Everything You Need to Know About Chemical Peels
Dr. Shoghi shares all the details on chemical peels.
*Before & Afters are at the end ;)
We do a lot for our skin. We apply sunscreen, cleanse away toxins, and moisturize regularly. We use neuromodulators to keep the skin from bunching up and forming lines and wrinkles. We apply retinol, vitamin C, and other specialized serums to help it look it’s absolute best.
Sometimes, though, we need to target a little more deeply than home skincare can get on its own, and many of us have concerns neuromodulators aren’t designed to address. Chemical peels are a simple, painless treatment that improve the quality of our skin and they are officially available at Park.
Don’t let the name scare you, chemical peels will leave your skin feeling wonderful and radiant!
What is a chemical peel?
Chemical peels are basically a reset button for your skin and can supercharge the rest of your skincare routine. Awesome, right?
As the name suggests, the solutions peel away the upper layers of the skin, exposing fresh skin cells that look younger and are more responsive to serums and other surface treatments. By applying a solution with a low pH and leaving it on for just the right amount of time, we can remove dead and damaged skin cells.
This process triggers skin cell turnover, helping bring newer, fresher skin cells to the surface, improving the texture and quality of the skin. Peels also powerfully unclog and improve the appearance of pores.
Getting rid of the top layer of skin cells, which are often damaged and dull-looking, allows treatments, such as retinols, vitamin C, and peptide serums, get to the cells that would benefit most. A series of peels, usually three or four treatments a few weeks apart, remove more of these unwanted cells, giving the most dramatic effects.
What do peels treat?
Peels can help with a number of problems including acne, mild acne scarring, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, aging, and dull-looking skin.
Removing the top layer of skin promotes cell turnover. This:
Prevents blemishes associated with congested skin, such as acne and rosacea.
Helps reduce overly-melanated cells in the skin, reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation
Improves collagen production and vascularization, which helps with aging and dullness
Most importantly, getting rid of that pesky top-layer opens the skin up to other treatments.
Our peel package includes retinol and enzymes masks when appropriate, boosting the benefit of the peel and helping treat your skin concerns. Pairing a peel with the right skincare products, especially as part of a long-term skin care program, is essential to getting the most out of your peel. We’re always here if you need any recos!
When should I get a peel?
It’s never too soon to get a peel! Removing the top layer of skin cells with a chemical peel makes your skincare much more effective. With the amount of money and time we put into skincare, who doesn’t want that? It will help preserve the quality of your skin for years!
Peels also help improve common skin problems, and we see improvement no matter how advanced they are to start with.
Some people get some redness for a few days after a peel, so we recommend giving a buffer before important events. Most people also benefit from a series of two to four treatments (p.s. we have a three-pack deal). Planning to start your first peel is six to eight weeks before important events, like weddings or photoshoots, is the ideal schedule.
How do I prepare for my peel? What should I do after it?
Keeping your skin clean and minimizing any excessive inflammation are the best ways to prepare for your peel. We strongly recommend staying out of the sun, using daily sunscreen (even in the winter or if you’re indoors all day), and pausing your retinol for a week before your peel. If you have sensitive skin, or skin prone to post-treatment inflammatory hyperpigmentation (usually common in people with darker skin), we recommend pre-treating your skin with a calming skincare routine rich in ingredients like niacinimide, sea whip, hinokotil, and aloe. Hit us up for product recommendations or visit our skincare page!
Post-treatment skin care is absolutely essential. Staying out of the sun and applying suncreen is a must. We’ll provide you with a calming cleanser and recovery balm that we strongly recommend using. If you want to get the most out of your treatment, keeping a set of these products at home to use for two weeks after your peel, or between peels if you get a package (which we recommend!), is a great idea so you can get the most out of the peel while minimizing any redness or sensitivity.
What can’t peels do?
Chemical peels are simple, easy, and relatively inexpensive treatments that are very powerful at treating problems that arise in the more superficial dermal layers of the skin. Problems associated with deeper layers of the skin, however, are more appropriate for other treatments.
Deeper lines and folds, for example, are better treated with fillers that elevate the deepest parts of those folds, making them less visible. Neuromodulators, like Botox or Dysport, will treat movement-related lines and wrinkles that chemical peels aren’t strong enough to touch. Moderate to severe acne scarring and skin laxity are better treated with microneedling, which reaches deeper into the skin to improve collagen production and stimulate repair.
Luckily, we support all of the above. If you have any questions about what treatment or treatments would be best for your skin goals, please reach out!
What are the risks of chemical peels?
Chemical peels are extremely safe; no permanent problems have been reported from the peels offered by Park Medical Cosmetics.
You may experience mild redness, swelling, and discomfort during and shortly after the peel. We always observe your skin and check-in with you during the peel to ensure you’re comfortable and that the strength of the peel is appropriate for your skin.
Some people get a more significant redness and skin peeling in the days following the peel -- the post-treatment kit we provide following the peel is very helpful in minimizing this, and we recommend buying the products in the kit so you can use it for a week or two following the peel (they are also excellent post-sun care products!).
Following the post-procedure instructions is key. If a peel is inappropriately strong for your skin type, you’re more likely to get an exaggerated post-peel inflammatory response, which is why we always perform a thorough assessment prior to doing any peel.
Who can’t get a peel?
The healing processes triggered by the peels aren’t recommended while pregnant or breastfeeding. Some stronger peels can also trigger an overly-intense healing response in people with darker skin, which can lead to hyperpigmentation and scarring. We only use gentler peels. People with darker skin should do a pre-treatment protocol for two to four weeks prior to deeper peels - we’ll walk you through the process either way.
I get Botox, should I get a peel too?
Peels improve the quality of the skin in ways neuromodulators like Botox and Dysport can’t. Neuromodulators weaken the muscles of the face, reducing how strongly they accordian the skin as you make facial expressions, which reduces the appearance of existing lines and wrinkles and prevents new ones from forming. They aren’t able to change the composition or quality of the skin, so while you may look more rested and your skin may look more ageless, neuromodulators can’t help with dullness, acne, rosacea, scarring, or hyperpigmentation. Peels remove the top layer of the skin, helping clear away dead and damaged cells, promoting cell repair and turnover, and improving the effectiveness of your skin care routine. Pairing neuromodulators with peels is an amazing way to improve your skin’s health and appearance.
How much do peels cost?
Chemical peels at Park Medical Cosmetics start at $225 each, or $600 for a three-pack. Up-to-date pricing can be found on the Chemical Peels treatment page. Our peels always come with a premium pre-cleanse, retinol treatment, moisturizing treatment, and premium sunscreen application (to keep your fresh skin safe on your way home!).
Depending on the peel, we often also provide enzymatic masks or treatment serums at no extra cost. We strongly recommend doing three or more peels a few weeks apart to uncover your best, freshest skin and get the absolute most out of the treatment, which is why we offer the three pack.
Many people choose to get peels two or three times a year, depending on their skin’s needs, and we bet that after one series of three or more peels, you’ll be hooked!
Before & After
These before and afters are not intended to guarantee that anyone who undergoes this treatment will experience the same or similar results. Individual results will vary. Images shown are Park Medical Cosmetics clients or are authorized for use by the equipment manufacturer.
