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Writer's pictureGreta Ryan

PEELS 101

Updated: Feb 18, 2022

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about peels - given the name, a peel sounds kind of scary if you don't know what it actually entails.


In reality though, most peels are a very un-scary, and very effective treatment for many things including acne, breakouts, scarring, pigmentation and fine lines/wrinkles.


Most "traditional" peels are acid-based - again, scarier than it sounds (remember, "ascorbic acid" is just vitamin C!) - although some are formulated with vitamin A instead of, or combined with acids.


There are a plethora of acids to choose from when selecting a peel solution - each with their own properties and specific benefits to the skin. You might be familiar with some of them: glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid - to name a few.


How Acid-Based Peels Work (this applies to most peels)


Put in the simplest terms, acid-based peels work by breaking down the top layer of skin, causing it to shed. But let's dig a little deeper.


Your skin cells are held together by little bonds connecting the cells to each other - you can think of these like the "glue" that holds your skin together. Acid-based peels break down this "glue", thus freeing the skin cells so that they may freely shed from your skin - hence, the peeling.


The breaking-down action of peels occurs at different depths in the skin, depending on the acid used. Acids with a larger molecular size (for instance, lactic acid) can't penetrate very deeply into the skin - they are simply too large. These acids work mostly superficially on the skins surface, tend to cause a less peeling, and are typically the least irritating to the skin. Acids with a smaller molecular size, like glycolic acid, penetrate deeper into the skin, tending to cause more peeling and be more irritating to the skin.


Which Acids Do What?


Lactic Acid is usually tolerated pretty well by the skin. It's hydrating, because it facilitates the release of NMF (Natural Moisturising Factor - the skin's naturally produced, lipid-rich moisturising factors), and its exfoliating effects result in improvement in skin texture, and evening out of skin tone/lightening of pigmentation as it inhibits melanin production. It's a great acid for skins that are sensitive, or haven't used acids before. It's also a great supportive acid when combined with other acids in a peel solution (most peels contain a combination of multiple different acids).


Glycolic Acid penetrates deeper than lactic acid, due its smaller molecular size - for this reason, it can be more irritating to the skin. Its deeper penetration results in more peeling. It's often used for treating fine lines and wrinkles, and also has a plumping effect on the skin.


Salycilic Acid is a personal favourite of mine. This acid is fantastic for breakouts, excess oil production and acne, as it penetrates deep into the pores of the skin breaking down oil, and dead skin cells that can clog/congest the skin. It's also anti-inflammatory, making it ideal for inflamed breakouts/acne and it helps to reduce redness in the skin.



Mandelic Acid is another personal favourite. Mandelic acid is my absolute go-to acid for treating post-inflammatory pigmentation and erythema (the red/pigmented marks or spots that linger long after breakouts and acne have healed). Mandelic acid is safe to use on dark skin, and like salicylic acid, it has anti-inflammatory properties.


There are other acids that are commonly used in peels (Kojic, Pyruvic, Azelaic, Trichloroacetic Acid), but the above acids are the most commonly used.


Vitamin A Based Peels


The mechanism of vitamin A peels is quite different to acid-based peels - they essentially work from the inside out. To understand how vitamin A peels work, it's important to understand the basic process of skin cell turnover.


Essentially, at the basal (base) layer of your skin, new cells are being formed all the time to replace the old ones. When a new cell is formed, it gradually rises up through the layers of your skin, all the while growing older and tougher (keratinising), and eventually ending up in the outer layer of the skin (the stratum corneum). At this point, the aged, dried out cells act as a protective barrier for your skin until they fall off and are replaced with the next "batch" so to speak.


The rate at which this whole process happens varies largely depending on age, as well as your skincare, diet, and other lifestyle factors. The "ideal" rate of skin cell turnover is 28 days - as in, your skin cells live for 28 days from being produced to shedding off the top layer of your skin.


When you are in your teens, cell turnover rate can be as fast as 14 days. When you're in your 40's, 50's, and 60's this rate slows down dramatically (up to 75+ days) resulting in those skin cells sitting on your skin for longer and longer, which ultimately negatively affects the health and appearance of your skin.


Vitamin A increases the rate at which new skin cells are produced, speeding up skin cell turnover. This is the case when you use a low strength vitamin A serum at home. A vitamin A peel works by delivering a high dose of vitamin A to the skin, causing a dramatic short term acceleration in cell turnover. The rate of cell turnover speeds up to a degree that the outer layer of skin begins to shed due the speed of the new cells coming through, pushing old cells off.


Vitamin A has some other pretty significant benefits for the skin too:


Oil Control

Vitamin A reduces and regulates oil production in the skin - so for those of you struggling with excess oil production and its negative effects (blackheads, breakouts, acne, enlarged pores), vitamin A is your new best friend.


Strengthens + Thickens Fragile Skin

Vitamin A increases collagen production in the skin, plumping, strengthening and thickening fragile or lined/wrinkly skin.


Fades/heals Inflammatory Pigmentation

Vitamin A is super effective in fading and healing post-inflammatory pigmentation and erythema (the residual red or brown marks that stick around long after a breakout or acne has been and gone). It promotes healing in the skin, and increasing cell turnover helps the pigment to fade faster.


Maintains health of the DEJ (dermo-epidermal junction)

Vitamin A also maintains the health of the junction between your epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and your dermis (deeper layer of the skin). This junction is incredibly important as it allows nutrients and oxygen to be transferred to the epidermis via the dermis - but as we age the junction weakens, and doesn't function as well - resulting in your epidermis becoming starved of oxygen and nutrients. Vitamin A maintains the strength and function of this junction, thus maintaining the health and function of the epidermis.


So what actually happens when you get a peel? The actual treatment process is a thorough skin cleanse, followed by application of a prep solution (such as a toner) to remove any surface oil, allowing better penetration of the peel. The peel is then applied to the skin with gauze, or your skin therapists hands (using gloves). With acid peels, the solution is simply applied to the skin. Depending on the treatment, it may be followed with additional applications ("layers"). With vitamin A peels, the solution is usually massaged/worked into the skin for 10-20 minutes, depending on the peel.


How much downtime/peeling should I really expect?

This varies depending on the peel, but we don't use any peels at Skin Ritual that would cause peeling for more than 7-10 days. Most superficial/medium depth peels will result in peeling for between 3-7 days. When getting a peel, your skin therapist should always let you know what kind of downtime you should expect, and how to care for your skin while it is peeling.


Do peels hurt/ how uncomfortable is a peel?

Acid-based peels can feel hot and quite tingly - but this is usually short lived, and very tolerable. Vitamin A peels typically cause a slight tingle at the most.


How do I know which peel to choose?

The good news is - we do this part for you. Your skin therapist will choose the appropriate peel for your specific concerns. Peels are extremely customisable, so whatever your concerns - we can tailor the treatment to suit your skin specifically.


Interested in peels, but not sure if you are a suitable candidate? Come in for a free consultation, and we can guide you through the options.


Have any questions about this article? Feel free to send us an email any time - we'd love to hear from you!


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