Extensive skin exfoliation caused by a chemical peel treatment makes the skin vulnerable. That’s why, a proper aftercare schedule is extremely essential to get back the skin to normal. Read through the article below to know aftercare essentials for a chemical peel treatment.
Quick Fact
According to statistics published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 1.1 million procedures of chemical peel were conducted in the year 2011, making it one of the top five minimally invasive procedures in the United States.
Planning to get a chemical peel treatment done? If yes, then let me tell you that you have chosen a good body treatment to improve the appearance of your facial skin. But along with this, it is also very important for you to know that this treatment will cause a significant damage to the upper layers of dead skin, which are essentially required to slough off, so that new, healthy skin with a smooth texture regrows. As a chemical peel treatment involves the use of a chemical solution on the face, aftereffects like redness of the skin, skin irritation, dryness and tingling sensation may show up. Due to this, the skin becomes extremely vulnerable and requires a certain amount of recovery period for skin regrowth. During this period, it is essential to take good care of the skin, so that it recovers as fast as possible.
Aftercare for Chemical Peel
Knowing how to care for skin after a chemical peel is the key to speedy recovery. The treatment you go through will depend on how healthy your skin is, and skin problems (fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, etc.) you wish to treat. Depending on these factors, you will either get a superficial peel, a medium-depth peel or a deep peel. As the aftereffects produced by each of these peels are different, they require different levels of care.
For Superficial Peels
Superficial peels use alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid and lactic acid for the procedure, and are mildest of all the chemicals peels. Effects produced after the treatment include dryness, development of faint pink or brown skin tone, and peeling. These effects are experienced for a short duration of time and are easily recoverable. All you need to do is protect yourself from sunlight. Apply a sun cream, preferably with SPF (sun protection factor) 25 or more, to protect your delicate skin from ill effects of sunlight. Use a gentle cleanser and cold water to wash face every day, and apply a suitable moisturizer after that. Following this routine regularly will soon get your skin back to normal.
For Medium-depth Peels
Medium-depth peels are a bit more rough on the skin as compared to superficial peels, as these penetrate deeper in the skin. Thick crusts along with deep-red or brown skin tone are formed after the peel. The skin becomes more susceptible to UVA and UVB rays of the sun, leading to irreversible damage, if not taken care of. Therefore, apply a good sun cream twice a day to avoid any damage. Wear a hat and sunglasses to further reduce your exposure to direct sunlight. Besides these, gently cleanse and moisturize the skin to recover fast.
For Deep Peels
Deep peels use phenol for treating facial skin. As phenol is a strong chemical, the effects produced by it are also the most severe ones. It causes redness, crusty skin and a significant amount of swelling. The skin turns dark brown in color and often oozes out a fluid. The skin remains vulnerable for almost 2 months after this treatment and requires extensive care. Clean the face around 3 times a day with the recommended cleanser. Apply ointments prescribed by the practitioner to facilitate healing. Apply an ice pack to decrease swelling on face and neck region, and take prescribed painkillers to relieve yourself of the pain associated with it. Do not forget to stay away from direct sunlight until the skin has significantly recovered.
Dos and Don’ts After a Chemical Peel
Always …
✔Get hold of a good sun cream with a high level of SPF and apply it religiously for several weeks, after you have undergone the treatment.
✔ Talk to the practitioner if you observe any chemical peel side effects or think that the treatment has not produced results as per your expectations.
✔ Wear sunglasses and a hat to protect the skin from UV rays.
✔ Ask the practitioner to recommend a suitable moisturizer and cleanser.
✔ Use a scrub instead of a cleanser, once your skin starts peeling. For this purpose, a scrub with little or no grains will be suitable. Simply apply the scrub on the area, leave it on for some time and wash off. Avoid scrubbing the area, as it may irritate the skin.
✔ Use a facial sponge instead of a washcloth to treat your skin in a gentle way.
✔ Restrict outdoor movement as much as you can, so that your skin’s exposure to the sun is reduced.
✔ Use a skin lightener after consulting your practitioner to suppress melanin activity, which gets stimulated after chemical peel treatment. By doing so, you can prevent dark spots that are a result of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Never …
✘ Pick the peeling skin. The aim behind chemical peel treatment is to give time to the skin to peel off naturally. Picking may lead to unnecessary scarring and redness, which is not what you are looking for!
✘ Apply moisturizer when you feel dry. It is quite natural for you to feel the dryness. Applying excess moisturizer may prolong expected peeling of the skin.
✘ Go for tanning for at least 3 weeks after the treatment to avoid skin damage and hyperpigmentation.
✘ Use a steam room or Jacuzzi for 2 days after the treatment. Other beauty treatments like waxing, electrolysis, depilatories, collagen injections, etc., must also be avoided for a week after the treatment.
✘ Swim for the next 24 hours after the treatment because, chlorine present in the water may irritate treated skin.
Following these tips will help in faster shedding of dead skin and regrowth of healthy, younger-looking skin. Just keep in mind that, this is a chemical treatment which requires a substantial period of care. Taking proper care of your skin, and following the advice of your practitioner is the best way to get desired results after a chemical peel treatment.
