Chapter 10: Chemical Peelings Flashcards
What are the benefits of offering chemical peels at your spa?
Offering chemical peels in your skin care practice will be one of the most exciting and financially rewarding areas of your treatment “bag of tricks”
How do we define the process of removing excess accumulations of dead cells?
We define the process of removing excess accumulations of dead cells from the corneum layers of the epidermis as superficial peelings, exfoliation, keratolysis and desquamation (all interchangeable terms)
How do we accomplish exfoliation?
- mechanically: microdermabrasion, manually (scrubs)
- chemically: use of specific products (glycolic acid) formulated to achieve results
What are the difference of chemical peels provided by a physician and a skin care therapist?
-physician will provide medium to deep peels with procedures designed to penetrate deeper into the dermal layer
-skin care therapists use procedures designed only to penetrate the epidermis (light peels)
—>light peels are non invasive and non aggressive in nature and are designed to treat only the epidermis not the dermis (not living tissue)
Chemical Peel History:
-more than 5000 years ago, the Egyptians used a form of chemical peeling (they understood the value of lactic acid from milk and the various fruit acids from skin conditioning) Thus when cleopatra relaxed in her milk baths she was undergoing a chemical peel
-physicians began using deeper peels in 1882, employing RESORCINOL, TRICHLOROACETIC ACID (TCA), SALICYLIC ACID, and PHENOL
—these procedures became very popular in the 1930s and 40s, when Antoinette la Gasse brought the procedures from France to the United States
-In the 1980s, the practice of superficially peeling clients by aestheticians was just beginning
—ALPHA HYDROXY ACID (AHA) peels were the buzzword of the 1990s, and they are even more popular today.
Caution when using chemical peels:
- peels can result in burns that’s may require medical attention and they can scar a client
- it is important to obtain as much training as possible in working with chemical peels
- make certain that you consult with the client before applying a peel, follow the manufacturers instructions, and always patch test (inside or behind ear) 24 to 48 hours before giving a peel to watch for adverse reactions to the product
What is the cell renewal factor (CRF)?
- cell renewal factor (CRF), or cell turnover rate, is the rate of cell mitosis and migration through all the layers of the epidermis
- this process slows down with age
The average cell turnover rate for: Babies- 14 days Teens- 21-28 days Adults- 28-42 days 50+ 42-84 days
-therefore keeping cell mitosis going is one of the goals for skin preservation
Factors influencing CRF:
- Genetics
- The natural environment
- Ones medical history
- Lifestyle
- Personal care
- Exfoliation methods
How many layers is the keratinized corneum layer composed of?
15-20 layers
-it varies in thickness in different body areas
What is important to maintain in the skin during chemical peeling?
- while peeling is great for the skin it is important to maintain hydrolipidic balance, especially for alipidic skin types
- over peeling is detrimental to the skin
- REGULATORY AGENCY ALERT
- each regulatory agency is different, so check with your local laws to see what is acceptable in performing exfoliation services under your esthetics licence
What are Alpha Hydroxy Acids?
-AHAS
-mild acids (but stronger than BHAS)
-Glycolic Acid is an AHA derived from sugar cane that’s is used in different percentages and pH factors to dissolve Desmosomes between cells to keep skin cells exfoliated
-other AHAS promote superficial peeling as well
-
What are Beta Hydroxy Acids?
-BHAS
-milder than AHAS
-used to effectively exfoliate the skin
-salicylic acid (derived from sweet birch, willow bark, and wintergreen)
—>has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties
—>effective keratolytic exfoliant with a different mechanism than of action of AHAs
-citric acid
-dissolve oil and are used for oily skin and acne
-Aspirin is derived from salicylates
How are AHAS thought to work?
- AHAS are thought to penetrate the corneum via the intercellular cement and loosen the bonds between the cells
- the intercellular cement between skin cells consists of ceramides, lipids, glycoproteins, and active enzymes
What does AHAs increase the production of?
Intercellular lipids
Why is Glycolic Acid the most effective AHA?
-glycolic acid can penetrate into the epidermis more effectively because it has the smallest molecular size of the AHAS
Examples of AHAS:
- glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane)
- lactic acid (derived from milk)
- tartaric acid (derived from grapes)
- malic acid (derived from apples)
Differences between AHAS and BHAS:
- AHA work on clusters of the cells, BHA works on individual cells
- AHA works from the bottom up, BHA works from the top down
- AHA is water soluble, BHAS are fat soluble and therefore can penetrate into the follicular pore, helping exfoliate from inside the pore as well as on the skin surface
- Easy penetration and antimicrobial effects of BHA makes it a favourable ingredient in acne treatments
- BHA appears to be less irritating that AHA, however if used in concentration above 2%, can cause irritation, redness, itching and burning
What is Jessner’s solution:
- A combination of three different acids: 14% salicylic acid, 14% resorcinol & 14% lactic acid- in an ethanol base
- provides a superficial peel, focusing on exfoliation and digestion of debris associated with acne
What is Trichloracetic Acid (TCA)?
- a common peeling agent in the medical spa
- comes in a variety of strengths, usually increasing incrementally by 5% points: 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and so on.
- has many benefits: non toxic, stable, easy to use, able to create a variety of results
- Most commonly used TCA peel is Obagi blue peel, which usually consists of 30% TCA diluted to 15 or 20% by the blue dye used with the peel. TCA penetrates the papillary dermis or the upper reticular layer of the dermis when a full frost is achieved
- The Frost is the result of the chemical TCA coagulating the protein in the skin and is considered the end point
- Overall, TCA is easy to use, predictable, medium peel in the hands of a properly trained professional