July 01, 2020 | Blog, Medical Spa Info & Tips
9 minute read
A clear, smooth, radiant complexion comes from steadily working to increase the health of your skin. Perfect skin comes in part from consistently using skincare products that are ideal for your skin type and tone. Another part of the puzzle comes from wisely selecting the aesthetic treatments you use to correct skin concerns. At Capitis Medical & Aesthetics in Roseville, CA, we think chemical peels should be part of an excellent skincare regime.
What Can You Expect From Your First Chemical Peel?
Chemical peels are just another type of facial, so if you have a lot of anxiety about a peel hurting or being uncomfortable, you can put those thoughts out of your head right now.
A peel is essentially an enhanced form of exfoliation, meaning it removes the dead skin cells from the surface layer of your skin and helps your skin cells turn over more quickly, revealing new and blemish-free skin on the surface.
But while a peel itself is a simple 30-minute appointment that really amounts to little more than the application of a special chemical on the skin, which is then removed after several minutes, there are some things you may want to prepare for. If it’s your first time getting a peel, then your basic steps will go something like this:
Consultation
First-timers must attend a consultation appointment before their first peel. Why? Mostly because you can only get the best results from a peel if you’re using a peel that is ideally matched to your skin type, tone, and needs.
This is especially true for first-timers, who also need to be educated in the results they can reasonably expect from a peel and the peel options they have. During your consultation, one of our professionals will complete a skin analysis that will look at all the aspects of your skin, including your skin health, your main skin issues, and your skin type.
We may ask about your regular beauty routine, such as the skincare products you use and how friendly you are with sunscreen. After we have a solid understanding of your skin, we will then go over the options for your peel to find the best one suited to your unique skin needs and aesthetic goals.
Preparing for Treatment
Peels are pretty basic as far as facials go, but you’ll still need to do a little preparation before your appointment. Preparation is important for peels, particularly if you’re a fan of using acids, exfoliators, and other chemicals in your normal skincare routine.
Some things you will need to do for 3 to 5 days before your appointment to prepare for your treatment include:
- Temporarily discontinue using Retinol, lactic acid, and glycolic acid products
- Avoid direct sun exposure without SPF 30 or greater
- Stop all waxing, tweezing, or laser hair removal treatments
- Do not use scrubs or exfoliating products
Treatment Appointment
Your treatment appointment can be done at any time of the day. Facials such as this one are generally “lunchtime” treatments that can be completed quickly and allow you to return to your normal daily activities.
It’s best to arrive at your appointment with a freshly cleansed face, which means no make-up if you can help it. We will sterilize and cleanse your skin to remove any excess dirt, oil, or make-up, and then the chemical will be applied to your face for about 20 minutes.
After the chemical is removed, we may apply a skin-soothing moisturizer or instruct you to use sunscreen before you leave. No portion of the treatment is painful.
Recovery From Treatment
Peels don’t have any downtime associated with them, which means you can go directly from your appointment to whatever else it is you have to get done that day, including work and errands.
However, your skin will be vulnerable from the peel for the next few days, so it’s important to take care of your skin well to get the best results from treatment. Some rules you will need to follow after your treatment include:
- Avoid direct sun exposure, excessive heat, and excessive sweating
- Always wear SPF 30 or greater outside and reapply every 30 minutes
- Moisturize well
- Do not use Retinol, lactic acid, or glycolic acid products
- No scrubbing or exfoliating the skin
- Only use mild cleansers and lukewarm water
- Avoid hair removal products and treatments
And that’s it – your chemical peel treatment is really that simple. If you have further questions about what you can expect from the treatment, please feel free to ask one of our aesthetic professionals.
What Types of Peels Are There?
The point of a peel is to combine the deep-cleaning and exfoliating portions of a facial into a one-step treatment.
Peels actually have a long history of being efficient skincare treatments, dating all the way back to Ancient Egypt and trendsetter Cleopatra, who use sour milk (and it’s lactic acid) to beautify her skin. Today, there are a few different peels to choose from, and they each fall into one of three categories.
Light
A light peel is one that only exfoliates the surface layer of skin, which means it mainly gets rid of the dead skin cluttering your epidermis and helps reveal the fresh layer of skin underneath.
Light peels are ideal to handle minor superficial skin concerns, such as fine lines, dark spots, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, dry skin, uneven tone, and uneven texture. You can have a light peel about once every 4 to 6 weeks to maintain results.
Medium
A medium peel is one that works most of its magic on the dermis, or the sub-dermal layers of skin right beneath the topmost layer.
Medium peels will exfoliate the skin to the dermal layer and use stronger acids to treat moderate skin concerns, including wrinkles, scarring, acne, sun damage, and skin laxity brought on by aging. Because medium peels use stronger acids, they can only be done a few times a year – once every 3 to 4 months is best to maintain results.
Deep
Deep peels use the strongest types of acids and exfoliate skin right to the bottom layer of skin for a total overhaul – but because deep peels are so serious, they are typically only used for the treatment of skin cancers or other lesions. Most people will never require a deep peel in their lifetimes.
Which Type of Peel Should You Have?
Not sure which peel is right for you? That’s okay – this conundrum is precisely why our patients undergo that skin analysis during their consultation. Depending on your skin needs and concerns, we will recommend the peel type and frequency that is best for you.
Your main choice of peels will come down to a light peel or a medium peel. At our clinic, we specialize in two types of peels – the iS Clinical Peel and the VI Derm Peel.
What Is iS Clinical Peel?
iS Clinical Peels are professional, medical-grade peels that can only be performed by an aesthetic professional. iS Clinical Peels use powerful acids to correct the visible signs of aging, pigmentation, acne, and much more.
A few of the most popular types of iS Clinical Peels include:
- Fire & Ice Facial, for resurfacing the skin
- Exfoliating Clear Skin Facial, for acne-prone skin
- Foaming Enzyme Treatment, for radiant skin
- Honey Enzyme Facial, for all skin types
- Harmony Facial, for renewing sensitive skin
What Is VI Derm Peel?
VI Derm Peel is another collection of peels that uses powerful acids to correct skin concerns caused by environmental factors, particularly sun damage, dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture, and dull skin tone.
VI Derm Peels are powerful enough to correct damage and also help prevent new damage. The best VI Derm Peels include:
- The Original, for all skin types
- Purify With Precision Plus, for scarring and acne-prone skin
- Precision, for pigmentation and discoloration
- Purify, for acne-prone and oily skin
- Advanced, for anti-aging rejuvenation
Benefits of Chemical Peels
Peels are highly beneficial treatments that can handle a wide array of skin-related concerns. As one of the most – if not the most – versatile aesthetic treatments in the world, peels can concisely address all of your superficial skin concerns at one time. The main benefits of this treatment include:
Non-Invasive
Non-invasive aesthetic treatments are ones that do not breach the surface layers of skin, and facials are at the top of the list for good examples of this type of treatment.
Non-invasive treatments have many advantages, including the fact that they do not require the use of any sedation, anesthetics, or topical numbing creams, Non-invasive treatments are also gentler on the skin and usually have no downtime.
Anti-Aging Rejuvenation
The goal of any anti-aging treatment is to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as correct skin laxity to tighten skin.
Peels are highly capable facials that can stimulate the production of collagen within the sub-dermal layers of skin, so in addition to exfoliating old layers of skin cells, peels can also plump-up the volume of your skin.
Skin-Perfecting and Correcting
Some of the most common and difficult to treat skin concerns are sun damage, dark spots, and other pigmentation problems. Any skin issue that gives you uneven skin tone and texture can be a tough nut to crack, but peels manage to do so without breaking a sweat.
The key to this, of course, is the fact that these superficial skin concerns are only a few skin cell turnover cycles away from resolving themselves – a peel just helps speed up the process.
Treat, Manage, and Control Acne
Acne has a lot of symptoms, including blackheads, whiteheads, enlarged pores, and the actual pustules. The trick to treating acne is to find a consistent means for controlling oil production, bacterial spread, and skin cell turnover.
Peels can help regulate oil production, kill acne-causing bacterial, slough off dead skin cells, and even tighten up enlarged pores.
Safe Treatments for All Skin Types and Tones
Peels are treatments that are safe for all skin types and skin tones, which can be quite the standout from other treatments that may not be as compatible with dark or medium complexions. These are also safe treatments with significantly low risk of side effects.
Are You a Good Candidate for Chemical Peels?
Anyone who is not completely satisfied with the appearance of their skin is likely a good candidate for a peel. Whether you only have superficial skin concerns or you want to dig in deep for anti-aging rejuvenation, there is probably a peel made for your skin type and skin concerns in mind.
Get Concise Skin Treatment With Chemical Peels Today!
It’s time to stop playing around with treatments and skincare products that might not work, and start using the world’s most effective and reliable aesthetic treatment of all time. With consistency and the right chemical peel, your skin can reach peak perfection. Contact Capitis Medical & Aesthetics in Roseville, CA to schedule your consultation today!