Why Use a Face Peel?

Face peels are designed to help you shed the dull layers of your skin and achieve a fresher, glowing look. They are also known as skin peels or chemical peels.

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While most people concentrate on using them to get an even skin tone on their faces, you can use them on other body parts, too – such as your hands, which are the first to show signs of aging.

What to know before trying a face peel

Face peels utilize acid-based solutions to peel the damaged, top layer of your skin and reveal the smoother and healthier layer underneath. Chemical peels can be used to reduce the appearance of sunspots, acne scars, and age spots.  Since experts advise against harsh or abrasive scrubs, most face peels are designed to gently remove dead skin and restore your skin’s glow.

Peels can either be light, medium, or deep. Your choice of a skin peel should depend on the level of damage that you are trying to treat.

Face peeling can take between 30 minutes and three hours, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually, light peels should be left on longer than medium and deep ones.

A combination of ingredients

When looking for a good chemical peel, look for one that combines several ingredients. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of multiple ingredients all in one product.

Preferably, look for a facial peel that combines two or three of these ingredients:

• Salicylic acid or beta-hydroxy acids – these unclog pores and clear up acne lesions.
• Fruit enzymes such as pineapple, papaya, and pumpkin that will leave your skin glowing.
• Plant enzymes such as chamomile and green tea, which have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immuno-modulatory effects.
• Glycolic and lactic acid – these acids are ideal for sensitive skin. They remove dead skin cells in a gentler way compared to salicylic acid.
• Retinol – boosts collagen production, consequently reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and leaving your skin smoother.
• Trichloroacetic acid, which, according to Dr. Tsippora Shainhouse, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills, penetrates the skin deeply, allowing smoother skin cells to surface.

5 best facial peel products for 2020

If you are looking for a high strength face peel to exfoliate your face and hands, we’ve made your work easier. Here are our top picks:

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Paulas Choice 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant

This face peel contains 2% Beta-Hydroxy acids (BHA). This makes it a perfect choice for unclogging and diminishing enlarged pores, brightening and evening out skin tone, exfoliating dead cells, and smoothening out wrinkles. Paulas Choice combines the benefits of BHA with those of salicylic acid to leave your skin looking younger, healthier, and radiant. Moreover, it has Green tea, a strong antioxidant that has potent anti-aging benefits, soothes your skin, and reverses UV damage.

Glycolic Acid 20% resurfacing pads.

Glycolic Acid 20% resurfacing pads are not face peels. However, they made it to this list because they work for your skin as face peel do. These pads contain Vitamins B5, C, and E, which are all powerful antioxidants.  For sensitive skin, this product is ideal because it contains 20% pure glycolic acid, which is gentle on the skin. This acid exfoliates the skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles, as well as bumps and scars. It also contains green tea, calendula, and allantoin, which soothe the skin, protect it, and prevent inflammation.  Glycolic Acid 20% resurfacing pads have a textured surface with a waffle pattern for maximum exfoliation. Daily use is recommended to keep the skin hydrated and reduce skin tone and photo-damage issues.

ASA 30% + BHA 2% solution.

This peeling solution is budget-friendly and best used at night. It combines lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acids to address all skin problems, including uneven texture and tone, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles, and acne.  For the best results, use this product not more than two times a week. Also, avoid using it on a wet face and do not leave it longer than ten minutes. Since this product contains Alpha hydroxy acid, it is advisable to use it with sunscreen.

Lactic Acid 50% Gel peel

This professional-grade lactic acid face peel is effective for freckles, sunburns, hyperpigmentation, and age spots. Lactic Acid 50% Gel peel is specially formulated to speed up skin regeneration for a younger, healthier look.  This product combines bearberry, licorice root extracts, and kojic acid –all-natural ingredients. These natural ingredients help in achieving an even skin tone and uniform complexion.
Lactic Acid 50% Gel peel has a light gel (not liquid) consistency. Therefore, you do not have to worry about it trickling into your eyes and mouth during application. Before using this product, it is wise to test it on a small area because it contains lactic acid, which you might be sensitive to.

2% Hydroquinone Dark Spot Corrector

2% hydroquinone dark spot corrector contains Vitamin C, salicylic acid, lactic acid, kojic acid, azelaic acid, and hydroquinone. This face peel is formulated to give you a brighter skin tone by eliminating hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and melasma.  One of the exciting parts about this product is that it features face peel before and after pictures on Amazon. Therefore, its effectiveness is verifiable.

For it to be more effective, you should use it at least once or twice daily. However, you should not use this facial peel for more than 60 days. The reason is that you can develop a resistance to hydroquinone, putting yourself at the risk of developing Ochronosis, which is permanent skin darkening.

Also, this face peel is potent because it combines several acids. Therefore, you should test it on a small area before using it on larger areas.

Which skin peel should I choose?

Depending on the concentration of acid, a face peel can remove shallow to deep layers of your skin.

• Mild peels are great for removing dead and dry skin cells and correcting mild pigment irregularities.
• Medium peels are an excellent choice if you want to remove freckles, sun spots, hyperpigmentation, and improve the overall skin texture.
• Deep peels help to eliminate wrinkles, pigment irregularities, furrows, and lesions.

How much does a face peel cost?

The prices of face peels vary. You can get a face peel for as low as $20 and as high as $2000+. The price of a face peel does not determine its efficiency. Rather, it’s the ingredients that determine if the chemical peel will produce the desired results.

How many treatments should I do?

Before using a face peel, check the manufacturer’s instructions to see how and when you should use it.

• Usually: A mild face peel-off mask can be repeated every few weeks for the best results.
• A medium face peel might be repeated after a couple of months (say six months).
• Deep peels are ideal if used once, but they can be repeated after several years

In conclusion

Before you get a face peel, it is important that you speak to a dermatologist, especially if your skin is sensitive. Some people have reported redness, itchiness, swelling, and crusting after using face peels.  Seeking the advice of an expert will help to ensure that you do not get any negative effects.

Also, a dermatologist will help you to determine which face peel will give you the exact results that you desire, based on ingredients. Of course, a dermatologist might want to sell you (at a higher price) the same product you can get on Amazon, so check the ingredients and concentrations of anything you use, no matter who it comes from.

Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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