Every day our skin sheds old cells and replaces them with newer cells. In young skin this happens about every 28 days. As a person grows older the time needed to replace old cells lengthens and can result in dull looking skin.
Everyone wants to have beautiful skin, but even with the healthiest lifestyle and a great skincare regiment you can still have a dull and ruddy complexion.
Some of the most effective and simplest treatment for having beautiful skin is chemical peels. They are also one of the oldest cosmetic procedures dating back to 1560 BC when it was used by Cleopatra as part of her beauty regimen. Smooth, clear skin and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles are some of the benefits of chemical acid peels.
Some of the advantages of acid peels are: reducing or removing blotchy skin patches, removing the effects of sun damage, acne management, making your skin lighter and smoother, removes age spots and helps the growth of new skin.
Peels are available in three strengths: light, which include Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) that treat fine line and uneven skin tones. Medium peels contain Trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Mild acne scars and even stretch marks are helped by a TCA chemical peel. The strongest is Phenol which is done only on the face due to the fact that scarring can occur if used on other parts of the body. These peels will help with deep wrinkles and growths that are not cancerous.
TCA and Phenol peels are suited for treatment of acne scars due to the fact that they affect deeper skin layers. Dermatologists agree that not everyone can have a chemical peel. A person must be free of cold sores and any skin infections before receiving treatment. If a person is taking a medication to treat acne is must be stopped no less than 6 months before a peel.
The lighter peels, including AHA can cause redness, irritation, crusting of the skin and stinging. These effects will disappear in a few days. Medium chemical peels such as TCA can cause color changes in the skin including hyper or hypo pigmentation. The deeper peels that contain Phenol can cause pigment imperfections and demarcation lines. Anyone who has any chemical peel should avoid the sun so that side effects will not happen.
Asking some of the following questions will help a person decide if this is the physician they should use. The questions are: Is the procedure performed in your office and how long does it take?, how much experience does a physician have in performing peels?, have the physician ever had their malpractice insurance coverage revoked, denied or suspended?
Certain factors may prevent a person from having a peel. These can include heart problems, a history of cold sores or a history of sun sensitivity.