Acne is a common skin condition affecting millions of people, causing not just physical symptoms but also emotional impacts. Fortunately, many treatments can help lessen or even prevent acne breakouts, including chemical peels.
Though many people think of peels in terms of anti-aging skin routines, the peels' mechanism of action is quite effective in managing acne, too. In this post, Michele Meinhart, FNP, reviews how chemical peels work to help patients at Starkey Medical Esthetics battle acne and enjoy clearer, smoother complexions.
Acne happens when hair follicles are clogged with excess oil, dead skin cells, and other debris, trapping bacteria naturally found on your skin. Inside the follicles, these bacteria feed on oil and debris, multiplying and triggering an inflammatory response that shows up as swollen, red bumps or pimples.
Although pretty much anyone can develop acne, it’s much more common during the teen years when hormonal fluctuations cause oil production to increase. Many people continue to experience acne breakouts throughout their adult years.
Particularly severe breakouts or deep pimples can also lead to permanent scarring, which means even if your active breakouts calm down during your adult years, you can still carry reminders of unpleasant breakouts.
Chemical peels use special solutions to gently lift the upper layers of skin so they slough off — or peel — over the next few days. They’re a popular treatment to help fade lines, wrinkles, and areas of skin discoloration — and they’re also helpful for managing acne.
Specifically, peels speed up the skin’s natural turnover cycle, getting rid of dead skin cells that could otherwise become trapped inside your pores. At the same time, they help unclog pores, releasing trapped debris and oil that lead to breakouts.
Peels can be used alone or in combination with other treatments, including topical acne medications. In fact, by ridding your skin of the upper layer of dead tissue, peels help topical products penetrate better, so they’re even more effective at treating and preventing acne breakouts.
The right type of peel can even smooth out existing acne scars, improve skin texture, and eliminate the hyperpigmentation that lingers long after an active breakout ends. And perhaps best of all, peels can be repeated to maintain benefits and improve your skin’s health and appearance over time.
Peels come in varying strengths and use different solutions and ingredients, making them a completely customizable solution that can be adjusted for your skin’s unique needs. After reviewing your treatment goals and evaluating your skin’s unique structure and needs, we can recommend a peel to help you clear acne, prevent breakouts, and avoid scarring, too.
To learn more about chemical peels and other facial treatments that can help you enjoy clearer, healthier skin, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Starkey Medical Esthetics in Salem, Virginia, today.
