Chemical Peel or Enzyme Exfoliation?
This blog is based on an interview we did with RescueMD, you can read the original post here!
If you are someone that is thinking about taking the first steps towards transforming your skin, fall and winter are the best time to do it.
Even though you can do skin procedures year round, there’s less on your plate if you're doing it in the cooler months when it comes to pre and post-procedure care. In my world, September 7th marks the first day of peel season!
Knowing that, you probably won’t be surprised that chemical peels and enzyme exfoliation are my favorite treatments for the fall and winter! It’s also important to note that pre and post-care is still really important when doing any skin treatment but definitely when it comes to those two treatments since they are more aggressive.
How Do Chemical Peels Work? Are Chemical Peels for Everyone?
I love chemical peels for so many reasons, they really help to exfoliate the skin, lift pigment, kill acne bacteria, refine acne scarring, you name it. Peels are a little more aggressive and go deeper into the dermis to create more of a controlled wound.
Chemical peels are used for people who have deeper skin concerns and are looking to dramatically change their skin. The solution is used to remove the outermost layers of skin to improve texture, scarring, acne, and slow the appearance of aging skin.
Favorite Alternatives To Chemical Peels
If I have a client who doesn’t want to jump straight into a chemical peel, I may recommend an enzyme exfoliation treatment. Enzyme exfoliation treatments are a great alternative option for someone that’s a little weary of doing a deep treatment. With an enzyme exfoliation treatment, the enzymes are really going to work on the surface of the skin, even though it’s not as aggressive, you still will see results with enzymes.
Enzymes work to specifically break down the keratin protein on the skin and have anti-inflammatory properties to balance your skins pH and bring it back to life. Enzyme treatments are for all skin types, especially our on-the-go clients who are looking for a quick fix for surface skin concerns.
How Do You Know If A Chemical Peel or Enzyme Exfoliation Treatment Is Better For You?
By the time you come into Enlightened Beauty, I would say 90% of my clients need peels. The reason for that is because we want results and we want them as fast as we can get them while keeping the health and integrity of the skin at the forefront. In my experience, peels are really the best and fastest way to get results.
Even if you don't have a skin condition that you are trying to change, chemical peels are still amazing for anti-aging, rebuilding collagen and elastin, because of course, no matter who we are, we all want to age with grace.
On the other hand, enzyme exfoliation treatments are really good if you’re doing a treatment in-between your regular chemical peels or maybe you have an event coming up and you don't want as much downtime as a chemical peel brings. I steer my clients towards enzyme treatments in those two scenarios.
An enzyme might be a good alternative if you have very reactive and sensitized skin. You can have a spectrum of enzymes that can range from little less aggressive to more aggressive, so having those options are great if you have a client with a compromised barrier and we can’t do anything more aggressive and intense like a chemical peel.
Additionally, some clients are nervous about peels so if you are hesitant, we can start you with an enzyme treatment versus peel right away so you can dip your toe in the water and know what you're getting into before throwing you into a full peel.
At the end of the day, everyone’s skin is different. At Enlightened Beauty, we create custom tailored plans for your skin in its current state and your long term skin goals.