Chemical peels used to have a bad rep - we all remember the Sex and the City episode where Samantha went for a salon skin peel and emerged from the treatment with a bright red face and instructions to stay out of the sun.
The image has stuck with many otherwise beauty-savvy women, and I think it's about time that the misconceptions about chemical peels were blasted away for good, along with the dead skin cells and dull looking skin they can rejuvenate! Be honest - smart phones have evolved in the past 15 years, why wouldn't premium beauty treatments?
What does a skin peel actually do?
Using chemicals to rejuvenate the skin certainly pre-dates Sex and the City. Ancient civilisations used naturally acidic substances to promote skin health; Cleopatra used sour milk, and lactic acid (an Alpha Hydroxy Acid still used to this day) is the active ingredient in sour milk. The general principle behind them is the same centuries later, we just have more effective ingredients in the 21st century.
At Crystal Rose Skin Clinic in Needham Market, I love using the fantastic AlumierMD range of skin peels, as they've been proven over time to give my clients a great result, gently. AlumierMD uses antioxidants, acids and brightening booster ingredients to treat skin conditions like rosacea, acne, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines.
The combination of acids in the peel and the post-peel boosting treatment works by decreasing the pH of the top layer of the skin, and loosening dead skin cells. They are then much easier to exfoliate away, and the gorgeously hydrating ingredients that follow in the post-peel part of the treatment will sink in much more easily as your skin is at the correct pH and primed perfectly.
The end result should be softer, beautifully exfoliated skin, which will feel soft and well nourished. Deeply exfoliating the dead skin cells means that new skin cells are brought to the surface and your complexion looks radiant as it regenerates.
Does a skin peel hurt?
Old style skin peels weren't renowned for being relaxing and pampering skin treatments. Thankfully, these days you can include a superficial skin peel from AlumierMD in your skincare repertoire without having to book out downtime or taking painkillers before you arrive.
One of my recent clients said:
"Rosy has a wealth of knowledge in the field and you feel safe in her hands as she has medical background to back her up. The way her gentle and clever hands move around your skin makes you think that she was born doing this job! The peel is painless, you just feel a bit of a sting/tingle."
My aim is to give you a treatment that's as relaxing as it is effective, so I'll ask you plenty of questions before we start so that I make sure the treatment we choose is the best one for you.
You won't feel any pain during the peel, just some tingling as the peel takes effect - that way you know it's actually doing something! The after-peel products I use will soften and hydrate your skin and the techniques I use will leave you feeling calm, relaxed and thoroughly pampered. You can go straight back to work after a lunch hour treatment if you need to as there should be no swelling or redness to worry about.
The effects are visible straight away, but to maintain them and for the best results I usually advise a course of treatments if you're treating a specific skin condition, and I also recommend AlumierMD homecare products to keep you topped up in between peels. If you'd like to find out more, or book a chemical skin peel in Needham Market, contact me here or through my Facebook page and let's talk!