Caring for Your Skin After a Chemical Peel

A chemical peel can be a great way to look younger and smooth out some of the fine lines that you will begin noticing as you get older. However, what some people don’t realize is that immediately after a chemical peel your skin may become red and easily irritated. If you have recently undergone a chemical peel you will need to take care of your sensitive skin so that it does not become damaged directly after undergoing your peel.

What is a Chemical Peel?

A chemical peel is a skin treatment performed by a skin aesthetician or dermatologist. The chemical peel removes the dead skin cells that form on the surface of the skin overtime. A chemical solution is placed on top of the skin for a period of time. When the chemical solution is removed, the top layer of skin is removed along with it leaving the smooth new skin underneath. After a chemical peel most people will see a dramatic improvement to their skin in terms of look and feel. Not only will wrinkles and fine lines be smoothed away but the skin will also appear more even-toned and will even feel softer than before the peel.

After-care of the Skin

Depending on the type of chemical peel you’ve had performed on your skin you will find that your skin can become very sensitive directly following your peel. It’s important that while your skin is sensitive you take care of it in a manner that allows your skin to feel better and reduces any damage to your skin. Below are tips for after-care of your skin following a chemical peel.

1. Avoid Sun: One of the most important things you can do after a chemical peel is to avoid the sun as much as possible. The new skin unveiled during your peel will be more sensitive to sunlight than the older skin that was peeled away. If you can’t avoid the sun then you should use a powerful sun block anytime you know you will be in direct contact with the sun.
2. Use Gentle Serums: Serums can help your skin feel better following a chemical peel because these skin care products are smooth and silky on your skin. The best types of serums are those that use natural ingredients such as hyaluronic acid serum. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in our skin so using this type of serum will mimic the skin’s natural lipids and moisturizing system. In fact, a serum can make all the difference in how quickly your skin heals itself after a chemical peel.
3. Use Medication as Prescribed: If you have a heavy chemical peel on your face your doctor may prescribe a medicated topical cream or even oral steroids to help your skin heal faster. If your doctor prescribes medication it’s important for you to take it since your skin may not heal as fast without it. In fact, you can often use prescribed medication in addition to hyaluronic acid serum so that your skin receives as much protection as possible in its vulnerable state.

Your skin can take a few weeks to heal from a chemical peel; it depends largely on whether you have chosen a light or heavy peel for your skin. The heavier the peel the longer it will take to heal your skin. You may even find that you need to bandage your skin for a few days while your skin heals itself. However, if you take care of your skin while it’s healing you will be rewarded with glowing, newer-looking skin that can make you look younger than you have in years.

Ben Sparks is a writer for Aqua Topicals, a company that produces quality anti-aging products including hyaluronic acid serum and other skin care products.