What, exactly, is a chemical peel? An expert tells us all about the … · 2019. 4. 5. · What,...

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What, exactly, is a chemical peel? An expert tells us all about the popular skin treatment By Marie Lodi | March 29, 2019 Chances are you’ve heard of the term chemical peel, or at least have seen the Sex and the City episode where Samantha gets one that leaves her face tomato-red. But even though chemical peels are the third most commonly performed noninvasive cosmetic procedures in the U.S., many people may still be unsure just what good (or bad) they can do for our skin. According to the board-certified dermatologist and celebrity beauty expert, Dr. Anna Gaunche, M.D., a chemical peel is when a chemical solution that is acidic or low pH is carefully applied to the skin to induce peeling and skin sloughing to help reveal smoother, fresher-looking skin. “When acid is applied, the dead skin cells are let go, which results in peeling and accelerates skin cell turnover,” Dr. Gauche tells HelloGiggles. “Skin cells are actually replaced every 45 days!” Talk about a brand new you.

Transcript of What, exactly, is a chemical peel? An expert tells us all about the … · 2019. 4. 5. · What,...

Page 1: What, exactly, is a chemical peel? An expert tells us all about the … · 2019. 4. 5. · What, exactly, is a chemical peel? An expert tells us all about the popular skin treatment

What,exactly,isachemicalpeel?Anexperttellsusallaboutthe

popularskintreatmentByMarieLodi|March29,2019

Chancesareyou’veheardofthetermchemicalpeel,oratleasthaveseentheSexandtheCityepisodewhereSamanthagetsonethatleavesherfacetomato-red.ButeventhoughchemicalpeelsarethethirdmostcommonlyperformednoninvasivecosmeticproceduresintheU.S.,manypeoplemaystillbeunsurejustwhatgood(orbad)theycandoforourskin.Accordingtotheboard-certifieddermatologistandcelebritybeautyexpert,Dr.AnnaGaunche,M.D.,achemicalpeeliswhenachemicalsolutionthatisacidicorlowpHiscarefullyappliedtotheskintoinducepeelingandskinsloughingtohelprevealsmoother,fresher-lookingskin.“Whenacidisapplied,thedeadskincellsareletgo,whichresultsinpeelingandacceleratesskincellturnover,”Dr.GauchetellsHelloGiggles.“Skincellsareactuallyreplacedevery45days!”Talkaboutabrandnewyou.

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Thefirstthingtoknowisthatthereareseveraldifferenttypesofpeels,rangingfromsuperficialorlightpeels,tomediumpeels,andfinallydeeppeels,whichcansometimesrequireanovernightstay.Therearealsodifferenttypesofingredientsused.Glycolicpeelspenetratedeeply,andaregoodforagingskin.Lacticpeelsaregoodforthosewithskinthat’sdryorsensitive.Beta-hydroxypeelscontainsalicylicacid,makingthembestforacnepatients.Thereare,ofcourse,at-homeproductsthathavethesamekindsofingredientsasprofessionalpeelsdonebyyourdermatologist,butarejustmilder.Ifyou’veeverusedtheDrunkElephantBabyfacial,thenyou’vedoneapeel,asitcontainsglycolic,tartaric,lactic,citric,andsalicylicacids.TheDr.DennisGrossAlphaBetaUniversalDailyPeelpadscontainAHAsandBHAs,andcanhelpwithphotoaging,uneventone,andscars.

Below,Dr.Guanchetellsuseverythingweneedtoknowaboutchemicalpeels.HelloGiggles:Whatarethebenefitsofachemicalpeel?Dr.Gaunche:Chemicalpeelsarebeneficialtohelpfightthesignsofaging.Theyareusedtorefreshandrenewtheappearanceoftheskin.Theyoftenhelptosoftenfinelinesandwrinkles,andlightenbrownspots.Certainchemicalscanbeusedtotargetpigmentorevenacne.Oncepeeled,theskinlooksbrighterandmoreeven.HG:Isthereacertainskintypethatbenefitsbestfromchemicalpeels?Dr.Guanche:Chemicalpeelsworkbestforthosethathavefair/mediumskintypes.Thedarkertheskin,themoreriskthereisofpigmentationissuesandotherpooroutcomeswithpeels;of

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course,thisdependsonwhetheritisasuperficial,medium,ordeeppeel.Choosinganexperiencedphysicianiskeytogoodoutcomes.HG:Canyouwalkusthroughtheprocess?Dr.Guanche:First,theskinispreppedwithacetoneinorderto“de-fat”theskin.Next,thepeelingsolutionisappliedtotheskinverystrategically.Thewell-trainedphysicianwillbelookingforreactionsintheskinsuchasredness,andfrosting(skinturnswhiteasproteinsaredigested).Thepeelisthenneutralizedbyeitherasolution/creamorbytheclientwashingtheirface.Then,topicalaftercareisapplied,includingsunscreen.HG:Whatistherecoveryandaftercarelike?Dr.Guanche:Thisdependsonwhichtypeofpeel.ForlightchemicalpeelslikeJessner’s,thereisverylittledowntime.Fordeeperpeels,likePhenolpeels,sometimesastayatahospitalisneeded.Downtimemustalwaysbediscussedwiththeproviderbeforepartakinginapeeltreatment.

HG:Howsooncansomeoneseeresults?Dr.Guanche:Somepeelsmakeyourskinlookamazingrightafterthepeel.Somepeelstakefivetosevendaystoseetheirfulleffect.This,again,shouldbediscussedwiththedoctor.HG:Whataretherisksofachemicalpeel?Dr.Guanche:Therisksofchemicalpeelsarehypopigmentation,hyperpigmentation,scars,redness,unevenpeeling,irritation,allergicreaction,anddermatitisorrash.Soundsscary,butIdothemalldaylongandhaveminimaltonoproblems.Thesearetheknownrisksandreallydependontheexperienceleveloftheprovider.

https://hellogiggles.com/beauty/what-is-a-chemical-peel/