Light Chemical Peels Flashcards
Very light or very superficial peels
- those that lead to a necrosis of the epidermis at the level of stratum corneum
light peels or superficial peels
- those that penetrate through the epidermis and
lead to necrosis of the entire epidermis down to the level of stratum granulosum or the basal lamina - Light peels cause reduced corneocyte adhesion and increase collagen formation in the dermis
- In this way they improve skin’s radiance & luminosity
Agents for Very Light Peels
Classification of depth of peeling in 5 levels according to Schürer & Wiest
Agents for Light Peels
Very superficial peels can be repeated every…?
1 to 2 weeks
light peels can be repeated every…?
2 to 4 weeks
Peeling too frequently can result in…?
- increased risk for complications, in particular
- persistent erythema
- postinflammatory hyperpigmentation
- infections
- scarring
Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs)
* derive from ?
* examples
- group of organic acids
- often referred to as fruit acids, including:
- glycolic acid from cane sugar
- citric acid from citrus fruits
- malic acid from apples
- lactic & mandelic acid
Lactic acid features
- decreases corneocyte cohesion, leading to a thinner stratum corneum
- It moisturizes & brightens the skin
- improves superficial acne scarring by improving skin texture & appearance
Mandelic acid features
- slow skin penetration due to its large molecule size
- Therefore, it is considered a safe, light peeling agent
- In concentrations of 20% to 50% it has a skin-rejuvenation & lightening effect
AHAs MoA
- considered keratolytic agents because they =>
- cause a superficial exfoliation by breaking bonds between keratinocytes in the different layers of the stratum corneum & stratum granulosum
- help to correct an abnormally thickened stratum corneum of the epidermis
how long does the effect of AHA last after the end of therapy?
- up to 14 days after the end of the therapy
daily use of topical AHA lotion leads to..?
- increased dermal thickness by stimulating an increased deposition of collagen & GAGs
Beta-Hydroxy Acid features
* examples ?
* properties ?
* neutralization ?
- salicylic acid (SA) & beta-lipohydroxy acid (LHA), which is a derivative of SA
- have antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antifungal, anticomedogenic properties
- LHA is more lipophilic than SA
- LHA penetrates well into the sebaceous follicle & through the epidermis, but less deeply into the skin compared with glycolic acids & SA
- Neutralization is neither necessary
nor possible when peeling with LHAs
Retinoic Acids features
* examples
* properties
* side effects
- all-trans retinal & retinoic acid
- usually used alone or in combination with AHAs or other ingredients
- RAs lead to a thinner & more compact stratum corneum and a thicker epidermis
- can help to improve dyschromias by creating a more consistent distribution of melanin throughout the epidermis
- RAs reverse the number of atypical keratinocytes, thus leading to an improvement or eradication of actinic keratosis
- SEs: increased photosensitivity
- AHAs act mainly on…?
- Retinoic acids act mainly on..?
- AHA => stratum granulosum
- RAs => stratum corneum
Both AHAs and RAs lead to…?
- increased & accelerated skin turnover from the normal 28 days to 10 to 12 days
Salicylic-Mandelic Combination Acid Peels
- in concentrations of 20% SA & 10% mandelic acid, are effective in treating acne vulgaris & acne scars
Pyruvic Acid
- belongs to the α-ketoacids
- also effective in treating acne scars because of its keratolytic, antimicrobial, and sebostatic qualities and collagen-building ability
- used in concentrations of 40% to 70%
- causes desquamation during the treatment
- may cause a transient, intense stinging, burning sensation
indications for a superficial peeling
- Coarse skin, large pores
- Acne comedonica, papulopustular acne
- acne excoriée
- Papulopustular rosacea
- Keratosis pilaris, including ulerythema
ophryogenes - Photodamaged and photoaged skin
- Actinic keratosis
- Dyschromias of the skin including ephelides, lentigines simplex, senile lentigines, flat seborrheic keratoses, melasma, PIH
- Improvement of the skin appearance
Patient preparation for peeling
- recommended at least 2 to 4 weeks before the peel
- The more pronounced the pigment and the darker the complexion, the longer the priming or preconditioning should be
- Adequate priming of the skin helps reduce wound healing time, facilitates uniform penetration of the peeling agent, reduces the risk of possible side effects, strengthens patient compliance, and helps detect intolerances at an early stage. In addition
- daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sun avoidance are crucial for the treatment
patients prone to HSV infections
- Prophylactic antiviral therapy is recommended
- acyclovir 200 mg 4 times per day (400 mg two times) or valacyclovir 500 mg one-two times per day, starting 1 day before the peel and for 5 to 14 days, until reepithelialization
is completed - Antiviral therapy is continued for a longer duration for deeper peels than for lighter peels
Salicylic Acid Peel & General Instructions
* describe step by step the process
- Before starting the chemical peel, it is very important to ensure that the patient performed the skin priming & strict daily sun protection/sun avoidance reliably
- exclude an active viral, mycotic, or bacterial infections
- patient’s face is cleaned with a mild soap & water
- hair is held back by a band or cap
- patient should be positioned lying on the back with the head elevated at 45 degrees or less and is asked to keep the eyes closed throughout the whole procedure