Using Chemical Peels to Fight Acne
December 9, 2008Chemical peels have gained a lot of momentum in the last decade. Not only for the treatment of acne, but for many cosmetic procedures as well. Chemical peels may seem daunting at first, but I assure you, chemical peels have been far more perfected than laser and light acne treatments. Chemical peels can be used for all cases of acne, from mild to severe.
Benefits of Chemical Peels
Chemical peels help you shed the dead skin the accumulates on the surface of our skin. By shedding this top layer of skin, they allow lower layers of skin to breath, exfoliate, and grow back healthier and clearer than ever. Chemical peels are also known for anti-aging, and the reduction of wrinkles, making this a popular cosmetic procedure.
Strong acids used in some chemical peel applications can even reduce the appearance of acne scarring. However, most chemical peels aren’t strong enough to get through the top few layers of skin. The potency of acid you can use depends on your skin type, so its best to check with your dermatologist to determine how much you can handle. Don’t overdo it though. Highly potent chemical peels can cause permanent damage and discoloration of the skin. If you are prone to easy scarring, its best you avoid the stronger chemical peels.
Chemical peels are not a good option for blackheads and whiteheads, however. In fact, getting a chemical peel with a lot of blackheads and whiteheads may actually cause scarring and inflammation.
AHA and BHA Chemical Peels
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and beta hydroxy acids (BHA) are the 2 most widely used chemicals in chemical peels. Their popularity is due to the mildness, and short recovery time. Those that get these kind of chemical peels won’t see any after effects in as little as 30 minutes. For an even milder approach, you have a large selection of over the counter treatments that contain these chemicals.
AHA and BHA chemical peels are fairly painless procedures and you won’t feel much more than a tingle, and usually don’t take more than 20 minutes. Of course everyone’s skin is different, so expect a variety of different regiments.
Glycolic Acid: This type of AHA peel is an extremely fast procedure, with hardly any side effects. Glycolic acid based chemical peels require routine visits to get best effects. Since this treatment is so mild it may take as many as 8 treatments for optimal results.
Salicylic Acid: Salicylic acid, is found in most (effective) over the counter acne treatments. However, over the counter treatments are far more diluted than the salicylic acid used in chemical peels. Unlike glycolic acid, salicylic acid is a BHA. But similar to glycolic acid, this treatment is rather mild, and requires multiple visits.
Side Effects of Chemical Peels
Depending on your skin type and the concentration of the acids used in a chemical peel, you may experience scarring. Try to stick to mild chemical peels to avoid any damage. After a chemical peel you will notice your skin is very dry and easily irritated. Use soft scrubs and soaps to avoid further irritation, and apply plenty of moisturizer.
Increased redness and discoloration of skin pigments are also common side effects, but usually only with higher concentration chemical peels. The reappearance of cold sores is also a side effect that a small percentage of people experience. If your skin is very sensitive, and easily scarred, chemical peels may not be an option for you.
Cost of Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are fairly expensive, and most insurance companies will not cover the procedures, as they are often regarded as cosmetics procedures. The most common use for chemical peels is for purely cosmetic reasons, and the worst cases of acne. But really they are for those that have the money to shell out for such procedures for rapid acne treatment.
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Tags: acne treatment, AHA, BHA, blackheads, chemical peels, dermatologist, salicylic acid, scarring, whiteheads
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