Let's start with, are you the right candidate? The answer to this question for the majority of people is YES! There are very few contraindications for having a chemical peel. The most common contraindications include sunburned skin, open wounds, medications that cause sensitivity such as Vitamin A derivatives (Retin-A, Retinol, Adapalene, Accutane), cystic acne, heightened allergies and skin infections. Patient who are on topical keratolytics such as Retin-A will be asked to discontinue them for a period of time prior to the peel.
Another big question that must be answered in deciding if a chemical peel is right for you, is what are your expectations? If you are someone who is looking to correct deep wrinkling in between the eyes, around the eyes or in the forehead, deepened nasolabial folds (smile lines) or jowls, a peel will not be enough for you. You could still benefit from a peel but you may be more pleased with something a bit more invasive such as Botox or Dysport, fillers such as Juvederm, or even facial cosmetic surgery (don't worry there will be posts about all of these in the future!). However, if you are looking to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, create an even skin texture and tone, brighten and refresh skin, or help lighten pigmentation then congratulations, you are the perfect candidate for a peel!
Now that we have determined a peel is right for you, the next question is what type of peel should you get? There are many many different peels out there that vary in intensity and purpose. There are very strong peels that must be performed by a medical professional such as an MD or PA and require a large amount of downtime. These peels result in a burned-skin look, think Samantha from Sex and the City after her chemical peel. There are also peels that require next to no downtime and are performed by aestheticians.
At our Spa we offer peels that require little downtime (no burned-skin look), but actually achieve excellent results. Our least invasive peel is our BrookskinMD RosaLuxe Sensitive Skin Peel. This peel is for redness-prone and sensitive skin. It may safely be used in patients with Rosacea. Most patients experience approximately 3-4 days of peeling with this peel. It contains Salicylic acid, Mandelic acid and Azelaic acid. Our most popular peel is our BrookskinMD Glow Retexturing Peel. This peel helps to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, makes the skin look more radiant and helps even tone. The Glow peel is formulated with TCA, Salicylic acid and Azelaic acid. It is a perfect peel to do in preparation for summer to peel off the dry harsh winter! Most patients peel for about 5-7 days after this peel. If you are looking for help with pigmentation, our BrookskinMD Corrective Pigment Peel will be perfect for you. This peels helps lighten pigmentation, rejuvenate the skin from sun damage, help with fine lines and wrinkles and even skin texture. This peel is formulated with Lactic acid, Azelaic acid and Rhytic acid. This peel has the most downtime and patients can expect to have some peeling for 7-10 days. For those patients who don't want any downtime we have our BrookskinMD Quick Peel. This peel can actually be performed on the day of your big event! All of our peels come with after-care instructions and products to use for the next few weeks while your skin is healing!
This is a patient of ours five days after having our BrookskinMD Corrective Pigment Peel. This type of light peeling is what you can expect with any of our peels.
If you are still wondering if a peel is right for you or have more questions, the best thing you can do is come in for a consultation with one of our aestheticians. They will be able to tell you exactly what benefits you will get from a peel and what peel will be right for you! Happy peeling!!!
