Peels are used to prevent and correct common skin concerns such as pigmentation, wrinkles, acne, uneven skin tone and more. And while there are numerous benefits to getting a peel, one of our favorites is that it extends and amplifies the results of our Facials. The skincare industry is continuously changing and evolving and that includes chemical peels, a peel no longer has to tingle, burn, flake or shed to work.
Some clients expect to shed after a peel and have expressed concern that the peel didn’t work because their skin didn’t peel. This is why educating our clients is vital to their experience, expectations and results. You don’t have to peel to get the full benefits of a peel. Peels are designed to work in the deeper layers of the skin, therefore as your skin turns over, the treated skin comes to the surface and is visibly improved. Which is why we recommend coming in for a peel every two to four weeks to coincide with your natural cellular turnover rate. Not every skin reacts the same to the same treatment. Some people peel; some don’t. Even the same person will peel after one treatment and not the next. Each person and peel are subjective.
Here are 4 reasons why you may not peel after a peel:
- It's your first peel with one of our Estheticians. If you change Estheticians or it is your first time with us, as a rule, we opt for a more superficial peel like Lactic or Glycolic until we get to know your skin. Your skins health is the most important to us, therefore it is safer for your skin to start with a mild peel and work up to a multi-layer, stronger peel. Communication is key between you and the Esthetician.
- You are diligent with exfoliating at home. If you are using a chemical or physical exfoliant regularly, your skin is less likely to experience peeling. Examples of chemical exfoliants Glycolic, Lactic, Salicylic or enzymes. Examples of physical exfoliants are scrubs using bead-like granules to manually remove dead skin cells.
- You are using a moisturizer with skin barrier repair ingredients including but not limited to ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, squalane and peptides. These ingredients work to prevent and correct damage to the skin barrier therefore preventing your skin from flaking, peeling or shedding.
- You have naturally more resilient, thicker skin. If you have oily, strong skin you may or may not experience any peeling.
If you do flake, peel or shed, it will usually happen between days 3-5 after a Facial. We always recommend planning ahead if it is your first peel with us to see how your skin responds. If you come regularly for Facials and are prone to peeling, it will most likely lessen with each consistent treatment.
The Bottom Line: peeling is subjective, you don’t have to peel to feel confident a peel is working!
We love hearing from you! If you have any questions, please leave us a comment below!