Either for use between professional peels or alone, home peels or exfoliants are gaining popularity among consumers. A wide variety of at-home peeling products — some of them featured in the New Products column of Skin & Aging — have appeared in the past few years promising to deep clean pores, exfoliate dead skin and leave the complexion with a desirable “glowing” appearance. Among these products are those with active ingredients varying in strengths and recommended usage, including glycolic acid, lactic acid, TCA, salicylic acid and enzymes.
What Patients Want
Patients are understandably down on products that leave them with no noticeable improvement or — even worse — bad results, such as burned skin. But among unnamed “worst” home peeling products featured on totalbeauty.com, users complained about difficulty of application, or unpleasant odor or texture — eg, messy or sticky. Beyond good results, consumers are attracted to products with a pleasant feel and a fresh odor. What users on this site liked about a best-rated product, REN Clean Bio Active Skincare Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask, included its “delightful scent,” that, unlike chemicals, it seemed “natural,” and that it sloughed skin without scrubbing, while leaving pores clear and “skin glowing.” Because convenience is an attractive feature for many, products with pads that were easy to apply were popular.
Product Guides
Makeup Artst’s Choice, Inc. (www.makeupartistschoice.com), which offers numerous at-home peel products, breaks them down, with guidelines for consumers. The site offers these descriptions and guidelines for consumers, which may be also beneficial to patients. Mandelic Acid: An alpha hydroxy acid derived from the bitter almond nut, this is a gentle acid, which exfoliates the skin with very little topical discomfort. Excellent for inhibiting the formation of brown spots and hyperpigmentation, it will not cause unwanted lightening of the skin in darker skin tones, and can be used to treat acne, melasma, sun damaged skin, large pores, blackheads, wrinkles, and dull, sallow skin, according to the site. Lactic acid: The site recommends this as appropriate for dry skin or oily skin. An alpha hydroxy, this peel penetrates the epidermis only. It is recommended as a “first peel” for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin types. According to the site, the inherent properties of this peel make it ideal for patients with uneven skin tones and general hyperpigmentation. Glycolic acid: A bit more aggressive than lactic acids, this is also an alpha hydroxy peel and will penetrate the epidermis. Glycolic acid is recommended by the site as a good all-around acid for normal-to-oily skin types and can be used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, as well as to address the issues associated with acne, acne scarring, wrinkles and fine lines. Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy): Oil-soluble, these acids are said to be ideal for oily/acne-prone skin that needs deep pore cleansing and loosening of blackheads. It is recommended as a “first-step” to remove all oils from the skin before using alpha hydroxy acid peels, or used alone three to four times per week for oil/blackhead control. A beta-hydroxy, this acid penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis only. TCA: This deeper peeling, more intensive class of acids, is recommended for acne, lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, stretch marks, sun damage, lip lines, age spots and general scarring. It penetrates the epidermis, into the upper layers of the dermis and generally produces longer lasting results, according to the site. Jessner’s: A peel that is layered until it frosts, this peel contains alpha and beta hydroxies along with resorcinol and is recommended by the site for patients with cystic acne. Non-Acid Enzyme Peels: All-natural enzymes are said to safely dissolve surface skin debris and leave skin feeling soft, cleansed and refreshed. These enzyme peels are recommended by the site for those with sensitive skin that is non-tolerant of acid.
Recommendations for Patients
In response to patients’ questions, Cosmetic Clinic columnist Ken Beer, wrote in a 2005 column that he was recommending them to patients with acne-prone skin or photodamaged skin, but not if skin is sensitive or dry. “I instruct patients to start with mild, low-strength acid peels at first and work up from there as needed. And, I recommend that patients use them twice a week,” he commented. Information from Lexli, the makers of AloeGlyC Renewing Exfoliant, explains how at-home products such as theirs — which is classified as a chemical exfoliant, not a peel, but that it has an effective pH of 2.1 to 2.3 — can be used to extend the benefits of a professional chemical peel as well as an at-home alternative. In advance of a chemical peel with a pH of 3 or higher, the company recommends that consumers utilize the Lexli four-step skin care regimen, including AloeGlyC exfoliant, as follows: On the morning of treatment, AloeGlyC should be discontinued. Following treatment, an appropriate moisturizer should be used to hydrate tight or dry skin. This process may be repeated throughout the day, as necessary. Then, when the skin is no longer red, inflamed, dry and/or flaking, the user may again utilize the exfoliant to extend the benefits of the peel. “Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and chemical peels are effective at jump starting the process of exfoliation and skin rejuvenation; however, exfoliation is something that should be done daily to deliver optimal results,” notes Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, founder/formulator of Lexli and a board-certified plastic surgeon and aloe researcher. “I compare it to your teeth. You get a professional cleaning every few months but still need to brush daily to prevent cavities and keep a beautiful smile. Regular exfoliation prevents the build up of keratin, which can clog pores and leave skin with a dull appearance.”
Either for use between professional peels or alone, home peels or exfoliants are gaining popularity among consumers. A wide variety of at-home peeling products — some of them featured in the New Products column of Skin & Aging — have appeared in the past few years promising to deep clean pores, exfoliate dead skin and leave the complexion with a desirable “glowing” appearance. Among these products are those with active ingredients varying in strengths and recommended usage, including glycolic acid, lactic acid, TCA, salicylic acid and enzymes.
What Patients Want
Patients are understandably down on products that leave them with no noticeable improvement or — even worse — bad results, such as burned skin. But among unnamed “worst” home peeling products featured on totalbeauty.com, users complained about difficulty of application, or unpleasant odor or texture — eg, messy or sticky. Beyond good results, consumers are attracted to products with a pleasant feel and a fresh odor. What users on this site liked about a best-rated product, REN Clean Bio Active Skincare Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask, included its “delightful scent,” that, unlike chemicals, it seemed “natural,” and that it sloughed skin without scrubbing, while leaving pores clear and “skin glowing.” Because convenience is an attractive feature for many, products with pads that were easy to apply were popular.
Product Guides
Makeup Artst’s Choice, Inc. (www.makeupartistschoice.com), which offers numerous at-home peel products, breaks them down, with guidelines for consumers. The site offers these descriptions and guidelines for consumers, which may be also beneficial to patients. Mandelic Acid: An alpha hydroxy acid derived from the bitter almond nut, this is a gentle acid, which exfoliates the skin with very little topical discomfort. Excellent for inhibiting the formation of brown spots and hyperpigmentation, it will not cause unwanted lightening of the skin in darker skin tones, and can be used to treat acne, melasma, sun damaged skin, large pores, blackheads, wrinkles, and dull, sallow skin, according to the site. Lactic acid: The site recommends this as appropriate for dry skin or oily skin. An alpha hydroxy, this peel penetrates the epidermis only. It is recommended as a “first peel” for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin types. According to the site, the inherent properties of this peel make it ideal for patients with uneven skin tones and general hyperpigmentation. Glycolic acid: A bit more aggressive than lactic acids, this is also an alpha hydroxy peel and will penetrate the epidermis. Glycolic acid is recommended by the site as a good all-around acid for normal-to-oily skin types and can be used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, as well as to address the issues associated with acne, acne scarring, wrinkles and fine lines. Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy): Oil-soluble, these acids are said to be ideal for oily/acne-prone skin that needs deep pore cleansing and loosening of blackheads. It is recommended as a “first-step” to remove all oils from the skin before using alpha hydroxy acid peels, or used alone three to four times per week for oil/blackhead control. A beta-hydroxy, this acid penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis only. TCA: This deeper peeling, more intensive class of acids, is recommended for acne, lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, stretch marks, sun damage, lip lines, age spots and general scarring. It penetrates the epidermis, into the upper layers of the dermis and generally produces longer lasting results, according to the site. Jessner’s: A peel that is layered until it frosts, this peel contains alpha and beta hydroxies along with resorcinol and is recommended by the site for patients with cystic acne. Non-Acid Enzyme Peels: All-natural enzymes are said to safely dissolve surface skin debris and leave skin feeling soft, cleansed and refreshed. These enzyme peels are recommended by the site for those with sensitive skin that is non-tolerant of acid.
Recommendations for Patients
In response to patients’ questions, Cosmetic Clinic columnist Ken Beer, wrote in a 2005 column that he was recommending them to patients with acne-prone skin or photodamaged skin, but not if skin is sensitive or dry. “I instruct patients to start with mild, low-strength acid peels at first and work up from there as needed. And, I recommend that patients use them twice a week,” he commented. Information from Lexli, the makers of AloeGlyC Renewing Exfoliant, explains how at-home products such as theirs — which is classified as a chemical exfoliant, not a peel, but that it has an effective pH of 2.1 to 2.3 — can be used to extend the benefits of a professional chemical peel as well as an at-home alternative. In advance of a chemical peel with a pH of 3 or higher, the company recommends that consumers utilize the Lexli four-step skin care regimen, including AloeGlyC exfoliant, as follows: On the morning of treatment, AloeGlyC should be discontinued. Following treatment, an appropriate moisturizer should be used to hydrate tight or dry skin. This process may be repeated throughout the day, as necessary. Then, when the skin is no longer red, inflamed, dry and/or flaking, the user may again utilize the exfoliant to extend the benefits of the peel. “Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and chemical peels are effective at jump starting the process of exfoliation and skin rejuvenation; however, exfoliation is something that should be done daily to deliver optimal results,” notes Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, founder/formulator of Lexli and a board-certified plastic surgeon and aloe researcher. “I compare it to your teeth. You get a professional cleaning every few months but still need to brush daily to prevent cavities and keep a beautiful smile. Regular exfoliation prevents the build up of keratin, which can clog pores and leave skin with a dull appearance.”
Either for use between professional peels or alone, home peels or exfoliants are gaining popularity among consumers. A wide variety of at-home peeling products — some of them featured in the New Products column of Skin & Aging — have appeared in the past few years promising to deep clean pores, exfoliate dead skin and leave the complexion with a desirable “glowing” appearance. Among these products are those with active ingredients varying in strengths and recommended usage, including glycolic acid, lactic acid, TCA, salicylic acid and enzymes.
What Patients Want
Patients are understandably down on products that leave them with no noticeable improvement or — even worse — bad results, such as burned skin. But among unnamed “worst” home peeling products featured on totalbeauty.com, users complained about difficulty of application, or unpleasant odor or texture — eg, messy or sticky. Beyond good results, consumers are attracted to products with a pleasant feel and a fresh odor. What users on this site liked about a best-rated product, REN Clean Bio Active Skincare Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask, included its “delightful scent,” that, unlike chemicals, it seemed “natural,” and that it sloughed skin without scrubbing, while leaving pores clear and “skin glowing.” Because convenience is an attractive feature for many, products with pads that were easy to apply were popular.
Product Guides
Makeup Artst’s Choice, Inc. (www.makeupartistschoice.com), which offers numerous at-home peel products, breaks them down, with guidelines for consumers. The site offers these descriptions and guidelines for consumers, which may be also beneficial to patients. Mandelic Acid: An alpha hydroxy acid derived from the bitter almond nut, this is a gentle acid, which exfoliates the skin with very little topical discomfort. Excellent for inhibiting the formation of brown spots and hyperpigmentation, it will not cause unwanted lightening of the skin in darker skin tones, and can be used to treat acne, melasma, sun damaged skin, large pores, blackheads, wrinkles, and dull, sallow skin, according to the site. Lactic acid: The site recommends this as appropriate for dry skin or oily skin. An alpha hydroxy, this peel penetrates the epidermis only. It is recommended as a “first peel” for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin types. According to the site, the inherent properties of this peel make it ideal for patients with uneven skin tones and general hyperpigmentation. Glycolic acid: A bit more aggressive than lactic acids, this is also an alpha hydroxy peel and will penetrate the epidermis. Glycolic acid is recommended by the site as a good all-around acid for normal-to-oily skin types and can be used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, as well as to address the issues associated with acne, acne scarring, wrinkles and fine lines. Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy): Oil-soluble, these acids are said to be ideal for oily/acne-prone skin that needs deep pore cleansing and loosening of blackheads. It is recommended as a “first-step” to remove all oils from the skin before using alpha hydroxy acid peels, or used alone three to four times per week for oil/blackhead control. A beta-hydroxy, this acid penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis only. TCA: This deeper peeling, more intensive class of acids, is recommended for acne, lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, stretch marks, sun damage, lip lines, age spots and general scarring. It penetrates the epidermis, into the upper layers of the dermis and generally produces longer lasting results, according to the site. Jessner’s: A peel that is layered until it frosts, this peel contains alpha and beta hydroxies along with resorcinol and is recommended by the site for patients with cystic acne. Non-Acid Enzyme Peels: All-natural enzymes are said to safely dissolve surface skin debris and leave skin feeling soft, cleansed and refreshed. These enzyme peels are recommended by the site for those with sensitive skin that is non-tolerant of acid.
Recommendations for Patients
In response to patients’ questions, Cosmetic Clinic columnist Ken Beer, wrote in a 2005 column that he was recommending them to patients with acne-prone skin or photodamaged skin, but not if skin is sensitive or dry. “I instruct patients to start with mild, low-strength acid peels at first and work up from there as needed. And, I recommend that patients use them twice a week,” he commented. Information from Lexli, the makers of AloeGlyC Renewing Exfoliant, explains how at-home products such as theirs — which is classified as a chemical exfoliant, not a peel, but that it has an effective pH of 2.1 to 2.3 — can be used to extend the benefits of a professional chemical peel as well as an at-home alternative. In advance of a chemical peel with a pH of 3 or higher, the company recommends that consumers utilize the Lexli four-step skin care regimen, including AloeGlyC exfoliant, as follows: On the morning of treatment, AloeGlyC should be discontinued. Following treatment, an appropriate moisturizer should be used to hydrate tight or dry skin. This process may be repeated throughout the day, as necessary. Then, when the skin is no longer red, inflamed, dry and/or flaking, the user may again utilize the exfoliant to extend the benefits of the peel. “Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and chemical peels are effective at jump starting the process of exfoliation and skin rejuvenation; however, exfoliation is something that should be done daily to deliver optimal results,” notes Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, founder/formulator of Lexli and a board-certified plastic surgeon and aloe researcher. “I compare it to your teeth. You get a professional cleaning every few months but still need to brush daily to prevent cavities and keep a beautiful smile. Regular exfoliation prevents the build up of keratin, which can clog pores and leave skin with a dull appearance.”
