Manual Exfoliation vs Chemical Exfoliation

The number one question I get asked is if I do chemical peels and what they do for the skin?

A chemical peel is a form of exfoliation. First things first. Why exfoliate?

Your skin in the largest organ in the human body. It is both dead and alive. Rule of thumb is that your skin cell turn over is generally every 28 days, longer as we age. Exfoliation is important to remove the dead skin cells so that cell turnover can take place and so that healthy skin is revealed. It also assists in the prevention of blocked pores ( black heads and white heads), aging, dry skin and also aids in promoting even texture and tone.

Manual exfoliation is achieved by using either a topical scrub, a rotating brush or microdermabrasion. The dead skin is removed by means of breaking up the dead skin and gently sloughing it away. Depending on the skin type, a manual exfoliation is good once or twice a week. However, there is such a thing as over exfoliating. If you do not have any serious skin conditions, I would not suggest manually exfoliating every day as this can lead to more severe skin conditions. It can break the skin causing lesions, it can cause irritation which then the skin over compensates to protect itself. If you are not sure about your skin type, or how often you should be exfoliating, please ask your esthetician.

Chemical exfoliation sounds intimidating, but they aren't. Dead skin cells remain attached by fat cells, or lipids. Chemical exfoliation, also called peels, break down the lipids and allow the removal of dead skin cells. It is more productive of an exfoliation than a manual exfoliation.

There are several different types of chemical peels. Ranging from low chemical to higher chemical peels which are low down time and more potent peels which will result in a sloughing, or peeling, of the skin.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) peels are derived from fruit, sugar cane and milk. The most used AHA acids are Lactic and Glycolic acid peels. These acids produce great results with no down time. These are most effective in series such as 6 peels in a three month period.

Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) peels, also known as Salycilic Acid, treats the same skin disorders, but penetrates the epidermis deeper than the AHA peels. This peel is often used to treat acneic skin as well as hyper pigmentation.

Then you have your more potent forms of peels such as the Jessners peel and TCA (Trychloroacetic Acid) which can only be performed by esthetician's if under a 10% TCA. These Are deeper peels in which the skin reacts over a period of days. These acids will actually cause the dead skin to dry and peel away from the healthy skin. Hence the name peels.

Not everyone is a candidate for chemical peels. Those with sensitive skin and certain medical problems should not consider peels.

When scheduling a peel, your esthetician should consult with you on preparing for a chemical peel and advise on post care instructions.