When our skin is old, dull, and beat up by Ohio’s sultry summers or frigid winters, there are times when it would b nice to make like a snake and just shed the whole thing. That way we could go to work the next day with bright, fresh skin.
OK, that would be like a weird sci-fi movie.
Reality? We already shed our entire outer layer every 2-4 weeks. Don’t believe it? We shed 0.001 to 0.003 ounces of skin flakes every hour. Yes, that dust around your house is mostly of your own making.
But we’d still like faster exfoliation to address fine lines and age spots, and just tired-looking skin. One of our favorite methods for exfoliation at Dr. Fedele’s is the chemical peel. Chemical peels remove the outermost layer of our skin, getting rid of dead skin cells, dirt, and other junk, leaving our skin revitalized.
What Can You Treat With A Chemical Peel?
Chemical peels are usually done on the face, but they can also be used on the neck and the backs of the hands. Here are the skin issues they can address:
- Lessen the appearance of wrinkles caused by sun damage and aging
- Treat certain types of acne
- Minimize fine lines, especially those under the eyes and on the corners of the mouth
- Reduce the appearance of freckles, age spots, and melasma
- Improve the overall appearance of the skin
Types Of Chemical Peels
It can sound harsh but the goal of all chemical peels is to destroy certain parts of the skin to encourage the growth of new skin cells. With more than superficial peels, there is noticeable skin peeling that lasts from a day to two weeks. The duration depends on the penetration and type of the chemicals used in the peel. We don’t do deep peels at Dr. Fedele’s, as we think there are better solutions without as much downtime. But we do superficial and moderate peels, as described here.
Superficial peels — These are mild peels usually done with acids derived from fruits, called glycolic acids. Superficial peels may have some light peeling over the next day or two, but nothing extreme.
Medium peels — These peels usually involve trichloroacetic acid. They penetrate more deeply into the skin, causing a second-degree burn on the skin. There will be peeling and crusting with medium peels as the skin begins the process of rebuilding.
Want to bump up that 0.003 rate of skin exfoliation? Call Dr. Fedele at (216) 464-1616 and ask about our chemical peels.