Our dry winters and our sunny and hot summers can exacerbate skin issues like acne, pigmentation, fine lines, and sun damage. To maintain a gorgeous, glowing complexion, you’re probably already turning to a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. But I’m sure you’re aware there’s more you can do—including exfoliating dead cells, cleaning out pores, hydrating, and nourishing.
In the world of skin rejuvenation, facials and chemical peels are two of the most popular treatments. They have many common benefits.
Both can play a part in helping you minimize things like acne breakouts and increase the smoothness and brightness of your skin. Both can be used as maintenance treatments that target specific skin issues like dehydration and discoloration. But their differences lie in the desired target areas.
If you don’t know the difference between the two—and which one might be right for you—read on.
About Facials
Women who have had facials will look back at their experience as blissfully indulgent. But more importantly, they’ll remember the benefits to their skin.
Facials involve a complete cleansing of the skin, extractions of blackheads, and the application of hydrating products like serums and creams. The treatment is considered “superficial” because the products will sit on the surface layer of the skin.
A facial can:
- Improve and rebalance your skin’s texture
- Refresh dull skin
- Remove bacteria that cause acne
- Extract blackheads
- Stimulate regeneration of your skin cells
- Help to minimize the appearance of fine lines
- Restore your skin’s natural protective barrier
As I alluded to earlier, a facial will be relaxing and reduce the tension in the muscles of your face—and discourage wrinkles!
About Chemical Peels
On the flip side, chemical peels penetrate the skin. Your doctor will use natural acids to remove the outer layer of your skin that is filled with dead cells and debris like pollution and dirt. The removal of this layer reveals the healthier, smoother, and wrinkle-free skin beneath.
Most patients will feel a slight to moderate tingling during the treatment which is meant to target problems like discoloration, fine lines, scarring, dullness, and persistent acne.
A chemical peel can:
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines
- Address sun damage, freckles, and sun spots
- Diminish the appearance of acne scars
- Improve the texture of your skin
- Correct hyperpigmentation or dark spots
A light chemical peel will remove the outer layer of the skin and can be done every two to five weeks for best results. A medium chemical peel will move more deeply in your skin, to the middle layer. It’s effective in treating deeper wrinkles, acne scars, and severe skin discolouration. You could have this done every three to nine months. A deep chemical peel will get to the lowest layers of the skin to alleviate deep wrinkles, severe scarring, and at times, precancerous growths. It’s a one-time-only procedure and can be extremely painful. (In fact, we don’t offer deep peels in our clinic!)
Depending on the type and concentration of acid that your doctor uses, recovery time can range from one to 10 days. During this time, dead cells will naturally peel away and reveal new, fresh, dewy skin but you might also expect swelling and redness. You’ll experience some sensitivity to the sun so it’s absolutely critical that you wear sunscreen every day.
Which one is for you?
You may already have an idea of what might be most effective in refreshing the skin on your face but it’s always a good idea to get a professional opinion. In general, facials tackle more superficial issues while chemical peels are more suited to advanced skin problems or signs of aging. When used together, both skin treatments can lead to lovely, younger-looking skin!
If you see a chemical peel in your future, please contact us for a free consultation. We can discuss your skin goals and determine whether or not this treatment can meet them!