When you look into the mirror and critique your skin, do you say, “everything is perfect except this one spot here”? Or do you say, “I wish I could change A, B, C, D, and E”? If you’re like most of our patients, the latter is probably more accurate. That’s one of the reasons why chemical peels are such popular cosmetic treatments—because they’re versatile enough to address several skincare concerns at once, like wrinkles, age spots, acne, acne scars, and more. But there are still some misconceptions about chemical peels, so to set the record straight, we’ve compiled some of the important facts everyone should know about chemical peels.
The key to loving the results of your chemical peel is choosing the right type of peel and working with skilled, experienced professionals. To start discussing how we can give you more youthful and radiant skin, schedule a consultation and skin analysis at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center. Or, for more skincare tips, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Without a doubt, looking younger is one of the most common aesthetic goals today, and as a result, researchers have developed countless ways to tackle various signs of aging—one look at the menu of laser treatments and other cosmetic services we offer at Laser Lights makes that clear. But the quest for a “fountain of youth” has also taken us to some very strange places. Check out some of the oddest facial rejuvenation remedies people are trying and, if you’re like us and prefer a proven therapy instead, learn about the effective treatments that can address aging in similar ways.
Bee Venom Facial
A bee’s venom is what gives a bee sting its, well, sting. Some beauty enthusiasts have used bee venom as part of a topical facial treatment, with the theory that it helps your body produce extra collagen (the protein that makes skin firm and youthful).
Réjuvapen® stimulates wrinkle-reducing collagen using dozens of tiny needles, and specially formulated peptides or human growth factors are used to maximize the results.
Snail Secretions
As you’ll come to notice, creepy critters are a popular theme in unconventional skin treatments. The trails that snails leave behind contain compounds like allatonin and glycolic acid, which can remove the outer layers of dead skin cells that make skin appear older and duller. In most cases, the snail serum is used as part of a packaged skincare product, but there are some salons which will actually place snails on a patient’s face to crawl around for an hour or so.
Try this instead: chemical peels
Like snail secretions, chemical peels focus on removing the outer layer of dead and damaged skin cells to reveal younger, brighter skin, but they do it in a precisely controlled way. Plus, they’re available in a variety of forms to focus on your individual concerns.
Geisha Facial
This one sounds a bit less gross than the first two treatments, right? Not so much. Feces from birds (nightingales, specifically) are dried and ground into a powder before being mixed with rice bran and water or natural enzymes to make a paste which is massaged into the skin. The method was developed by Japanese geishas, who found that it removed their thick makeup and improved the skin problems that years of the chemical-heavy makeup had caused, because the facials exfoliated, brightened, and moisturized their skin.
Try this instead: Silk Dermalinfusion®
You’ve probably heard of microdermabrasion, and Silk Dermalinfusion® is a new take on this tried-and-true procedure. The treatment exfoliates away the dead and damaged skin cells on the surface while also applying a topical solution that’s tailored to your aesthetic concerns, giving the skin a younger, smoother, and more radiant complexion.
SYN®-AKE
Yes, this product’s name sounds like “snake” for a reason. A particular breed of snake has venom that causes quick paralysis. Swiss chemists created SYN®-AKE as a synthetic form of this venom, and it’s added to beauty products and applied topically because the paralytic properties relax the facial muscles that can cause wrinkles.
Try this instead: Dysport® or Botox®
FDA-approved Dysport® and Botox® are cosmetic facial injections that have been proven to relax the facial muscles that cause fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes. Treatments are quick and don’t require any downtime so you can get right back to your day, and results last for months at a time.
At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we love giving our patients the latest and greatest cosmetic treatments. However, we also ensure the safety and effectiveness of any procedure before adding it to our menu of services, and we encourage you to use caution when choosing at-home skincare products as well. To discuss which individualized treatments can best address your aesthetic concerns, schedule a consultation with us. Or, to see the latest news from the world of cosmetic procedures and to hear about our special offers, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
With age, our skin eventually develops sun damage, age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles, but at Laser Lights, we offer a variety of treatments to minimize these concerns. Whether you’re just starting to see surface imperfections or searching for anti-aging results without surgery, we have something just for you. Since our chemical peels vary in strength, they are actually suitable for treating all types of skin conditions. If you’re not quite sure which chemical peel is right for you, check out our guide below.
It is important to understand that the name “chemical peel” comes from the treatment itself. During a chemical peel, a chemical solution is applied to the outermost layer of skin after the skin is cleansed, which typically induces peeling to eliminate the dead, outer layer of skin revealing the undamaged skin underneath. Downtime depends on the strength of the peel, but is minimal. The amount of peeling that occurs with a chemical peel usually depends on the strength of the chemicals used.
The lightest peel we offer is our fruit acid peel, which is composed of glycolic and lactic acids to smooth rough skin, regulate acne, and even out hyperpigmentation. Patients like the fruit acid peel because it requires no downtime and they can show off their refreshed appearance right away. Other patients who are in need of a deeper peel like to use the fruit acid peel as a pre-treatment to the TCA peel (trichloroacetic acid). The TCA peel is one of the strongest peels we offer and is great for reducing fine lines, age spots and hyperpigmentation. Although the treatment is not painful, patients report discomfort during the first few minutes and redness and irritation immediately following treatment that eventually subsides. Patients that choose this treatment can expect up to a week of skin peeling.
Patients with dry, acneic skin benefit from our glycolic peel, which also targets fine lines, acne scars, and melasma while stimulating collagen production. Peeling should be expected for a couple of days depending on the peel’s acid concentration. As with all of our chemical peels, we can customize the chemical peel’s strength depending on your specific needs. Patients with sensitive skin who are looking for a deeper treatment than that of our fruit acid peel can enjoy our mandelic peel that uses acid derived from bitter almond extract. Patients report reduced acne and hyperpigmentation and increased collagen production with no downtime. Patients who mainly want to focus on acne and uneven skin texture should try our salicylic peel.
While not as strong as our TCA peel, the Jessner’s peel uses salicylic and lactic acids to improve signs of aging, but is also great for patients who have moderate to severe acne or those with acne scarring. Patients should expect up to a week of peeling with the Jessner’s Peel. The latest addition to our chemical peel menu, the Vi peel corrects sun damage, minimizes lines and wrinkles, reduces acne and acne scars, and evens out hyperpigmentation. Since the Vi Peel stimulates collagen and elastin production, patients report tighter, younger-looking skin within a week of their treatment.
Our chemical peels can be used alone or in conjunction with some of our other treatments. In fact, we even offer a micro laser peel, which incorporates components of microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing, and chemical peel for a rejuvenated appearance. Before any treatment, our licensed estheticians take the time to thoroughly examine a patient’s skin to determine the right treatment for their skin condition, so schedule a consultation today even if you aren’t quite sure what you need. Visit our Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for skin care news and updates on special offers.
Bee Venom Facial