you can rest assured all cells removed during treatment are replaced with new ones. The human body is designed for renewal. You don’t realize it, but daily millions of cells within your body die. They’re replaced to optimize health and function, and your skin operates in the same manner. Every 30 days or so, dead cells are pushed from the surface to reveal stronger, younger cells lying in wait underneath.
Complementing Natural Processes
Sometimes, however, skin renewal happens less efficiently than we might hope. Dead cells then clump together on the surface of your face and contribute to breakouts, a dull appearance, and dry flakes. Light peels come along and assist the renewal process by “unsticking” those cells that haven’t been naturally eliminated.
Medium and deep peels work below the surface, where tissues are not regularly renewed. Wrinkles and scars reside in these deepest layers, and targeting them can refresh your entire appearance.
Consistent Maintenance
Light and medium peels usually require multiple treatments. We space them appropriately apart so your skin can heal in-between, but you won’t need to wait until the end of treatment to see results. Instead, your appearance will continue to steadily improve, and then you can switch to maintenance sessions that keep your skin plush and bouncy.
Following the treatment plan we craft for you will keep fine lines at bay and encourage continual improvements in skin tone. Your skin is like any other organ; it requires diligence to stay healthy, and following our orders will help you look brighter and fresher for years to come.
Unexpected Benefits
Regardless of the peel you have, one truth remains consistent: these treatments are packed with skin-loving ingredients that deliver unexpected benefits. First, peels improve the efficacy of other skincare products. With the barrier of your top skin layer removed, the serums and moisturizers you apply every day can penetrate more deeply. This is especially helpful if you use acne treatments or need extra hydration.
Teach Skin To Act Younger
Did we get your attention with this heading? The truth is that chemical peel do teach your skin to act younger. They trigger a rejuvenating chain reaction that leads to increased collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) production. These key ingredients:
- Give structure to your face
- Plump skin
- Keep cells soft and moisturized
- Smooth your facial surface
With age, the skin-supporting efforts of collagen and HA decline because the body’s natural production of both drops. Re-stimulating their synthesis, as peels do, can truly restore the skin’s youthful appearance. In this way, peels also amplify your skin’s health so living, breathing cells are constantly brought to the surface to replace those that are old and tired.
Prevent Acne
Because peels lower the pH of your skin, they create an environment in which bacteria cannot survive. Peels also unclog pores to give your skin a chance to truly thrive. Even when you faithfully wash your face twice daily every day, your pores fall victim to debris in the air, in your cosmetics, and even from hands. Treatments, therefore, prevent breakouts in a way that routine skincare products cannot.
Rapid Results
There’s a reason so many people, celebrities included, opt for peels right before an important event: they quickly improve your appearance. While the effects of additional collagen production take several weeks to become fully apparent, improvements to your skin’s hydration, texture, and tone are almost immediate. Schedule a light peel three to five days before a special occasion, and you’ll enjoy a healthy glow complemented by a flawless complexion.
The Glow Everyone Wants
You’ve likely noticed the word “glow” mentioned here several times already. While many products promise to give you this coveted luminosity, few deliver. But we can attest to the efficacy of peels in this regard. They remove flaky, irregularly attached dead cells from your face to deliver a compact surface that reflects light. Whether you’re in the sun, under the moon, or simply beside a lamp, your face will look lit from within.
An Oldie but Goody
The 90s gave us many things: satin slip dresses, chokers, and razor-thin eyebrows. But among the only lasting remnants of this decade are chemical peel. They were the number-one cosmetic procedure in the country in 1997, fell victim to skin-resurfacing lasers just a few years later, and are once again recognized as delivering certain skin benefits better than high-tech devices.
But today’s treatments aren’t merely retreads; they’re more sophisticated than those treatments used in the 90s, with refined formulas and improved application techniques. The goals of peels have also evolved from causing visible peeling to infusing skin with ingredients that deliver multi-faceted benefits.
Peels Are Highly Customizable
Today’s treatments can also be personalized to meet the individual needs of every patient, including those with skin color. How is this possible? Today, we understand that mixing low percentages of multiple acids provides less irritation and better results than a high-strength single acid. This knowledge, fused with a better understanding of how ingredients react when mixed together, allows us to target your concerns directly.
For instance, vitamin C, offset by soothing polyphenols, can be added to deter brown spots. Lactic acid mixed with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) dissolves drab skin on top. And mandelic acid erases lines to reveal tighter, firmer skin.
You May No Longer Need Undereye Concealer
We admit that putting anything near your eyes can be a little dicey, but when applied gently and carefully, some peel formulations eradicate hereditary dark circles. Many women believe nothing can be done to remove these circles, but a profound improvement may be seen after just one chemical peel. You’ll likely need a series of treatments to further brighten this area, but the point is that hope exists.
An Easy Treatment
Preparing for a peel is relatively simple. After your initial consultation, during which we’ll discuss your medical history and examine your concerns, we’ll determine if this treatment is appropriate to your goals. We’ll also review the cosmetics and topical medications you use at present to ensure they pose no potential complications.
For instance, if you currently use Accutane for severe acne, you will need to delay your peel for several months. Similarly, you’ll need to avoid the use of facial scrubs and exfoliants for about one week prior to your session. Also off the table are waxing and bleaching. In short, your skin will need to be in its healthiest possible condition.
Easy Recovery
You might be surprised to learn the recovery after a peel is quite easy. You’ll need to hydrate your face with a gentle, hypoallergenic moisturizer, stay out of the sun, and let your skin heal naturally. This means no picking, which can increase your chances of acne breakouts and infections. Even after washing your hands, harmful particles still reside in nail beds. It’s therefore important you keep your hands off your face and let the tissues heal without interference.
Discover a Chemical Peel Today
Customizable formulas, varying degrees of depth, and rapid results. These are just some of the qualities that make micro chemical peel such highly sought-after treatments. If you’re looking for a therapy sure to rejuvenate your appearance, peels can do just that. Schedule your consultation today by calling Rejuvenate Med Spa in Oak Brook, IL.