Skin peels are a very cost effective and powerful treatment for improving the look and feel of the skin.
When properly administered peels can offer some of the best non-surgical rejuvenation results. They remove cellular build-up, stimulate skin regeneration and reduce wrinkles, fine lines, large pores and oiliness. And, they also help clear blemishes, treat hyperpigmentation, and improve the skin’s overall texture and tone.
Peels can be used on anyone of any age to treat conditions such as acne, scarring, hyperpigmentation and enlarged pores. They are also excellent anti-agers as they speed the turnover of cells, which slows with age, and stimulate elastin and collagen production, the skin’s main proteins, which diminish with age.
Essentially, a peel is the removal of damaged layers of cells using specialised acid and enzyme solutions to reveal fresher more youthful skin.
While ‘acid’ may sound scary, the acids used in skin peels are mainly natural, such as glycolic acid derived from sugar cane and lactic acid from milk. But it is still important that peels are administered by skin specialists fully trained in their use.
Peels come in different strengths. The mildest do not actually cause the skin to peel as they only work on the very surface layer, the stratum corneum, which largely consists of dead cells. A course of these peels creates a mild sloughing effect leaving skin more refined.
A medium peel works on the epidermal layer of the skin and produces a peel similar to skin flaking after sunburn. Deep peels go to the dermal layer and peeling can be dramatic with skin turning temporarily brown and crusty before new, greatly improved skin is revealed.
The stronger peels are medical and should only be performed by a doctor. These will completely resurface and plump the skin, and in some cases have a lifting effect that can equal a facelift.
Medcare favours ZO and Glo peels, which both offer excellent results and include products that can only be used in medical clinics. Mild peels are performed by a qualified therapist, while medical grade peels are doctor administered.
Read more about ZO and Glo peels