Is A Glycolic Acid Peel Treatment Right For You?

Many people have heard about the wonderful results gained from having a glycolic acid peel. It is a good option to reverse aging by reducing or removing wrinkles and fine lines. The popularity of these peels have grown and this is due to its success. With all the hoopla surrounded the glycolic acid peel many people wonder if this treatment is for them.

The glycolic acid peel treatment is for those people who are aiming to look younger and have their skin looking fresh and new. Chemical peels in general are an effective and widely popular way.

The Reasons Why A Glycolic Acid Treatment Should Be Done

  • Research has been conducted to show the effectiveness of glycolic acid peels in treating and reversing aged skin. These peels are able to reduce wrinkles and fine lines that are often associated with agent. The research has also shown that they may be able to encourage the production of collagen. Collagen can also help to bring the aging process down to a crawl. These peels also have the ability to get rid of pigmentation of the skin due to long term damage from the sun or age spots.
  • Glycolic acid facial peels can be done in a medical facility or the office of a doctor. It is not very painful and it is a quick procedure. It should not take more than ½ an hour of your time. The procedure entails cleaning the skin and then the application of the glycolic acid peel. The peel is applied to the neck and face and does not stay on very long. The acid is the neutralized and then washed off.
  • After having the glycolic acid peel done the skin will appear much younger and it will have a nice tone to it. To get the right results it takes a couple treatments to accomplish this. There are very little side effects and these may be limited to redness and flaking of the skin. After having the glycolic acid treatment it is highly recommended to use a good sunscreen. The reason behind this is that the skin can be easily damaged by the suns rays.
  • The main disadvantage to a glycolic facial peel is that the results won’t be immediate. To see reduction in fine lines and wrinkles multiple treatments need to be done. This might be a bit expensive as this maybe done up to 4 different times. Even though it might be pricey, a lot of people are highly satisfied with the results.

Rejuvenate The Skin With A Glycolic Acid Peel

Chemical peeling has been used for centuries to improve and small to the skin. Women from all over have applied different substances to make their skin feel and look beautiful.

As we get older, so does our skin. There are also factors that contribute to the overall deterioration of the skin and these would include sunlight, anger, anxiety, smoking and hereditary issues.  

glycolic-acid-peel1Chemical peeling is the process where one or more exfoliating (peeling) agents are used on the skin. This purposely wounds and removes the superficial layers. The reason behind this is to allow for the creation of new skin. Chemical peels do not work for everyone and the results are often dependent on the skin type. People who have light brown or fair skin and have the chemical peel done will have great results. Avoiding the sun is necessary for people who have skin peels as a way to prevent hyperpigmentation.

A chemical peel can either be done with glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid. Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid which can be found in different fruits. Glycolic acid is very popular because it is naturally occurring and easy to use.

Before a chemical peel is done, the skin is prepared 2 weeks in advance with a product called tretinoin. This will make the superficial layers of the skin to be less adherent. Doing this will improve the results that can be gained from a chemical peel.

Depending on the condition of the skin, a concentration of glycolic acid 25% or 50% is applied to the skin. This is done from the least sensitive area to the most sensitive part.

The glycolic acid is left on the skin for around seven minutes. It is then neutralized with cold water.

After the peel the face will have a mild redness. This will fade in a few hours, which will be followed by scaling in two to five days. After the procedure, patients will be able to go about their regular day to day activities. Patients should be advised to use sunscreen to prevent post-peel pigmentation.

Glycolic acid chemical peel is able to treat a wide range of cosmetic problems:

  •          Chloasma
  •          Freckles
  •          Acne scars
  •          Photoaging

Wrinkles

Glycolic Acid Can Make The Skin Look Younger

As we get older, there will be changes in our skin. Generally cell turnover decreases and the natural exfoliation process of the skin slows down tremendously. The skin will become much drier and it will have this dry and scaly look. The young and taut skin is no more and the skin is full of wrinkles and sun damage.

With the progression of the skin in this direction as we age, the question is if there are treatments available to get younger looking skin? Options are available, but one of the most popular is the use of glycolic acid. It is a nonsurgical method to revitalize the skin. Glycolic acid is free of allergens and toxins and it is highly recommended for most skin types.

Most people can get glycolic acid through a prescription from a doctor. The glycolic acid that can be purchased over the counter is neutralized. Using these products makes it very hard to tell how much of the acid is active at the time of the application.

Glycolic acid is specially adjusted to a pH (acid/alkaline level) well-suited to the pH of the skin. There are a host of Glycolic-acid products and these include gels, lotions, creams and they are available in a wide variety of strengths. People can also find cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos and a host of other skin car products that all contain glycolic acid.

The results that people can get from using glycolic acid are almost the same as invasive procedures such as face lifts or laser resurfacing. The added benefit of this is that there is no downtime.

Younger looking skin is achievable if people use glycolic acid products. It will be able to change that dull complexion and restore it to the radiant glow the individual had in the past.

Glycolic Acid is Effective In Treating Various Skin Problems

The medical community is always looking for new ways to slow the aging process of the skin. The skin is often damaged by exposure to the sun and as we get older it also wrinkles.

As a way to combat this problem, research has been done to look at the effects of alpha hydroxy acids on wrinkles. One of the more popular alpha hydroxy agents being looked at is glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is a natural product that’s derived from fruits and sugar cane.

Research studies conducted have proven that glycolic acid can be very effective in treating dry skin, rough skin, acne scars, skin peeling, age spots and wrinkles. It also proved to be very effective as an adjuvant to topical drugs.

The findings from these studies show that glycolic acid can improve the white bread till skin conditions as well as reversing wrinkles. The results show that after using glycolic acid, wrinkles will disappear after a round 2 to 6 months. Deeper wrinkles will take longer, but they will generally disappear after one year.

One research study group consisted of women who applied concentrations of glycolic acid between 5% to 10% on their face two times daily. In the first and sixth weeks, they also applied a 70% glycolic acid solution that was washed off with water after a few minutes.

The participants in the study were told to avoid exposure to the sun and that they needed to use a sunscreen that had it SPF factor greater than 15. All the women’s faces were photographed before, during and after the study was done.

After 10 months the photographs of the women were reviewed. Photographic evidence showed that there was a reduction in wrinkles. The degree of reduction was mild to moderate in some of the women.

Despite these results, it is still unknown to researchers as to how alpha hydroxyl acids are able to modify wrinkles. They state that more extensive clinical trials need to be done to ensure that these results are valid.

Glycolic acid can be prescribed by doctors and dermatologists or be bought over the counter from pharmacies.