Hi, I’m Lauren, and I love chemical peels. Not in a weird way… I’m an esthetician after all. But truthfully, I can’t get enough of them for my guests or my own skin.
Chemical peels brighten, tighten and smooth my face like no other treatment. I’ve been doing them for a few years now and just started my own annual “winter series” last week. (The phrase, “you can’t have just one” literally applies here. One chemical peel is not going to show you amazing results). I know that regular chemical peels aren’t a reality for every person, but if you’re going to do it at any time, winter is the best time to invest in a series of appointments. More on that later…
A lot of people get nervous just at the name “chemical peel” itself, thinking back to Samantha from Sex in the City, or the various TV characters that go on a secret vacation to get their faces worked on. Let me assure you, however, that this is not the case (sorry Hollywood, for foiling yet another unrealistic expectation of females)! The professional peels I use have no down time and no need for a dark veil to cover it up in the meantime. In other words, everyone’s being a little too dramatic about chemical peels. They are certainly effective, yet gentle enough they can be used on almost all skin types.
So we’ve established that a chemical peel can’t melt your face – now let me tell you why I love them so. The magic of a chemical peel happens at the cellular level. As we age, our skin cells turnover at a much slower rate than during our youth, which means our skin doesn’t regenerate as quickly. So our skin needs a little help, and that’s where exfoliation treatments come in to play. At Tyler Mason, we offer two professional exfoliation options.
Dermaplaning works on the surface of the skin to remove dead skin and our “peach fuzz” that traps unwanted dirt, oil, and debris on the skin. Chemical peels work below the surface and penetrate deeper into the skin, to encourage cells to turn over on their own. In your skin’s ideal world, you’ll receive both kinds of treatments on a regular basis and do maintenance at home with an exfoliating scrub. Something convenient that I like to point out is that it’s perfectly safe, and even more beneficial, to receive Dermaplaning and a chemical peel in the same service. (Saving time is always a priority).
The most effective way to use peels is in a “series”. For example, getting 3 peels, spaced 4 weeks apart, is more effective than 3 peels spread out across a year. Winter is the best time for chemical peels, because the cold weather dries out our skin leaving it flaky and uncomfortable! Removing that skin to encourage regeneration will be most effective in curing your winter weather skin troubles.
Something that I always like to point out to my guests is sun protection, especially in the winter when it might not be as obvious. Because we are generating new skin with a peel, it will make us more sensitive to the sun. Picture a baby or child in the sun without sunscreen…we’d never do that! This is another reason why the colder months are ideal for peels; you’re not in direct sunlight for long periods of time. You should still ALWAYS use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 after a peel, regardless of the temperature.
If you think a chemical peel series sounds right for you, but still aren’t quite sold, please feel free to come in for a skincare consultation so we can talk one on one and I can prescribe the best course of treatment for whatever is bothering you about your skin. Hope to see you in the spa soon!
-Lauren L., Esthetician