Glycolic 101

Why go glycolic?

Glycolic acid has long been heralded as a cure-all for dull, lackluster skin. Used in a plethora of skincare products, this natural acid boasts the ability to refine and renew the skin, diminishing fine lines, sun-spots, and acne.

How does glycolic acid work?

Glycolic acid is the smallest type of alpha hydroxy acid and has many applications in skincare products as a natural skin exfoliant. Its capability to penetrate the skin is key when allowing old, sun-damaged skin cells to shed, renewing the skin’s texture and vitality.

By loosening the glue-like substance that keeps dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, glycolic acid can help you gain back that healthy glow. This exfoliation process may help reduce wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, and promote an overall rejuvenated appearance.

Through stimulating new cell and collagen production, fine lines and shallow acne scars are reduced, improving the skin’s tone and texture. As well as promoting new skin cell growth, glycolic acid can also help unclog pores--aiding those with acne-prone skin.

Glycolic Acid for at-home Use:

There are many options for using glycolic acid at home. Low concentrate glycolic acid can be found in creams and moisturizers. Unlike regular moisturizers, these also have the ability to promote the ongoing creation of revitalized skin cells.

Higher glycolic acid content can be found in glycolic acid peels, with more instantaneous results. Peels provide the most effective at-home treatments as the glycolic acid is formulated in a way that is safe, yet very effective. Non-invasive and non-surgical, glycolic acid peels can refine the skin’s texture, leaving skin younger-looking and rejuvenated.

The lower the pH level of the glycolic peel, the deeper and quicker it will penetrate into the skin. Physician-strength peels can have a pH level as low as pH0.6. Though low-level pH peels can be highly beneficial to severely damaged skin, they must be administered by a dermatologist.

While store bought peels are less potent, they are easier to use, safe for use without medical supervision and can garner similar results from the comfort of your own home.

An at home glycolic peel, capable of removing pore-clogging debris, improving skin tone and texture, is thus the perfect, affordable solution to beautiful skin.

What Are Some Exfoliation Options I Can Use?

Can't decide between the exfoliation options? Let us help you in some handy information. Exfoliants are charged with the task of removing dull, dead cells on the skin’s outermost surface. There are two general categories of exfoliation treatments: topical and mechanical. The exfoliation action of topical treatments may be considered “physical,” as when abrasive action is applied to create friction to slough off the dead cells, or “chemical,” as when the natural exfoliating properties of the topical product alone get the job done. 

Chemical exfoliants dissolve and loosen dead skin cells and encourage them off the skin. Once the dead skin cells are removed, new, healthy skin cells are revealed, creating a more youthful, vibrant complexion. Physical exfoliation has a long history of popularity thanks to its simplicity, reliability and versatility. There are two kinds of physical exfoliants: Gommage applications, also known as “sloughing creams,” best used on young, oily skin and rubbed into the skin using massage-like movements and the good old scrub applications. Which are often used for dry to normal, sensitive as well as mature skin, really depends on the constitute of the scrub. 

Chemical exfoliation as “the application of a liquid or gel solution that contains an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) or beta hydroxyl acid (BHA).” AHAs may include glycolic, lactic, citric, malic and tartaric acids; the most commonly used BHA in skin care is salicylic acid. Fruit enzymes such as pumpkin, papain (from papaya) or bromelain (from pineapple) also fit into this category. Enzymes functionally work to ‘digest’ dead skin cells after they have been brought to the surface.

 The skin cells are like layers of bricks held together by a glue-like substance. AHAs dissolve the glue that holds the cells together, which allows them to fall off. BHAs, on the other hand, digest protein, dissolving the actual skin cell.” Because the skin has an acid mantle to protect itself, a chemical exfoliant needs to have a specific pH to work. The skin’s pH range is 4.5 to 5.5, thus to penetrate the protective mantle, the product pH must be lower. So the simplicity of choosing the right peel lies in your hands and the options are there!

How To Treat Depressed Acne Scars

There are thousands of people out there, young and old, who are plagued with acne and the scars that go along with them. These scars can leave a lasting effect on a persons self esteem and can drive people to feel depressed or even have major anxiety. People who have these scars always wonder what is the best way they can get rid of these scars.

First and foremost, it is important to see a dermatologist before attempting anything on your skin and to be sure that your acne is under control so you don't get any new acne scars.

Secondly, try a series of different types of chemical peels that fit your skin type and deliver the results you are looking for. Different chemical peels that are helpful are:

Jessner's Peel - a mixture of lactic acid, salicylic acid and resorcinol which help revitalize the skin like no other.

TCA Peels - provide superficial to medium depth and relies on the concentration of the peel. The peels strength usually range from 10%-30%.

The key is to have your acne under control before attempting anything.

Glycolic Acid Attacks Bacteria In Pimples?

There are many different types of chemical peels: Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid Peel, Jessner's Peel, TCA Peel, AHA Peels, a our special Fusion Peel, but only a couple of them attack the bacteria that causes the development of pimples. A study was performed by a doctor in Japan name Dr. Yuko Takenaka at Tokyo Women's Medical University. Their study wanted to determine the effect of glycolic acid chemical peels on inflammatory acne.

The doctor and her team performed the study on nine women aged 25-35 with severe cases of acne. They found that each woman all had a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes, which is associated with acne. Each researcher grew the bacteria in a petri dish and then added glycolic acid. The results found that the glycolic acid had inhibited the growth of the bacteria. With these promising results, the doctor and her team applied glycolic acid to one side of the subjects faces. 

The study showed that the bacteria on the side of where the glycolic acid was applied had significantly less bacteria than the other cheek that wasn't treated with the glycolic acid. Moreover, the side applied with glycolic acid had significantly less acne scars then the side not applied with the glycolic acid.

This research supports the use of chemical peels and the effectiveness that it has on the individuals who have cystic acne and strongly suggests that glycolic acid is a great substitute to the harsh alternative of benzoyl peroxide.

Want to see if it works for you? Try our glycolic peels today!

Containing Cold Sores When Performing Chemical Peels

Cold sores can occur when there is any type of disturbance to the skin, even when performing a chemical peel. Before performing any type of chemical peel on yourself, it is important that you visit a dermatologist to make sure you are fit to perform any type of peel or speak to a licensed esthetician. Speak to a professional and explain to them that you have had breakouts of cold sores in the past. In order to prevent the cold sores from inflammation, it may behoove the individual to start medication to prevent or even diminish the possibility of reactivation of the cold sores.


Approximately 90% of people are infected or have been infected by some form of the Herpes Virus. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion all stimulate the skin and can reactivate the virus that usually live in the sensory nerves.


The chemical peels stimulate the nerves and decrease the barriers allowing the virus to start and the cold sores to form. If the peel is more superficial, doctors will prescribe different medications to combat the cold sores. Superficial peels can include Glycolic Acid, TCA peels and Jessner Peels. 


Chemical peels are extremely safe when you have cold sores, however the key to containing them is preventing them from the beginning!

Chemical Peels Throughout Time

Chemical Skin peels are used these days to improve the skin’s overall appearance, by removing the initial surface of the skin, allowing rejuvenated smoother skin to grow in its place. But were they using them in the old days?

In Ancient times, Cleopatra was known for bathing in sour milk. This practice was common in that time. Why sour milk? Sour milk contains lactic acid, one of the ingredients used in chemical peels today. The Egyptians were also known for bathing in old wine to achieve the same effect. The old wine contains a tartaric acid. This fruit acid is used in skin peels now a days.

From the 15th Century on, pale skin became a fad, which in turn made skin whitening creams and chemical peels very popular. They began using these creams and peels after the Greeks introduced the effective ingredient lead oxide in these products.

In the 1950’s dermatologists began administering medium depth, and deep peels which weren’t available until this time. When they administered these peels they used ingredients such as trichloroacetic acid, resorcinol, salicylic acid and phenol. These ingredients are still used today in chemical peels.

Chemical peels have been around forever and there is only one reason why: They work. Try one today and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, even pigmentation, and rejuvenate the appearance of your skin!

Chemical Peeling vs. Other Treatments

Chemical peeling is a popular way to rejuvenate the skin. It can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, remove blemishes like sun spots and melasma, and treat acne and other skin conditions. The procedure is fast, with few side effects and a short recovery time.

Other dermatological treatments, like microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing, offer results and benefits similar to those of chemical peeling. Let's take a look at how chemical peelings compares to some of these other treatments.

Chemical Peels and How They Work

Chemical peels use a layer of gentle chemicals to melt away dead cells from the surface of the skin, leaving skin smoother, lighter, and younger in appearance. Chemical peels of varying strengths are used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, acne and acne scarring, melasma, age spots, sun spots and precancerous growths.

Chemical peels come in three different strengths, mild, medium-depth and deep. Each one penetrates a little further into the skin to more effectively treat blemishes, scars and irregularities in skin tone.

Chemical Peels vs. Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is another way to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Rather than using chemicals to melt away dead cells from the skin's surface, dermabrasion uses surgical tools to scrape them away. Like chemical peels, dermabrasion can be used to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, scars, age spots, sun spots, melasma and precancerous growths.

Dermabrasion, however, is generally considered a more serious procedure than chemical peeling, because it uses tools to surgically scrape surface skin from your face. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need either local or general anesthetic to under dermabrasion. The procedure itself can last for up to an hour and a half, whereas most mild and medium-depth chemical peels take only about half an hour to administer.

Dermabrasion generally causes more significant side effects than chemical peeling. Your face may be quite inflamed and swollen for as long as a week. It may burn, ache or tingle. You may need to stay at home for at least two weeks and you may need to avoid the sun entirely for at least four weeks. Full recovery could take as long as one year. In comparison, mild and medium-depth chemical peels cause only moderate pain and inflammation for about 24 hours post-procedure, and full recovery usually takes about two weeks.

Chemical Peels vs. Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing is a relatively new skin refinishing technique that promises to smooth skin and even out skin tone with fewer side effects. Laser resurfacing is used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, remove acne scars and firm skin. Laser skin resurfacing has minimal side effects including bruising, redness and swelling. Comparatively, they may be slightly more severe than the side effects of chemical peeling. Recovery time for laser resurfacing is longer; one to two weeks, depending on the type of laser used.

Laser resurfacing for your whole face can take as long as two hours, much longer than a mild or medium-depth chemical peel, which usually takes about 30 minutes and almost never takes longer than an hour. You may also need to wear a facial bandage for as many as three days, and use ointment to prevent the formation of a scab. With most chemical peels, bandages and ointments aren't necessary as scabs don't form.

TCA Peels 101

TCA (Trichloroacetic Acid) is an effective chemical agent used to exfoliate and renew the skin on a more superficial level. TCA is most frequently applied to the face, neck, chest, and hands. In addition, TCA is also an excellent “spot treatment” and can be used to exclusively peel isolated areas of the skin.

 The range of depth that the TCA peel achieves varies according to concentration potency(available strengths range from 10% -30%), application methods: time and pressure, and of course skin type. When applied, the solution penetrates deep into the skin continually seeking protein to neutralize itself.

Unlike the progressive peels such as Glycolic or Salicylic, TCA Peels exfoliate the skin more rapidly upon initial contact. The long-lasting results make it an ideal peel for those who prefer less peeling sessions at the cost of moderate downtime.

TCA’s ability to treat a wide range of skin conditions makes it the perfect chemical peel for individuals with multiple concerns.

Skin types/conditions treated by TCA Peels:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Hyperpigmentation
• Stretch marks
• Acne
• Uneven skin tone

  TCA Peels 10%-30%

• TCA 10% Light Peel- looking to make minor improvements to your skin
  
• TCA 20% Medium Strength Peel- Fine lines, wrinkles, uneven and blotchy complexion
  
• TCA 30% Deep Strength Peel- removes “permanent” skin fixtures such as unwanted freckles, birthmarks, and tattoos.
  

Like all TCA peels, it is best suited for experienced users who have tolerated acids in the past.

Keep in mind:
Darker skin types (particularly African American) should proceed with caution due to an increased risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

If you have any further questions please leave a comment and we will provide the best answer possible.

AHA Kojic Acid Peel 101

Kojic Acid is a powerful skin-brightening agent that is naturally derived mostly from the fermentation of sake. Yes, I am talking about the Japanese wine we shoot back with sushi, from time to time. Kojic Acid is also known as the healthier alternative to harsh bleaching agents such as Hydroquinone.

In the AHA Kojic Acid Peel there are a wide range of exfoliating, highly water-soluble ingredients such as Glycolic and Lactic Acid (AHA's) that help get rid of that annoying acne.

The AHA Kojic Peel inhibits melanin production while simultaneously reducing disorders such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation.

This peel is ideal for multiple skin types:

-Normal

-Sensitive

-Dry

-Hyper-pigmented

-Sun-damaged

-Dull

-Uneven

It is also suitable for those of you who are new to chemical peels. While there are some side effects such as a slight stinging sensation, a heightened skin sensitivity, flaking, minor redness, and a downtime of 7-10 days, the benefits far outway the negative.

The benefits that result from the AHA Kojic Peel is improved skin tone, texture and clarity, reductions of acne, clogged pores, shallow wrinkles, fine lines, melasma, and hyper-pigmentation. It also increases collagen and elastin production.

So next time your skin needs a re-vamp and some brightening use an AHA Kojic Peel!

Salicylic Peels for Acne-Prone Skin

                      

                                   Salicylic Acid Peel

 

Salicylic acid is a powerful tool to fight acne and wrinkles. Despite its dramatic results, the salicylic acid chemical peel retains a mild and extraordinarily non-irritating approach to skin restoration. The well-rounded composition of salicylic acid eliminates skin abnormalities including an excess of dead skin cells, sebum and bacteria.

         

  For Acne-Prone Skin

Acne is a multi-staged and progressive skin condition involving three critical factors: clogged pores, bacteria and inflammation. The salicylic acid peel counteracts all three by targeting each individually:

•  Clogged Pores: Clogged pores don’t stand a chance against beta hydroxy acid, which exfoliates excess dead skin in and around the pore lining. 
• Bacteria: The antimicrobial properties of salicylic acid render it highly effective against the acne bacteria responsible for inflammatory acne. In addition, eliminating bacteria will substantially minimize any existing inflammation.
• Inflammation: Due to its close relation to the popular anti-inflammatory aspirin, salicylic acid also functions as a potent anti-inflammatory.

From both a preventative and curative standpoint, the salicylic acid peel is clearly a triple threat against acne. By and large, salicylic acid peels are considered a “textbook option” for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions related to a surplus of bacteria, dead skin and/or sebum. It is no wonder the FDA approved the use of salicylic acid as an OTC acne medication!

Chemical Peels 101

 

A Chemical peel or skin peel involves:

The application of a specific solution to the surface of the skin to peel away the outermost layers, revealing the fresh skin beneath.  This skin peeling method is used to treat a variety of skin conditions including acne, rosacea, fine wrinkling, blotchy pigmentation, ingrown hairs, yellow complexion and dry skin. Chemical peels are most often performed on the face but may also be beneficial on the neck, chest, back, hands, arms and legs.

 Why Use A Chemical Peel?

Chemical peels, also known as chemical resurfacing, are chemical treatments to produce an improved appearance of the face. Chemical peels are used for the treatment of photoaging (from sun damage), wrinkles, scarring, acne, pre-cancerous lesions, and discoloration (dyschromia) or uneven skin tone. Chemical peels produce controlled injury to the skin to promote the growth of new skin with an improved appearance.

Many different chemicals are used including glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), salicylic acid, “Jessners“ solution, and phenol. The different chemicals produce different degrees of injury to the skin.

The Many Layers Of Skin 

 

There are two layers of the skin. The outer layer is called the epidermis and the inner layer, the dermis.
Superficial peels (e.g. glycolic acid) produce very superficial injury, confined to the epidermis. Superficial peels can help improve conditions, such as acne and dyschromia. Deeper peels, (e.g. phenol peels) produce injury within the dermis and can reverse moderate-to-severe photoaging and wrinkles. In general, the deeper peels offer the most dramatic results but require longer recovery periods and carry a higher risk of complications. 

 

The depth of chemical peeling 

....depends on the type of chemical used. It's best not to assume that a low % of acid is less abrasive than a higher percentage. For example: Salicylic Acid 20% is almost as strong as Glycolic 50%. TCA 30% is a completely different peeling agent and can penetrate into the upper layers of the dermis, causing burns if not used properly.

If you want to learn more about chemical skin peels please leave a comment with your questions. If you have specific questions and would like to speak with a skincare professional we are happy to help just call toll free 1-866-468-4771