Do you ever wonder why almost all dermatologists or aesthetic doctors have flawless skin? Obviously they probably do the odd resurfacing laser every now and then, but what exactly is the secret of their youthful, spotless complexion?

Turns out, the good old chemical peel is the holy grail of a dermatologist’s skincare regime. We speak to Dr Michelle Lim, Medical Consultant from the SW1 Clinic. Here are 5 reasons why the chemical peel is your secret to a perfect complexion.

 

1. They Make Your Skin Behave Like It Is Younger

Chemical peels slough away useless debris which dull the surface of your skin. Once this superficial layer is shed, a cellular turnover process is kickstarted. From the basal layer of the skin, new cells are produced and move up to the surface, creating more collagen and hyaluronic acid, mimicking young skin. The immediate gratification of a peel: noticeably smoother and more radiant skin. Your skin is also more receptive i.e. your expensive skincare products penetrate more efficiently now without the hindrance of a coat of dead skin cells, and perform better.

 

2. They Can Stop Acne

Chemical peels come in several types. Salicylic acid peels go deep into pores and dissolve trapped oil and clogged pores and continue to keep them clear for a period of time. Jessner peels contain salicylic and lactic acids, as well as resorcinol. Resorcinol works to break bonds that hold together dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, so effect of the jessner peel is more effective and stronger than a single peel.

“Deeper peels are no longer used because of the severity of complications, so for acne scars, especially for the darker asian skin types, laser treatments such as the carbon dioxide laser is still the gold standard” says Dr Michelle.

 

3. They Can Lighten Pesky Pigmentation

Lasers are frequently done to lighten melasma, dark patches of skin triggered by hormonal surges, such as pregnancy and the oral contraceptive pill. “This condition is extremely difficult to treat. Lasers will lighten the pigmentation but more often than not, melasma recurs” says Dr Michelle, who finds that combining lasers and chemical peels offer better control for melasma than lasers alone” says Dr Michelle.

 

4. They Are Low Risk Compared To Some Harsher Lasers

Gone are the days when people did chemical peels and had terribly visible peeling. Now, lower percentages of a combination of peels give better outcomes, less skin irritation than a single high-strength peel. For darker skin types, this also significantly lowers the risk of complications, such as chemical peel skin burns.

5. They Are Cheaper Than Most Lasers

Chemical peels cost a fraction of a full laser treatment, but it has to be done multiple times. But you can do more than that. “The secret is to incorporate very light peels weekly into your skincare regime, to ensure the skin renewal process is always current” says Dr Michelle. The result? Firmer, younger and more luminous skin.

So that’s the anti-aging secret of our skin doctors!