Chemical Peels: What are they and how do they effect Acne Scars?
With the rising number of skincare products on the market, it can be difficult to know which are going to truly help your skin and which are going to cause more harm. If you are someone who suffers from acne scars, then you are probably well aware of how many products are marketed as able to help reduce their appearance. The results of using many of these products though, might be a far worse outcome than you originally were dealing with.
WHAT IS A CHEMICAL PEEL?
In short, chemical peels are skin-resurfacing treatments. They remove outer layers of the skin. The intensity of the peel determines how many layers of the skin are removed. Skin is said to be left feeling softer and smoother after the peel treatment. Other issues that peels help with are hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. As with most face masks and peels, a chemical peel comes in varying levels of intensity to treat a variety of skincare issues.
To find the chemical peel that is right for you, consider what you want the outcome to be. You must also consider what skincare issues you are trying to reduce or handle. If scars from acne are something that you are actively trying to reduce, it is best to remember that chemical peels are a great addition to treatment plans. It would be best to consult with your doctor or dermatologist before making any decisions about a chemical peel.
WHAT IS IN A CHEMICAL PEEL?
Each chemical peel is slightly different from another, therefore the ingredients, or chemicals within each are also going to differ. Some of the most common ingredients are alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s), beta hydroxy acids (BHA’s), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and phenol.
AHA’s are mild acids and therefore are used in light chemical face peels. They are naturally found in foods and have the ability to exfoliate skin. They are able to remove the upper layer of skin that holds onto the old, dead skin cells. This then helps new skin to form.
BHA’s are water soluble and work on the skin’s surface and inside pores. This means that they are often preferred when treating normal to oily skin that is prone to bumps, clogs and blemishes.
Trichloroacetic acid is for evening the skin tone and getting rid of imperfections. This acid tends to fall in the middle of the intensity scale for chemical peels (wIth AHA peels being the least intense to phenol peels being the most intense).
Phenol, the most intense of chemical peels, is an extremely aggressive chemical. It has been used to help skin that has been severely sun damaged or has deep wrinkles. It is very helpful when dealing with scar reduction.
HOW DO CHEMICAL PEELS AFFECT ACNE SCARRING?
There is no doubt that chemical peels are effective in heping with several skin conditions in addition to being used for treatment on acne scars. They may be used alone or in combination with other resurfacing procedures.
Trichloroacetic acid, when applied to the skin triggers the production of collagen in the epidermis and dermis. The visible effects of TCA are due to the increase in dermal volume from the rise in levels of collagen. TCA is self-neutralizing and therefore does not absorb into the skin even when used in higher concentrations, so it is considered much safer than phenol in peels. As mentioned before, TCA is used in much lighter chemical peels and phenol is used in intense chemical peels. Phenol is a much deeper penetrating chemical, and it can have effects that may last up to 20 years. When phenol is used in peels, the skin undergoes a complete change.
Following several studies done involving the ingredients of chemical peels and acne scars it was found in most occasions that the use of chemical peels (in combination with other treatments for acne scars) leads to faster clinical responses. In the treatment of acne scars the most commonly used ingredient in chemical peels applied is TCA. Even using lower doses of TCA has been proven to work on other types of scars non-related to acne. What could also be useful to know is that while chemical peels are a great defense against acne scars, they are also great at working against acne itself.
If you are suffering from acne scars, using a chemical peel in conjunction with other remedies might be an effective treatment plan for you. A product that you could combine with the use of chemical peels is a silicone gel product. Newgel+ offers a wide variety of silicone treatment options for those dealing with acne scars. Newgel+ is a leading brand for silicone treatments in scar reduction. Be sure to speak with your doctor before deciding upon the treatment plan that is going to be safest and most effective for you.
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