Peels can be mechanical or chemical in nature. A mechanical peel is one which most of us have in our bathrooms and is commonly referred to as a scrub. It involves using small granules to gently exfoliate or polish the uppermost layers of the skin to remove surface dead skin cells. This leaves the skin looking fresh and stimulated due to the action of the friction involved. This is not necessarily a bad thing as increasing blood supply to the area can bring nutrients to the cells. These peels, depending on the size and harshness of the granules, can be beneficial or irritating to the skin -especially skin prone to redness, rosacea or with dilated capillaries.

The second type of peel is of a chemical nature. This is where a solution is applied to the skin and left to interact with the cells removing dead skin cells. This interaction depends on the peel ingredient and the action it has on the cells. Some work by dissolving the ‘glue’ that holds the cells together; these types of peels include AHA’s like lactic and glycolic acid. Others work by dissolving the cells themselves and include enzymes such as bromelain (from pineapple) and papain (from papaya). Peels which use salicylic (a BHA) work by penetrating the pores and helping reduce oil production. It is best used for oily /acneic skins as it also has anti-inflammatory properties.

No matter what the type of peel, the strength will determine the depth it can penetrate to. Peels can be as light as very superficial that only penetrate the upper layer of the skin. Superficial peels can penetrate deeper up to the last layer of the epidermis, whereas medium depth will penetrate through the whole epidermis into the dermis.  Deep peels penetrate to the lowest section of the dermis and should only be performed by a very experienced medical professional. The deeper the peel the longer the recovery with anything from no downtime to a week of skin shedding.

The type of peel chosen will depend on your skin concerns and what you would like to achieve. Peels can treat a multitude of problems including, skin texture, dull skin, sun damage, pigmentation as well as acne, oily skin or just boosting skin turnover to reveal fresher, brighter skin.  Some skins will need to be prepped prior to having more advanced or deeper peels but very superficial peels will not need any prep. Avoiding retinol, retin-A products prior to treatment is necessary. There are other precautions you may need to take and these can be discussed with you by our Dermal Clinician Chrys. Book in for a consultation and see what peels will work best for you. We have a special offer of 5 peels for the price of 4 so take advantage of this offer by calling 02 9387 3900 today.

Rest assured, our peels will be tailored to your skin’s needs so you don’t end up like Samantha Jones…