How Does a Chemical Peel Make My Skin Look Better?

How Chemical Peels Make the Skin Look Better

I've wondered how chemical peels really work to improve the texture, tone, fine lines, acne, acne scars, and overall look of the skin. After much reading, I found out that it's not simply the exfoliation of skin that makes skin look better.

Using an at home chemical peel evokes a complex repair process that builds more collagen.

The process includes inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. At-home chemical peels work long after the peeling finishes to improve skin.

Skin’s Healing Process during an at-home Chemical Peel:

1. Inflammation

All who have had a chemical peel experience the inflammation stage during the healing process, even if it can't be seen with the naked eye. I usually swell immediately after a chemical peel and the following day, which gives a nice, plump effect.

To minimize swelling, I eliminate as much sugar and salt as possible from my diet for several days before my chemical peel and during the healing process.

The purpose of inflammation is to prevent infection, even during a light or medium chemical peel. When the skin swells, leukocytes begin to clean away dead cells and destroy bacteria. Later, white blood cells called macrophages replace them. Macrophages continue cleaning the wound, although there may not appear to be a wound with a light or medium at-home chemical peel.

Macrophages also secrete growth factors and proteins that facilitate the development of new cells to rebuild tissue. This stage begins as soon as the skin is wounded, and it can last several days, depending on the chemical peel strength and depth. One may even feel warmth from the histamine response and subsequent pain. Some patients on sites I've reviewed said that they have taken OTC painkiller or fever reducers. I have never done that.

2. Proliferation

This stage of the healing process after a chemical peel lasts from two days to several weeks, depending upon the chemical peel depth and the chemical peel strength. During this time, the wound begins to heal by building tissue, including skin and blood vessels.

And this is the step that’s most important for aging skin: cells called fibroblasts move to the wound caused by the chemical peel and begin to produce new connective tissue called collagen. The collagen fibers develop into a matrix that creates the foundation for further healing. As we age, our bodies naturally create less collagen, but doing light chemical peels on a regular basis keeps the body's collagen machine working!

Now the leathery stage begins after the at home chemical peel: as the matrix forms and the collagen begins to strengthen, the edges of the wound start to contract toward one another. When the leathery texture begins, although it’s no fun to see, take stock that the body is creating collagen, which will build up the skin and fill in those lines.

3. Remodeling

Even though the skin looks good after the peeling finishes, it’s only going to get better! The process of remodeling starts after several weeks and can last for years after a chemical peel. Old collagen is broken down and then replaced with new collagen.

This process is also why we want to give our skin a break during the summer months to rest, and to avoid being exposed to more UV damage during the healing process.

Below is the actual first step in the healing process--if the skin is cut, torn, or bleeds for any reason. I didn't include it in the at-home chemical peel process because we should not be performing at-home peels that are strong enough to start this response within our bodies. Remember, chemicals can be dangerous and cause serious injuries! This is not a procedure that should be done without the consultation of a professional, and I am NOT a professional, so do NOT use my experience or information to replace medical advice.

Hemostasis

This stage should not be necessary in any at-home chemical peel, but it’s interesting to know how it would work if one had a deep chemical peel at the doctor’s office. Some deep chemical peels can cause bleeding, and this would be an important step in the healing process. Hemostasis means to stand still or stop bleeding. Blood vessels constrict and blood platelets form a clot. A scab forms as the clotted blood dries.

TCA 4 Series - Before and After

I thought it would be interesting to compare my late summer picture, before I started my peels to the final after shot. Since I'm not sure if I'll be able to squeeze in another peel, I've decided to post this now.

Here's a picture of me in September, before my first TCA peel. I think I was wearing sunscreen and powder, since that's what I usually wear. I pulled this picture from my first before/after blog post:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This is my face now, after a series of 4 TCA chemical peels. I am wearing sunscreen and powder, like in the picture above. I think my biggest problem area (my chin) is looking much better. I had several acne scars there that were starting to look bad. The hyperpigmentation around my smile lines is much lighter! And I think the overall texture of my face looks much better...seems fuller and firmer, but could be wishful thinking ;-)

What's the Difference between Buffereed and Non-buffered Chemical Peels?

Buffered really refers to the pH level or how acidic the solution is...and that's important. Skin is made up of protein, and water, among other stuff. Proteins are complex chains of amino acids that are sensitive to the alkaline or acid level (pH) surrounding them. When the skin's proteins react with an acid in a low pH, the acid destroys the existing tissues. The lower the pH - the stronger the acid.

Anytime the natural pH level of a solution is changed, it’s called buffering. Buffering can increase or decrease a pH level. Buffered and non-buffered products can carry the same percentage of an active ingredient, but the strength of the ingredient will vary.

For example, one particular brand of 70% glycolic acid has a pH of 0.6. That’s been chemically altered to be lower than its natural pH of 1.0. This is to give it more action. The 30% glycolic chemical peel has a pH of 2.1. It has been chemically altered to give it a higher pH level.

The buffered products are generally sold for home use (for safety), although you can certainly get non-buffered products. The reaction is slower as well as weaker.

Products with a pH level of about 3.4, for example, are easy to use all night or all day since your skin won’t react negatively, yet they still have a positive effect. Our skin has a natural pH balance of between 4.2 and 5.6, with men having slightly more acidic levels than women.

4th TCA Peel - Before and After

The top of this post is a repeat. Updated photos are at the bottom of this post.

I turned 47 this month, and this year I vowed to be more aggressive in getting my skin in better condition. To that end, yesterday, I did my 4th TCA chemical peel to address fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture. Although I've also done some spot treatments, I'll just call this the 4th one.

I did only the lower portion because I feel like everything above that is in great shape and really doesn't need any additional TCA chemical peels, although I will continue glycolic acid for maintenance until the fall.

I used a 25% TCA chemical peel solution, and it frosted within 1 minute, so I rinsed as soon as it frosted. I don't want to frost too deeply - more peeling, less healing, right! The previous TCA chemical peels have helped with fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and overall texture, but I'm still not where I want to be...maybe one more after this??

Here's a before picture that I took on 2/11. No makeup or sunscreen, and I can still see some fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture that looks a bit saggy around my mouth corners and lumpy on my chin--I don't know what that is:

Here's a picture after rinsing the solution off. The frost is still there, but it went away after about 10 minutes.

Here's a picture the next morning, about 12 hours after the TCA chemical peel solution was applied. No makeup or sunscreen yet.

Day 2 after a peel always looks good to me: just slightly swollen and taut...just wish it didn't turn into day 3

Here's the morning of day 3. Leather look is here, as expected on day 3, which is usual for me, even with lots of Cu3. Not a good look - hiding out today.

Just before my shower at the end of a very long day 3. I can't tell you how much will power it took to keep from pulling this skin off! Yes, most of it came off in the shower.

The skin above my lip and beside that area didn't even start to crack today, so this is going to go on through day 4.

It took a total of 4.5 days for this peel to completely finish, although I hid for about 1.5 days, so make sure you plan wisely on when you do your peels.

Here are the before and after shots, and I'm including without sunscreen/powder and with:

BEFORE (without sunscreen and powder):

AFTER (without sunscreen and powder):

AFTER (with sunscreen and powder):

Hands Really Tell Our Age - Before and After

The top section of this post is a repeat for those who haven't seen it. The bottom includes new photos.

I am so tired of looking at these age spots, which look a lot like little freckles, which are the result of sun damage! I will definitely be wearing sunscreen or sun block on my hands every day from now on.

No matter how good our faces looks, hands really tell our age! In my anti aging quest, I have done one TCA chemical peel on my hands and one spot treatment, which helped a tiny bit, but I needed a high-powered peel for these hands, so I applied a buffered 50% TCA chemical peel solution to my hands.

Here’s a picture before:

Here’s a picture after about 2 minutes with the solution, when it began to frost. My hands actually hurt after the frost went away on this peel. It was painful for a full day. I used a lot of copper peptide cream, and that helped:

Here’s day 3. Only do this when you can wear extra-long sleeves to cover your hands because they really look bad:

Day 8, and I've begun to peel, but it's slow:

The red mark is where I decided to hit my hand on the door! I must be more careful because the skin is so vulnerable right now.

This peel is taking forever! I think the strength has some impact, but I also know from my many peels that my face turns over cells much faster than the rest of my body.

Here's day 11. Finally peeling in earnest, but it's coming off very slowly. This is my left hand.

And here's the right, although the lighting wasn't as good:

Most the peeling has finally finished, although there are a few flakies still lingering. Here are before and after pictures:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I am thrilled with this last peel. Yes, it took TWO very long weeks because it was strong, but a lot of the age spots or sun spots have been addressed and lightened. I hope to do one more before spring!

4th TCA Peel - day 3

The top of this post is a repeat. Updated photos are at the bottom of this post. WARNING: it's not gonna be pretty...

I turned 47 this month, and this year I vowed to be more aggressive in getting my skin in better condition. To that end, yesterday, I did my 4th TCA chemical peel to address fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture. Although I've also done some spot treatments, I'll just call this the 4th one.

I did only the lower portion because I feel like everything above that is in great shape and really doesn't need any additional TCA chemical peels, although I will continue glycolic acid for maintenance until the fall.

I used a 25% TCA chemical peel solution, and it frosted within 1 minute, so I rinsed as soon as it frosted. I don't want to frost too deeply - more peeling, less healing, right! The previous TCA chemical peels have helped with fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and overall texture, but I'm still not where I want to be...maybe one more after this??

Here's a before picture that I took on 2/11. No makeup or sunscreen, and I can still see some fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture that looks a bit saggy around my mouth corners and lumpy on my chin--I don't know what that is:

Here's a picture after rinsing the solution off. The frost is still there, but it went away after about 10 minutes.

Here's a picture the next morning, about 12 hours after the TCA chemical peel solution was applied. No makeup or sunscreen yet.

Just before my shower at the end of a very long day 3. I can't tell you how much will power it took to keep from pulling this skin off! Yes, most of it came off in the shower.

The skin above my lip and beside that area didn't even start to crack today, so this is going to go on through day 4.

Hands Really Tell Our Age - day 11

The top section of this post is a repeat for those who haven't seen it. The bottom includes new photos.

I am so tired of looking at these age spots, which look a lot like little freckles, which are the result of sun damage!

No matter how good our faces looks, hands really tell our age! In my anti aging quest, I have done one TCA chemical peel on my hands and one spot treatment, which helped a tiny bit, but I needed a high-powered peel for these hands, so I applied a buffered 50% TCA solution to my hands.

Here’s a picture before:

Here’s day 3. Only do this when you can wear extra-long sleeves to cover your hands because they really look bad:

Day 8, and I've begun to peel, but it's slow:

Here's day 11. Finally peeling in earnest, but it's coming off very slowly. This is my left hand.

And here's the right, although the lighting wasn't as good:

I'll post a before and after when this finishes peeling.

Anti-aging efforts must be doubled in Urban Areas and in Extreme Weather

Your anti aging routine may need to be ratcheted up a notch. According to Charlene Laino in her article “Pollution May Aggravate Skin Damage From Sun,” which was posted on MedScape, polluted urban environments or pollution levels found similar to those in urban environments may more than double skin damage, in the form of premature aging, from the sun, preliminary research suggests. Those were not the only disturbing findings from this research for those of us concerned with anti aging.

Extreme weather, such as extremely cold or hot, may also increase the skin damage associated with UV radiation, the study suggests. Those of us who live in colder or hotter climates have one or more more issues to deal with in our anti aging quest.

Researchers tested exposure to pollution and other environmental factors, such as extreme temperatures, to determine if they would exacerbate damage from the sun. The researchers tested with the following different environmental conditions, including UV radiation alone, UV radiation plus cigarette smoke, UV radiation plus heat of 104 degrees F, UV radiation plus temperatures dropping below 32 degrees F, UV radiation plus high winds, and UV radiation plus ozone.

To determine if further damage had occurred, researchers measured unique chemicals associated with aging of the skin due to sun damage. Levels of all the chemicals were higher in the scenarios that included a second environmental stressor along with UV radiation.

Neither the author nor researchers mentioned steps for prevention, but much of it is common sense. For those of us who live in urban areas, freezing or arid climates, or in areas of high winds, further protection—beyond sunscreen—is necessary. For example, wrap your scarf around your face during the winter or during high winds, which in the Midwest often come together, and wear facemasks when skiing or playing in the snow. Spritz your face with water often during the summer but make sure you reapply sunscreen, and with wear a wide-brimmed hat. Also, don’t forget to protect your younger family members. I’m unsure of steps to take to help combat pollution. If you have any ideas, please post them.

The findings of the research were presented at the yearly conference for the American Academy of Dermatology by Michelle Garay, MS, of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies and colleagues.

SOURCES:
69th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, New Orleans, Feb. 4-8, 2011.
Michelle Garay, MS, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Skillman, N.J.
Darrell S. Rigel, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, New York University Medical Center.

Thinning Skin? Help is Here!

Thinning Skin? Help is here!

If you’ve been thinking about trying the oil cleansing method, you’ve got a new reason.

Thinning of the dermis layer occurs with aging due to collagen reduction and UV damage. According to Julia Lawless, author of The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, there are some natural remedies that can help to increase collagen production in skin, and it's a spin off of the oil cleansing method.

The dermis is the lower inner layer of the skin where wrinkles first develop, according to MedicineNet.com. This layer contains blood vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands, among other things, and this layer helps to regulate sebum production, produces collagen, and maintains the structure of skin. Remember, products containing collagen do not penetrate to the dermis, so external collagen cannot help in this area.

The procedure involves massaging a combination of essential oils into the skin. Massage also helps increase circulation, which aids in collagen production. I use massage daily with my oil cleansing method, and this method is similar but uses different oils.

If you want to start out simple with an oil cleansing method, try apricot kernel oil:

Wash hands and moisten face with water. Pour about a ½ teaspoon of the oil into your hands and begin massaging in circular motions. Make sure you have enough oil; you don’t want to tug the skin, and the oil will allow your fingertips to gently glide over the skin.
Continue for about two minutes, and you may leave it on as long as you’d like. Gently wipe the excess oil. I use rinsed baby wipes. Apply moisturizer and sunscreen. Try this twice a day.
If you have oily skin, don’t worry! This oil does not clog pores and it is somewhat dry, so you will need to moisturize.

If you're interested in the oil cleansing method while experimenting with the essential oil combinations that author Julia Lawless recommends, here is a recommended recipe and method:

Combine in a small bottle with an airtight lid: 1 cup coconut oil, ½ tsp. carrot seed essential oil, ½ tsp. elemi essential oil, ½ tsp. linaloe essential oil, ½ tsp. peppermint, ¼ tsp. spearmint essential oil, ¼ tsp. rosemary essential oil, and ¼ tsp. Peru balsam essential oil. Shake the bottle well
Dab a small portion of the mixture on the most sensitive area of your skin to test for an allergic reaction. If you have no reaction within 24 hours, proceed.
Pour a small amount of the mixture onto clean hands. Gently massage the oil onto skin for 2 minutes. Leave the oil on your skin for 20 minutes after massaging it in for best results.
Rinse your skin with warm water and wash with a gentle cleanser. Apply moisturizer and sunscreen.
Use two times per day: morning and evening. Stop using the essential oil mixture if it causes irritation, redness, swelling or dry skin.
Store unused portions of the essential oil mixture in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator for 90 days. Discard the essential oil mixture after 90 days.

4th TCA Peel

I turned 47 this month, and this year I vowed to be more aggressive in getting my skin in better condition. To that end, yesterday, I did my 4th TCA chemical peel to address fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture. Although I've also done some spot treatments, I'll just call this the 4th one.

I did only the lower portion because I feel like everything above that is in great shape and really doesn't need any additional TCA chemical peels, although I will continue glycolic acid for maintenance until the fall.

I used a 25% TCA chemical peel solution, and it frosted within 1 minute, so I rinsed as soon as it frosted. I don't want to frost too deeply - less peeling, more healing, right! The previous TCA chemical peels have helped with fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and overall texture, but I'm still not where I want to be...maybe one more after this??

Here's a before picture that I took on 2/11. No makeup or sunscreen, and I can still see some fine lines, some slight hyperpigmentation, and overall texture that looks a bit saggy around my mouth corners and lumpy on my chin--I don't know what that is:

Here's a picture after rinsing the solution off. The frost is still there, but it went away after about 10 minutes.

Here's a picture from this morning, about 12 hours after the TCA chemical peel solution was applied. No makeup or sunscreen yet.

I'm hoping this peel will be done by Saturday! I may be able to do one more after this to make sure I really address fine lines, all the hyperpigmentation, and overall texture before the summer gets here because I will NOT be doing any TCA peels during that time. My skin will have three full months away from TCA chemical peels because I do not want to cause any more UV damage or hyperpigmentation.

Acne Treatment Options

Acne Treatments: Weighing Up Your Options

I was really disappointed to see glycolic acid and salicylic acid missing as treatment options for acne in this article published on Medical News Today.

The article lists six options for treating acne, all of them requiring a prescription--and a doctor to give that prescription. The options included gels to unblock pores and kill bacteria (they didn't list any names), vitamin a cream (again, they didn't list names, but we know that's retin-a), antibiotic topicals, azelaic acid gel, antibiotics (oral form), and isotretinoin (such as Accutane, although they didn't list the name).

I have a theory: doctors want to make us think that we have to go through them to get script drugs or treatment for acne.We do not have to be dependent on them any longer to eliminate those nasty bumps, blackheads, and pimples.

I do believe that there are some extreme cases of acne that need oral medications. Perhaps if more people knew--via their doctors' advice--how successful glycolic acid and salicylic acid are for creating and maintaining clear complexions, these sufferers may have eliminated the problems before they got out of hand, maybe.

I've struggled with mild acne since I was 13, and I've tried most of those options listed. The only thing that has worked for me is glycolic acid. It also costs the least amount, while doing the least damage to my body and wallet.

I still get breakouts if I don't use glycolic acid regularly, normally around my period or when I use a product that doesn't agree with my skin, such as some sunscreens. There's also a medication that I take for migraines that causes breakouts for me, but my doctor couldn't keep those breakouts from happening, although I will admit that I didn't try Accutane because it has so many harmful side effects, and mild acne does not justify using such a harsh drug.

Using glycolic acid once a week has done wonders for me. I also have used Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion with success when I was out of glycolic acid. If you know someone with acne, please let them know they have other options.

Hands Really Tell Our Age - day 8

The top section of this post is a repeat for those who haven't seen it. The bottom includes a new photo.

I am so tired of looking at these age spots! No matter how good our faces looks, hands really tell our age! My spot treatment helped a tiny bit, but I needed a high-powered peel for these hands, so I applied a buffered 50% TCA solution to my hands; this is my 2nd all-over hand peel this winter, along with 1 spot treatment.

Here’s a picture before:

Here’s day 3 (OMG). Only do this when you can wear extra-long sleeves to cover your hands because they really look bad:

Day 8, and I've begun to peel:

I'm also planning to do another all-over face peel on Wednesday night since I'm off on Thursday and Friday this week, and I don't have any plans for the weekend.