Chemical Peels in Brownwood & Abilene, TX
The human skin is the largest organ in the human body and is exposed to UV sun damage, neglect, and the natural aging process. As we grow older, prior neglect or damage to the skin begins to appear in a variety of ways; pigmented lesions, vascular lesions, wrinkles, uneven skin tone etc. Many of these underlying conditions can either be corrected or deferred through the use of medical grade chemical peels, microdermabrasion, cosmeceuticals, and lasers. The science that accompanies these treatment modalities is just as important since there are many products and claims to reverse the process of the aging skin.
What is a chemical peel?
The one truth about skincare is that it is never too early to start to take care of your skin. Chemical Peels in conjunction with microdermabrasion is a great starting point to achieving your desire for younger, healthier looking skin and is still considered to be the “gold standard” among Dermatologists. There are a variety of different chemical peels available and each type of chemical peel has varying benefits. As part of your initial consultation we will discuss with you the various types of peels and the added benefit of microdermabrasion. In addition, we will advise you of various cosmeceutical products available to maintain or correct various skin disorders and help devise a maintenance program so you may enjoy the results of your treatments for many years to come.
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Who is an ideal candidate for a chemical peel?
If you have the following skin conditions, peels can be a good treatment:
- Sun damage
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Texture issues
- Pigmentation problems
- Age spots
- Acne and acne scars
- Freckles
- Scaly patches
- Actinic keratoses (medium peels)
- Medium depth lines (medium peels)
To have a peel, you cannot have any active skin conditions or infections.
What Can A chemical peel do?
The goal of facial aesthetics and the endpoint to the series of treatments of chemical peels and microdermabrasion is to promote exfoliation of the epidermis (thinning), induce wounding of the dermis, and allow for increased lymph flow which provides cleaning, toning and reduced redness. By wounding the dermis, the dermal layer will heal itself by producing more collagen that in turn will reduce or reverse dermal thinning, thus improving tone, texture, tonicity and reducing wrinkle precursors.
In essence, by wounding the skin we are allowing the skin to heal itself, reduce the thickening of the epidermis, allow for more blood flow and nutrients to the skin. Promoting increased collagen production will allow for greater elasticity of the skin and correction prior skin conditions caused by UV exposure or of the aging process.
What are the types of Chemical Peels you offer at Creative Image?
- Light chemical peels — For these peels, we use alphahydroxy and beta hydroxy acids as the peeling agents. These are glycolic acid (which comes from sugar cane), lactic acid (from sour milk), salicylic acid (willow tree bark), and malic acid (grapes). Light peels remove just the outer layer of skin in a light exfoliation.
- Medium chemical peels — For medium peels, we use trichloroacetic acid. It is a relative of vinegar (acetic acid). Trichloroacetic acid creates deeper penetration than the milder acids used for our superficial peels. Because they penetrate more deeply TCA peels loosen the skin bonds more deeply. This means more skin will slough off in the days following the peel. There will also probably be some crusting of the skin.
Within these categories, we have different types of peels. When we understand your goals and your skin type and skin condition, we can match you with the right peel for you.
Are chemical peels painful?
Deep peels can be quite painful, both during the process and during recovery. That’s another reason we don’t offer deep peels at our Creative Image.
The light and low-level medium peels we perform at our Brownwood office can create some mild stinging as the peeling agent is applied, but this is minimal and is easily tolerated. These are not painful treatments.
How is a chemical peel done?
The actual peel portion of these treatments at Creative Image varies depending on the type of peel and the peeling agent. Overall, the entire treatment usually takes around 30 minutes. If you add microdermabrasion, this adds about 20 minutes to your session. The first step for Irazu is to thoroughly clean your skin. She then applies the peeling agent. She does this with a cotton ball, gauze, or brush. When the peeling formulation is applied, your skin will begin to whiten. You may feel a mild stinging, but this is minimal. The peeling agent is left on your skin for the prescribed time and then it is wiped off. For some peels a neutralizing agent may be applied at this point. Irazu then rinses your face and applies a mask.
Will I have downtime after my chemical peel?
As mentioned above, we don’t provide deep chemical peels at Creative Image Laser Solutions. Dr. Butka believes our various laser and IPL treatments provide the same kind of skin resurfacing without the risks and downtime of deep peels.
With light peels, your skin will lightly flake starting after a few days and lasting up to a week or so. Medium peels remove more skin during the peel, so there will likely be some light crusting. When this resolves, there will be some more involved peeling for a week or so. This can be managed with moisturizer. While not true “downtime,” you’ll want to stay out of the Texas sun for a few days after your peel, and from there on be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your new skin.
How do I care for my skin after a chemical peel?
The main thing after a peel of any strength is sun protection. Because the peel has removed some of your epidermis and potentially some of your second layer, the dermis, the newly exposed skin doesn’t have the accumulated layer of dead skin cells to help provide sun protection. After any peel, you need to protect your skin with 30+ SPF sunscreen and clothing.
Otherwise, just follow your normal morning and evening skin care routine. You’ll certainly want to apply a quality moisturizer. From there, it makes sense to step up your skin care routine a little bit. If you’ve been winging it in the past, it would be a good idea to let our team at Creative Image give you advice on morning and evening skin care products and practices.
WHY CHOOSE CREATIVE IMAGE LASER SOLUTION FOR YOUR Chemical Peels.
“The staff is excellent and sees to your every comfort during any procedure. I’m seeing amazing results and especially appreciate all my questions being answered at any time before and after a treatment.”
Schedule A Chemical Peel consultation
If you are interested in learning more about Chemical Peels, call Dr. Butka at (325) 641-1927 for Chemical Peels in Brownwood, TX today and set up your free consultation.