Glycolic Peels – A Quick Fix

Glycolic acid peels are readily available in all kinds of beauty salons, spas, doctor’s offices and dermatologist’s offices. You can even buy a cheaper, do it yourself version of these glycolic peels at your local drug store and give yourself one at home. However the most effective of glycolic peels is probably the one given by a dermatologist or a professional aesthetician with a lot of credentials.

Unlike chemical facial peels the effects are very gentle. They are excellent for boosting your skin’s softness, glow and radiance. The reason that a glycolic acid peel can be done over lunchtime is because it is technically classified as what is known as a “light” peel or “superficial peel.” This means that it only affects the upper dermis of the skin. The process itself is very simple. Usually your face is washed and the dermatologist or aesthetician then swabs a solution on your face made out of fruit acids that strips of the top layer of cells.

If you’re acne-prone, salicylic acid may be used instead of glycolic acid, which is derived from fruit. Typically the concentration of acid is about two or three percent in solution. Depending on the color of your skin, it’s sensitivity and it’s over all condition you may be recommended to try either a stronger or weaker strength of the solution. Both glycolic and salycic acid exfoliates dead cells, a process that already occurs naturally but slows down with age and sun damage. These are dead cells that can pile up on the surface of the dermis and make the skin look dull. Skin that is not exfoliated with a peel or a good scrubbing of some kind can also look kind of grey and dull.  Also, exfoliation with glycolic peels is also thought to fight wrinkling and creping of the skin by stimulating the production collagen. Collagen is the fiber beneath the skin that supports it and keeps it from wrinkling.

The reason these are called light peels is because there is so little real acid in these types of peels.  If you get a heavy duty peel in a plastic surgery office, you can end up having a solution swabbed on your face that contains a concentration of between fifty percent and seventy percent glycolic acid.) These are the types of peels where your skin may look too tender, bruised or red for you to return to work for a day or two.

Glycolic peels are quite inexpensive. Depending on whether you are having it done in a neighborhood hair salon or a high-end spa they can cost anywhere from fifty to two hundred dollars. Other perks such as a facial acupressure or a massage of some kind with a vitamin-enriched moisturizer might also be factored into the cost.