How would you erase the few little wrinkles that are starting to appear here and there? Aesthetic medicine today has many options that allow (almost) to change the skin without surgery.
Among the solutions offered by aesthetic medicine, there are injections of hyaluronic acid or botulinic acid. Another solution is to perform a peel. To get rid of your paper-mâché complexion or to erase the signs of aging, a facial peel often gives spectacular results. This technique can be used against wrinkles but also to fight against many imperfections.
There are different peeling techniques offered a bit depending on the “problem.” In extreme cases, the peel can be quite deep and extensive. It will be effective in ensuring suitable dermabrasion but requiring very supervised care within particular the obligation of anesthesia, and a reasonably long recovery, including good healing of the skin.
This file will learn more about the peeling technique, its mode of action, and the different peeling options against wrinkles and other minor facial imperfections. Also, discover the advice of the dermatologist.
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A Facial Peel for a new Skin: What is a Peel?
Like a scrub that would remove dead cells, a peel acts on the same principle but in a much more intense way.
Depending on the desired result, it will remove, more or less deeply, the upper layers of the epidermis to reveal a more transparent, brighter complexion, erase irregularities in the skin texture, fade minor imperfections (spots, scars.), or even smooth out wrinkles.
But unlike the scrub, whose action is mechanical, the peel acts according to a chemical process. A product is applied to the face (and sometimes the neck), which will more or less “dissolve” the different skin layers depending on its concentration.
Thus, it eliminates dead cells that dull the complexion and stimulates cell renewal and collagen production for clarified, visibly firmer, and healthier skin.
Also Read: 5 Foods To Get A Beautiful Skin
Contraindications
Whether you are looking for a simple healthy glow or a natural anti-aging treatment, there are times when a peel is not indicated.
Its abrasiveness cannot be performed on irritated skin, prone to certain skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, herpes, or inflamed, due to an acne breakout.
This type of intervention is also not recommended for people suffering from the lymphatic system’s healing problems or disorders. The same applies to black and mixed-race skin, which runs a risk of depigmentation in a deep peel.
Suppose you suffer from heart problems, diabetes, kidney failure. It is better to take your doctor’s advice who is monitoring you before starting. And of course, as a precaution, it’s best to wait a bit if you’re pregnant.
But in any case, it is essential to note that the peel falls under aesthetic medicine. For efficiency but above all of safety, only a professional, dermatologist, or cosmetic doctor, is therefore authorized to perform this activity type.
Whether you are 20, 30, 40, or 50, there is no age to consider a peel. The only difference lies in the product’s concentration because we do not seek the same effects at 20 years as at 40 years.
In most cases, the peel is performed in the doctor’s office, except for the deep peel, which itself requires hospitalization. But in all cases, your practitioner should inform you in a detailed and precise manner.
He will also have to give you a quote, specifying the type of activities performed, the progress of the “operation,” the number of sessions if necessary, and of course, its cost.
He must also inform you about the consequences(more or less critical depending on the peel intensity) and any care if a healing phase is necessary.
Also Read: Fungal Skin Infection: Types, Treatment, Prevention
Superficial Peeling: For a Healthy Glow
As its name suggests, the action of the peel will remain superficial. It is only a question here of clarifying the complexion for a natural healthy glow effect.
Ideal for restoring dull complexions to their total luminosity, the superficial peel is also suitable for unifying the skin texture and blurring minor facial imperfections: dilated pores, slight redness, acne scars. A light peel can overcome them.
To eliminate the dead cells which “asphyxiate” the epidermis, fruit acids, such as glycolic acid or even salicylic acid, are most often used. The doctor will then apply the product to the face and let it act.
In some cases of mild acne, a peel can also be considered to cleanse the epidermis. It will then regulate the activity of the sebaceous glands and thus limit the production of sebum responsible for the formation of blackheads and, in the event of inflammation, pimples.
Superficial Peel And Its Healing
It depends, of course, on the intensity of the peel.
A superficial peel will cause a slight phenomenon of desquamation. The skin may therefore peel, or “fluff” the following days. A simple moisturizer is enough to get everything back to normal.
More aggressive, a medium peel will have slightly more visible consequences on the skin of the face. Exposed under the effect of active ingredients, it will take a brownish color during the following week.
The doctor will therefore prescribe a work stoppage of a few days and healing treatments.
After a deep peel, on the other hand, a period of recovery of several days (at least 15 days) is necessary, and as a first step, dressings must be applied.
When raw, the skin will retain a rosy red appearance for many weeks and will need time to heal and regenerate. For this reason, the final results will only appear after about six months.
But whatever the case, exposure to UV rays is strictly prohibited after treatment. And to protect the epidermis, an entire screen must be applied for one month after a superficial peel and at least six months for a deep peel.
Also Read: Home Remedies To Remove Sunspots From The Skin
Dermatologist’s Advice
How to optimize the results of a peel and keep the benefits as long as possible?
The first and most important thing to do is protect yourself from the sun as much as possible and for as long as possible. From April to October, this means generously applying an index 50+ sunscreen every 2 hours if you are going out or if you are in direct contact with the sun’s rays. This is restrictive, but otherwise, there is a risk of forming small brown spots, thickening the skin, and accelerated aging cells.
A healthy lifestyle is just as important. Of course, the best is to avoid tobacco, whether you are a smoker yourself or around smokers. You must also take good care of your skin, clean it carefully, moisturize it well, and take care of it from the inside. A balanced diet, which provides enough vitamins and antioxidants, drink a lot to hydrate from the inside, get enough sleep, and help keep your skin healthy.
How long can we expect to benefit from the effects of a Peel?
It’s hard to say exactly because we are not all equal when it comes to aging, and it also depends on how we take care of our skin. But the results of a superficial peel remain visible for an average of two or three years. As for an average peel, the effects are more spectacular; you can keep the benefits for five to ten years if you pay attention to your skin.
Given the relatively heavy consequences of a deep peel, is it not ultimately worth turning to other anti-aging methods?
The laser is much more enjoyable on this point. The problem with a deep peel is that the chemical substance used passes into the blood, which requires special heart monitoring and the risks associated with the anesthesia. With fractional lasers, we can now control the damage caused and therefore treat very precisely, thanks to better control of the radiation. We can also act gradually, in several stages. We avoid hospitalization and a lengthy work stoppage, it is less painful, the consequences are less severe, and the results are excellent.
