Your complete guide to chemical peels

During the autumn and winter months, you’ll encounter a lot of skincare tips from a lot of different sources. What the vast majority of these skincare tips agree on is that exfoliation during these months is key to enlivening the skin. Dull, colder, and drier weather plays havoc with our skin’s moisture levels and robs us of our rosy glow, so exfoliation is definitely crucial. However, that’s for another blog post… No, here we’re going to tell you about a precise treatment for exfoliation that comes in the form of chemical peels.

What is a chemical peel?

A chemical peel uses a mixture of chemicals, acids, and vitamins to chemically exfoliate the superficial layer of skin. They achieve this by damaging the surface skin cells, drying them out and causing the skin to shed them. This controlled wounding has many beneficial effects on your skin, which we’ll explore shortly, but you can also tailor your peel to your needs. A chemical peel isn’t just one treatment of one acid – there are numerous different types and brands of chemical peels available that suit different skin needs.

How do chemical peels work?

Chemical peels work by creating a controlled wound on the surface of the skin. The acid concentration and ingredients work to damage the top layer of skin, killing the damaged skin cells and damaging the old. The body then begins to shed these cells in the form of peeling dry skin, which is where the treatment gets its name from.

What do chemical peels treat?

Chemical peels in Harley Street, Mayfair can treat a variety of different skin conditions, including acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. Not just effective at reinvigorating tired and dull winter skin, they’re different uses work to remodel your skin’s health from the inside-out.

Acne and congested skin are two skin conditions that really affect the confidence of those suffering with them. Whether in the midst of a breakout or trying to desperately fend off another one, acne-prone skin can sometimes feel like a slow countdown to another spot or two. Chemical peels work to rebalance the oil production in the skin and bring it under more regulation, helping to dry out the skin and press ‘reset’. While at first it may bring spots out because it unclogs pores and follicles, this purging is entirely necessary to the lower layers of skin remodelling to achieve a more even and less problematic complexion.

Hyperpigmentation and sun damage are common worries for people who have been guilty of over-indulging in their sun exposure. Because these skin conditions develop over time, hyperpigmentation sometimes doesn’t make itself apparent until much later in life. With a course of chemical peels in Mayfair, you could soften your pigmentation problems to create a more even skin tone. When the skin detects it has come into contact with the sun, it produces hormones that trigger melanin production for protection. In some areas, this melanin production becomes excessive and darkens the skin tone. By prompting a fresh skin cell turnover with chemical peels, you are working to shed and replace your damaged and pigmented skin cells.

Fine lines and wrinkles don’t always have to be addressed by injectable treatments, especially if they are superficial and don’t fall too deeply into the skin. As we age, we begin to lose proteins such as collagen that give our skin its ability to bounce back. This leads to thinning skin that can crease in expressive areas. A chemical peel on Harley Street not only encourages fresh skin cells to replace those damaged and thinned, but it also triggers the fresh production and collagen and elastin within the skin. These work to plump the skin from the inside-out, replenishing lost volume subtly and with every treatment.

How to pick the right chemical peel?

Knowing your skin type might be an obvious thing, yet for some, it’s a bit of a mystery. Whether ageing, acne-prone, hyperpigmented, and so much more, we want to make sure you get the best results from your treatment, which is why we put together a concise guide on which chemical peel is right for your skin type.

Chemical peel aftercare

Aftercare following your chemical peels, regardless of which brand or strength or specialism you receive, is essential to the development of your results and skin safety. For example, one aftercare tip we live by is this: wear sun protection after your peels! The peeling leaves your skin a little vulnerable, making you a little exposed to UV rays. You might like chemical peel aftercare – the do’s and don’ts.

Contact our Harley Street Skin Clinic Today!

And so, your ultimate guide to chemical peels comes to an end! If you’re interested in refreshing tired skin or exfoliating away a stubborn skin condition, enquire online or speak to a member of staff on 0207 637 3208. We’d love to welcome you to our Harley Street, Marylebone aesthetics and skin clinic.