Is a Peel Right for Me?
This time of year, I receive A LOT of calls from those who are "shopping" quotes for the cheapest chemical peel treatments, which in my mind is a very dangerous thing. One of the things I have done since I became licensed for skincare in Arizona was to make skin Consults for the person looking to peel a mandatory protocol. The reason? The success of a Peel rests both in the hands of the technician, but more so in the hands of the client. Basically, I need to know the following:
1.) What the client is using on their skin prior to their peel and if the client is willing to invest in post-care products?
2.) Peel of Enzyme?
3.) Medical /Family History?
4.) History of skincare treatments including laser & Dermatological experiences?
5.) The Client's Expectations?
So this blog is meant to break the above done and to educate. The above, in my opinion, should also be discussed by you before you are havng a peel.
1.) What is the Client Using and are you willing to invest?
Two to three weeks before the peel, clients need to begin prepping the skin. This happens by cleansing it twice a day, applying a specific serum and/or moisturizer twice a day, and using sunscreen every day. In some cases, daily use of a Retinol topical is also recommended and may speed healing. This skin care regimen will help the skin peel more evenly, speed healing after the peel, and may reduce the chance of infection and other complications. In conjunction with pre-peeling solutions, I have suggested Microdermabrasion or Dermalplaning as a means to thin thickened skin or the skin of those who do not exfoliate regularly.
The most common is a change clients see from peels is the change in uneven skin color or fading of "hyperpigmentation" caused by sun-exposure, heat exposure or hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause. If you are having peels to lighten the skin, pre-lightening products may be suggested.
Most Over the Counter (OTC) products do not contain ingredient percentages effective enough to make changes and are not suggested by most professional based skincare lines that manufacture peels as Pre-Peeling solutions. Pre-Peeling Treatments also allow the Peel "Solution" to penetrate more deeply, and allow the skin to peel more evenly. In some cases, peel solutions also prevent the migration of "melanin" or the skin coloring. Migration of Melanin is what causes freckling and the "age spots" that so many people hate.
Investing in Pre-Peel solutions is a discussion that responsible professionals should have with clients. In a nutshell, the job of a peel is to exfoliate.
Most aesthys work with companies that offer pre- and post care products when it comes to peels. I personally will not conduct a peel with the use of a pre-peel solution or post peel. I also roll the price of the care into the overall price of a peel.
2.) Peel or Enzyme?
Part of the Consult is to discover the goals of the client. Most of the time, if they are just looking to exfoliate seasonal dryness or dullness, I will choose and enzyme adjoining Microdermabrasion. Two of my favorite companies, SkinScriptRX and Eminence employ natural fruit enzymes which help the skin to peel without chemicals. ( man-made chemicals).
Enzyme peels offer a more gentle solution than that of chemical peels. These treatments can speed up natural chemical reactions in the skin that renew skin cells while exfoliating dead cells. Enzymes are also known to be great for superficial scars, fine lines, and discoloration. But the most amazing thing about enzyme peels is that they do not damage or remove live tissue! They exfoliate ONLY dead cells, which is a big reason why enzyme peels are great for nearly all skin types. Because there is no injury to live skin, there’s no down time – so no hiding out in the dark at home on "downtime".
Devotees of enzyme peels love the immediate, visible results of these skincare treatments. I am very big on suggesting homecare that has some sort of enzyme in it between professionally administered treatments.
Chemical Peels are made up of Chemical compounds including salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid. These peels range on the exfoliation spectrum from superficial, to medium, to deep in so far as how much they penetrate the epidermal layers. Chemical peels exfoliate dead skin cells and can also remove living cells.
While effective, chemical peels are associated with such things as photo-sensitivity ( sensitivity to light, UVA/UVB) and may not be the best choice for all skin types. In addition, medium and deep chemical peels may require weeks of down time due to pain, redness, and even scabbing – and as such, it can take weeks to see benefits to the skin. Chemical peels with a 20% and under
(percentage of Chemical compound) are generally administered by estheticians in Arizona. Anything that is 30% or higher MUST be done by a physician or aesthetician who is with medical direction.
3.) Medical/Family History
This section is a biggie for me...in that part of the Consult is to discover if the person to be peeled has what are known as "Contraindications" or reasons why a peel may not be "indicated" for a client. These include:
Active bacterial, viral, fungal, or herpetic infection
Open wounds
History of drugs with photosensitizing potential
Pre-existing inflammatory issues (things such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema.)
Facial cancers, especially facial melanomas
Uncooperative patient (patient is careless about sun exposure or application of medicine)
For medium-depth and deep peels, history of abnormal scarring, keloids, atrophic skin, or isotretinoin use in the last 12 months
and the Biggest One for me...
Clients with unrealistic expectations!
Two other considerations that I always look into are what the Ethnic background of the person is as well as the Degree of wrinkling. Respectively, these are termed "Fitzpatrick" and "Glogau" scales. Fitzpatick Scale weighs how the skin reacts when exposed to light. Glogau is the term which describes how much the clients skin has photo-aged or has wrinking. The Glogau range is a scale from 0-4 and in some cases 1-4. Please see an example of the Glogau skins below.
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Next week!
We will continue our Peel discussion in a Part II Blog this coming week!
On tap will be our last two (2) topics:
Discussing a Client's Skincare History
&
Client Expectations
In the meantime, for the month of November I will be offering complimentary Peel Consults for those who have been thinking about having a peels done.
(Regularly Priced at $25.00)
** ALSO **
Diamond-wand Microdermabrasion treatments are being Priced at $39.00 per treatment
(Does not include Peel or Enzyme application)
