Facial Rejuvenation

Chemical Peels

What are the various types of chemical peels and how do they work?

Facial peels have been used to rejuvenate the skin for thousands of years. Instead of milk and wine used in ancient times, today's acid solutions such as alpha hydroxy or glycolic acid (AHA) or trichloracetic acid (TCA) are applied to the skin in varying concentrations to remove the damaged outer layers of skin and stimulate collagen production. There are three types of chemical peels:

1. Light
2. Medium
3. Deep

The deeper the peel, the more dramatic the results. Light peels are adminstered in a series in order to achieve the desired amount of correction.

Conditions that respond to chemical peels include:

Before Chemical Peel		After Chemical Peel

Light Peels:

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) or Glycolic Acid Peels are light peels. Before the chemical solution is applied, the skin is cleansed with acetone. The solution is applied with cotton applicators or gauze and there is a burning sensation that lasts for a few minutes. During this time, you will be made more comfortable with cool air and cold compresses. There is no discomfort following the peel. After application of the chemical, the patient's face may appear slightly redder than usual for some time after treatment and the patient may also sunburn easier. In most cases, peeling, if any, usually occurs between the second to fifth day. The patient may apply a bland moisturizer and should use mild soap-free cleansers following the treatments. In general, the peel will have the appearance of a mild to moderate sunburn. Following a series of this type of peel, the patient can expect a softer, more youthful looking skin, more even skin tone, softening of fine lines and varying degrees of improvement in pigment problems. Glycolic Acid Peels are more effective used in combination with typical skin care products or with skin enhancement procedures such as Medical Microdermabrasion. We will be happy to guide you in making the right choices for you.

Medium Peels:

Trichlorocetic Acid (TCA) are medium peels. After the skin is cleansed, Jessner's solution is applied to the skin to prime it. Following that, TCA in varying strengths are applied until there is an even whitening or frosting of the skin. The burning sensation is moderately more intense that that experienced with light peels but can still be adequately controlled with ice packs. The discomfort usually disappears in 5-10 minutes. Moisturizers are applied while healing. The procedure usually requires 30 minutes. The skin appears like a severe sunburn reaction and mild to moderate swelling can be expected for 5-7 days. There is a more intense peeling of the surface of the skin than what one sees in a mild peel and usually resolves in 5-7 days. Because TCA peels are more aggressive peels than an AHA, the results can be more dramatic, including diminishing deeper as well as fine lines, reducing hyperpigmentation and improving dull, uneven skin tone.

Deep Peels:

Deep peels such as phenol and deep TCA are performed as an outpatient with deeper sedation. They are used to reduce deeper lines and skin laxity. Since the introduction of CO2 laser resurfacing, deep peels are not performed as frequently as they used to.

Back to top

SilkPeel

SilkPeel is different from standard microdermabrasion as it uses medical grade diamonds instead of crystals to exfoliate the outer layer of skin while infusing a dermaceutical to the skin for stimulating new cell growth, decreased pigmentation or improving acne. It is helpful in treating:

» Learn more at www.4emed.com

Back to top

Fraxel re:store™ laser treatment

Remove years from your appearance. No surgery required.

With the revolutionary Fraxel re:store™ laser treatment, you can get …

• Improved skin tone
• Plumping of acne scars and surgical scars
• Reduced wrinkles and fine lines
• Smoother skin texture

All in a series of treatments – with minimal downtime or discomfort.

Remarkable results you can see and feel
Fraxel re:store laser treatment is a revolutionary new way to correct aged and damaged skin – without the prolonged downtime or adverse reactions of other resurfacing procedures. Safe and effective, the Fraxel re:store laser is cleared by the FDA and has undergone extensive testing in the lab and out in the field. Fraxel re:store treatment is the accepted gold standard for treating these conditions:

• Acne scars
• Periorbital wrinkles
• Melasma (mask of pregnancy)
• Irregular texture
• Sun spots and age spots (pigmented lesions)

How it works
With Fraxel re:store treatment, you get dramatic results without going under the knife. Instead, Fraxel re:store laser treatment uses points of light to precisely treat thousands of microscopic areas of your skin. The treatment penetrates deep into the skin to remove old, damaged skin cells, stimulates your body’s own natural healing process, and replaces the cells with fresh, glowing, healthy skin.

Because the technology is so precise, Fraxel re:store treatment works not only on the face, but also on delicate skin areas like the neck, chest and hands.

» Learn more at www.fraxel.com

Back to top