One of the simplest ways that Ottawa patients can maintain beautiful skin at any age is with a professional, medical grade peel. The good news is that chemical peel technology has evolved to provide improvements in skin tone and texture – without the downtime and recovery that early peel formulations were known for.
Here are some of the benefits that can be expected from a medical grade peel:
- Soft and smooth skin texture
- Activation of skin regeneration
- Refined pores
- Minimized fine lines and wrinkles
- Inhibition of hyperpigmentation (fading of brown spots)
- Fewer comedones (blackheads) and acne breakouts
- Improved luminosity
How do medical grade peels provide skin health benefits?
Part of skin aging includes the deceleration of our skin renewal process and abnormal melanin (skin pigment) synthesis due to sun damage. This results in dullness, enlarged pores, fine lines, flaking and an uneven skin tone.
Professional peels work to address these issues in two ways
- The hydroxy acids dissolve the substance that binds dead skin cells together to activate the cell renewal process and reveal fresh skin.
- The skin responds to the unique chemical properties of particular hydroxy acids (salicylic, lactic, glycolic), each with their respective therapeutic benefits that have been shown to improve skin conditions such as acne and hyperpigmentation.
Why are professional medical grade peels superior to at-home treatments?
Unlike at-home exfoliation products, professional medical grade peel treatments are formulated with the aim to produce therapeutic benefits for the skin. There are various considerations that a skincare expert will take into account when providing a clinical peel treatment such as:
- The type of hydroxy acid peel that is best suited to the skin condition (lactic, glycolic, salicylic acids are some of the most popular acids used in chemical peel formulations).
- The pH of the formula. The intensity of the peel is determined by the pH balance, regardless of the percentage of hydroxy acid present in the formula. The lower the pH, the stronger the treatment will be.
- How long the peel will remain on the skin.
Your practitioner will customize and deliver the treatment that is best suited to your skin and aesthetic goals.
- For sensitive skin, this means the first few medical grade peels will be applied for a briefer time in order to build the skin’s tolerance. The intensity of the treatment will be increased gradually over several sessions.
- For patients with pigmentation concerns, a lactic or glycolic acid-based treatment will be most effective to inhibit melanin synthesis.
- Acne skin types benefit from salicylic acid to reduce the skin congestion that leads to breakouts.
As you can see, medical grade peels are a simple and effective non-invasive means to maintain healthy skin for life. For patients who wish to achieve specific goals, a series of six 20-minute treatments spaced 10 to 14 days apart will amplify results. For general skin maintenance, a monthly peel is recommended. To get started on this beneficial skin health step or to learn more about the chemical peel treatments provided at Concept Medical, we welcome you to contact us.