CHEMICAL PEEL

At Virginia Board Certified Cosmetic Laser and Wellness Center, we offer varying degrees of chemical strength that are safe for all skin types.

WHAT IS A CHEMICAL PEEL?

Chemical Peel Treatment is not a new thing anymore, it is a trend that’s continued to grow since its inception. Chemical peel treatment is an in-office treatment involving the placement of a chemical on the skin’s surface to treat facial wrinkles, abnormal skin growths, or abnormal skin pigmentation. It’s a treatment available to people of all ages whenever the first effects of photo aging (damaging effects of sunlight on skin) begin to be visible on facial skin. At WellMedica we provide our customers with a chemical solution that is customized based on your needs. The new skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin.

CHEMICAL PEEL | BEFORE & AFTERS

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WHAT TYPE OF CHEMICAL PEELS ARE USED?

Chemical peels work by exfoliating a layer of skin, allowing smoother, softer skin to be revealed through the healing process. There are several types of chemical peels offered at Wellmedica that vary depending on what conditions they work best to resolve.

AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) are water-soluble acids made of sugary fruits. These are relatively superficial mild peels that are primarily used for enlarged pores, fine lines and surface wrinkles, mild hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. Glycolic peels are the most common AHA peels.

BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) on the other hand, goes slightly deeper into your hair follicle to dry excess oils and exfoliates dead skin than the AHA peels. Hence, BHA is more suitable for patients that have normal to oily skin. BHA peels are used to treat acne-prone skin and reduce rosacea-related redness. Salicylic Acid peels are the most common BHA peels.

Jessner’s peels are typically medium peels. That means, it removes skin cells from the top layer of your skin (epidermis) and the upper portion of the middle layer (the dermis). These peels are often used in situations where the skin hasn’t responded to an AHA peel, but a mild peel is still desired. Jessner peels are used to even out skin tone, reduce the appearance of scars, smooth fine lines, and wrinkles, and treat melasma (hyperpigmentation). Jessner peels are made up of a mix of lactic acid, salicylic acid, and resorcinol in a 95 percent ethanol solution.

TCA (Trichloroacetic acid) peels are an analog of acetic acid (like vinegar) and are an active ingredient in many popular chemical peels. It is considered medium to deep peel based on the strength and concentration used. A peel with TCA concentration in the 20 % range can be applied to the neck, décolletage, hands, and arms to help sun-damaged or aging skin.

Peels with TCA concentrations up to 35% and more, should only be applied to the face and can be used to treat deeper wrinkles and precancers.
A lighter peel or a series of lighter peels are a good option if you don’t want or can’t afford days of downtime. Deeper peels often require a week or more of downtime as the skin peels off and then renews itself, and can only be done once annually.

Phenol peels (Carbolic Acid) offer the greatest depth of treatment. The phenol peel is the chemical peel that goes deep enough to improve the dermis and the epidermis. The imperfections of the epidermis—wrinkles, scarring, textural irregularities, and extensive sun damage—are diminished as the acid removes the outermost layers. This results in renewed, refreshed, and beautiful-looking skin. They can treat deeper wrinkles, blotchy skin, and even precancerous lesions.

IS IT CHEMICAL PEELS RIGHT FOR ME?

Chemical peels are typically used to restore a youthful, vibrant appearance to wrinkly, blotchy, sun-damaged skin. Chemical peels are becoming more popular because they’re so versatile. At Wellmedica, we can customize your needs to achieve specific effects based on the individual’s unique goals such as

Clearing acne breakouts, acne scars, and other scarring
Smoothing fine lines and wrinkles
Reduce sun damage, dark spots including age spots
Improving the skin color, texture, clarity, and tone
Addressing visible skin imperfections
Stimulating collagen and healthy skin cell to have a radiant complexion
Improving skin tone and hydration

Some other advantages for a chemical peel

Chemical peels offer a fast track to smoother, line-free skin.
Confidence booster: There’s no quicker path to confidence than a smooth, glowing complexion.
Minimal cost: Unlike spending hundreds of dollars on the newest anti-aging products, chemical peels offer concrete results at a reasonable price.
Fast: Sometimes referred to as the “lunchtime peel” chemical peels require minimal downtime, i.e. you can get one, and get back to your life without worrying about recovery.

HOW MANY CHEMICAL PEELS TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?

The number of peels required to see results depends on the condition being treated and the type of the chemical peel. If you are treating concerns such as sun damage or acne, multiple peels will be required. Some improvement will be seen after each peel, but it typically takes a series of 6-8 peels 3- 6 weeks apart to see the full effect if a light peel is required. When using a medium to deep peel 1-2 peels might be required depending on the condition.

HOW MUCH DO CHEMICAL PEELS COST?

The cost starts at $225 per session and up. (There are a variety of factors that determine the overall price including the type of peel and area treated). To ensure that your chemical peel procedure is affordable, we accept a variety of payment methods including special financing plans.

WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT?

The treatment generally takes under an hour for the application of the chemical solution to the face and involves minimal discomfort. After treatment, the skin is generally red, which fades as the skin heals.

Before your chemical peel treatment, we recommend that:

Stop exfoliating the area treated with the chemical peel at least two days before your appointment to reduce sensitivity.
Ensure that your skin is hydrated and moisturized on the day of your appointment. Drink plenty of water in the days leading to your treatment.
If you have a history of cold sore please discuss with Dr. Dima Ali to ensure that you start your antiviral medication prior to your scheduled appointment.

After your chemical peel treatment, the skin is generally red and mildly swollen but fades as the skin heals. Around the second or third day, you might notice your skin starting to peel. Depending on the type and depth of the peel, your skin may peel for three to ten days.

Generally, medium chemical peels will take five to seven days for the peeling to stop. While with deeper peels you might experience crusting, peeling, and swelling that might last several days to weeks.

The right care and following the post-care instruction provided by one of WellMedica providers is important to ensure quick and comfortable healing. The success of the chemical peel is now up to you if you want to get the desired results.

Aftercare Instructions:

Immediately following your chemical peel treatment, ensure that you take extra precautions to guard against exposure to the sun.
On the first night, avoid washing your face.
Days 2 through 7 avoid harsh cleansers, scrubs, creams, and moisturizers.
When washing your face, pat your skin dry/do not rub.
Avoid picking or pulling on your skin when peeling starts to prevent scarring and hyperpigmentation.
Apply over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream over treated areas to minimize redness, itching, irritation, and hyperpigmentation (optional). If you have a darker skin tone, this is not optional.
Avoid strenuous exercise until skin peeling stops and your skin is healed to avoid irritation.
Avoid having any other facial treatments/procedures for at least one week after peeling or until flaking/ peeling stops.
REMINDER: It is not a requirement to experience deep peeling of their facial skin after a light peel. If peeling does not occur, please know that you are still receiving all the benefits of the peel, such as stimulation of collagen production, improvement of skin tone and texture, and diminished fine lines and pigmentation.

IS IT SAFE?

A chemical peel is usually a very safe procedure when performed by a qualified and experienced professional. At Wellmedica, Dr. Dima has great experience with various skin types and will evaluate your skin and then determine whether chemical peels are the best option for you or not.

TESTIMONIALS

I wanted to see Dr.Dima about my acne and bad acne scars. She recommended starting off with doing a series of Chemical Peels. I was apprehensive at first because of how the skin sheds, but afterward, my skin was baby smooth and my acne scars have faded !!