By Corinna Joy Kavanagh
Our skin cells renew every 28 to 45 days – this process slows down as we get older. The “daughter” cells are born in the deeper layers of the skin – the live tissue, also called the dermis. They then travel up to the surface of the skin and slowly die in the process – when they get to the surface, they are “dead skin cells” also called the Epidermis.
So the surface of our skin is made up of dead skin cells – once they slough off they give a message to the parent cell to “produce” another daughter cell.
When we do nothing to help this process along the dead skin cells sit on the surface and start to clump together. Our skin does not have that fresh look anymore; it looks dull and sometimes even a little grey.
So when we exfoliate, we help to slough off some of the dead skin cells, therefore send the message to the parent cells to produce another new daughter cell and our skin looks and feels fresher and brighter.
What are the different methods of exfoliation?
There are several different ways to exfoliate: Manual Exfoliation and Chemical Exfoliation.
Anytime you scratch or rub your skin you do a form of manual exfoliation by sloughing off a layer of dead
skin cells. (A fun fact here: Did you know that 95% of household dust is made up of dead skin cells?) To
do a manual exfoliation for skin care purposes it can be done through brushing, dermabrasion techniques
and scrubs.
Scrubs come in different forms, like salt or sugar scrubs, mostly used for body exfoliation. The most
common form of facial scrubs include ground up seeds and shells – which I would not recommend – they
may cause micro scaring due to their jarred edges. Rather, use products with round particles like jojoba
beets or corn cob meal or use products with finely ground pumice.
Chemical exfoliation is done through Enzymes and Acids. Papaya and Pineapple Enzymes are very
common enzymes used in skin care. Imagine them like “Pack Man” – they eat away the top layer of the
dead skin cells and help to smooth, lighten and brighten the skin.
Then there are Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) or Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA).
AHA’s are a collection of compounds made from familiar food products. Among the most widely known
are glycolic acid (from sugar cane), lactic acid (from sour milk), malic acid (from apples), citric acid (from
citrus fruits), and tartaric acid (from wine grapes).
Exfoliating with AHA’s for younger-looking skin goes back many centuries, as far as the ancient
Egyptians.
There is only one beta hydroxy acid which is – salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is made from white willow bark
and wintergreen leaves. The main difference between alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acid is their
lipid (oil) solubility. Alpha hydroxy acids are water soluble only, while beta hydroxy acid is lipid (oil)
soluble.
This means that beta hydroxy acid is able to penetrate into the pore which contains sebum (oil) and
exfoliates the dead skin cells that are built up inside the pore and is often used in acne care products.
AHA’s and BHA acids are great exfoliators and increase blood flow to the skin, so they can help to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. The acids penetrate deeper into the cells then scrubs or enzymes. They
Lactic Acids have a larger molecule than Glycolic Acids and therefore actually work longer on the surface
of the skin. They are more gentle and easier to neutralize. Glycolic Acids penetrate very quickly into the
skin making it difficult to control the depth and reaction of the peel.
What are professional chemical peels?
Chemical peeling is a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin. A chemical solution, that is
higher in concentration and lower in the ph level than home care products, is applied to the skin which
causes it to separate, peel off, and allows new skin to regenerate. The new skin is smoother and less
wrinkled than the old skin, and may also be more even in color. To get an even deeper peel effect peels
may be enhanced by dermabrasion procedures such as ultra-sonic dermabrasion or micro dermabrasion.
Estheticians are Licensed Skin Care Professionals and can administer a certain type and strength of peel
that usually don’t leave you with any downtime, most commonly used are AHA’s and BHA, often used as
a blend. Deep peels like a Phenol Peel would be applied in a Doctors office where the whole top layer of
your skin is being peeled off, leaving you with a couple weeks of down time and up to several month of
healing time. These peels have to be very carefully administrated and usually are done under a light
anesthesia.
What is a Phenol Peel?
The phenol peel is the strongest chemical peel and is able to produce very dramatic and long-lasting
results. Phenol peels can treat coarse facial wrinkles, blotchy or sun-damaged skin and pre-cancerous
growths. Phenol, or carbolic acid, is a chemical that both occurs naturally and that can be manufactured.
Recent studies suggest that phenol is most likely only the carrier for another active component in the peel
solution, generally croton oil. Croton oil comes from the seeds of the Croton tiglium, a small tree native to
India and the Malay Archipelago and is highly toxic. Phenol peels permanently remove facial freckles and
cause permanent skin lightening by reducing the ability to produce pigment in the skin. It takes several
months to heal from a Phenol Peel and will require increased protection from the sun for life. In some
cases a Phenol Peel poses a risk for patients with heart problems.
How often should you receive a professional peel?
To get the most benefit from a peel it is recommended that you do a professional peel once a month and
a professional peel series once or twice a year in your Skin Care Salon. However it is crucial to use sun
protection every day. Also a good home care routine with the right products for your skin type and skin
condition is important and will give you the most benefit. Over time your skin will improve and show less
wrinkles, less discoloration and an overall more even skin tone and healthier, younger looking skin.
A deep peel from the Doctors office can last several years and should not be done to often.
There are other forms of professional peels besides AHA’s and BHA
Jessner
Jessner Peels consists of a mixture of lactic acid, salicylic acid, alcohol, and resorcinol, with the
occasional addition of other agents such as hydroquinone or kojic acid. This is a medium depth peel
designed for more extensive damage than AHA’s can improve.
Retin-A
Retin-A (Retinoic Acid) is often used to improve the appearance and texture of the skin. It produces a mild, superficial peel of the epidermis. Retin-A has effects on both the epidermis and the dermis. The major benefit is to decrease the effects of sunlight caused aging by increasing the speed with which the
surface cells are replaced.
TCA
A TCA, or trichloroacetic acid, peel can be used in varying strengths. TCA is used as an intermediate to
deep peeling agent in concentrations ranging from 20-50%. Depth of penetration is increased as concentration increases, 50% TCA penetrates into the reticular dermis (layer of the dermis composed of a fine network of cells, and connective tissue fibers between cells) Concentrations higher than 35% are not recommended because of the high risk of scarring. TCA peels tend to involve a shorter and easier recovery, though they cannot produce the same dramatic and long-lasting results of a phenol peel.
If you are interested in finding out which form of exfoliation is best for you call me and we can set up a
consultation appointment.
