Chemical Peels

Chemical Peels are facials that "peel off" the skin leaving the remaining skin smooth, clean and soft.Chemical peels should be done by dermatologist, esthetician, plastic surgeon, or otolaryngologist. Light chemical peels can be done in the spas using no anesthesia like AHA and glycolic acid peels, allowing the client to have minimal recovery. Medium to Deep chemical peels require some anesthesia with longer recovery time and pain and should be administered by a dermatologist. Chemical Peels can get better penetration and results after a microdermabrasion or dermaplane treatment.

A great Peel kit for home that shopspaViolet offers is Exuviance Performance Peel AP25, an AHA peel. For everyday exfoliation, try NeoStrata Skincare:
Facial Wash: NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash
Heels and Elbows: NeoStrata Problem Dry Skin Cream
Face Creams: NeoStrata Face Cream Plus and NeoStrata High Potency Cream

The Pros and Cons of Chemical Peels

Chemical Peels help your skin with fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, minor scars, certain types of acne, and reduce age spots and freckling. While chemical peels can help with many skin problems, the depth of the chemical peel helps the results but also result in adverse effects. Medium to Deep chemical peels can result in blistering, needing to wear sunblock for a prolonged period, sunburn look, or permanently lighten your skin. Light chemical peels only pose the risk of needing sunblock and reduce sun exposure for 2 days, but also aren't known to treat wrinkles.

Different kinds of Light Chemical Peels

Treatment of fine wrinkles, areas of dryness, uneven pigmentation and acne are the desired result of light chemical peels. Light chemical peels can be done at a local spa to achieve desired results.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) Peels

- Naturally found in sugars called Glycolic Acids. This can be administered in the spa, or bought in a lesser concentration in creams for a daily regiment.

Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Peels

- Like Salicylic acid have become more popular recently because of being able to go deeper into pores than the AHA chemical peels. BHA peels have been shown to exfoliate dead skin better than AHA peels and treat acne better as well, controlling the sebum excretion glands which produce an oily waxy secretion in the pores.

Enzyme Peels

- Enzyme peels like Pumpkin Peels are peels that are more subtle than chemical peels, and therefore can offer an alternative to sensitive skin. Read more about enzyme peels here.