Treatment Room Tips: 3 Chemical Peel Facts to Keep Clients Safe

For clients that want immediately smoother, brighter skin, chemical peels have been a popular treatment room choice for ages. But as the science behind peels advances rapidly, the understanding of how a peel should perform struggles to catch up. The result is outdated beliefs that can literally hurt your client and prevent them from getting the ideal chemical peel - one with no downtime, no flaking, and no pain. Here are 3 facts to set the record straight and keep your peel treatments on track so your clients get the best results yet.

Fact No. 1: A stronger formula doesn't mean better results.
Traditional peel formulas consist of a single acid in a monster-strength percentage, formulated under the belief that more is better. In reality, a strong, single acid is just aggressively peeling the skin - sometimes down to the dermis. This can leave skin vulnerable to scarring, infection, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation - the exact skin concerns peels are meant to target in the first place!
Instead, look for a professional peel that's complex enough to provide results without putting the skin at risk (such as Bioelements Glycolic Detox Charcoal Peel Levels 2 and 3). Formulas that provide exfoliation and reduce irritation simultaneously are ideal.

Fact No. 2: You don't need downtime.
A myth that often goes hand-in-hand with the monster-strength acid misconception is the thought that a super-strong peel works only when it leaves your client hiding for days with uncomfortable, itchy, shedding skin. In reality, your skin care should fit your client's lifestyle, not disrupt it! Skip the sunburn-like appearance and painful peeling with formulas that are specifically designed to gently correct skin issues and won't force your clients into hiding for a week.

Fact No. 3: Chemical peel results are instant (or they can be).
With a formula that eliminates days or weeks of major pain and skin peeling, your clients can start to see results before they even set foot outside of the treatment room. For instance, Bioelements' Ultra-Detox Chemical Peels keeps the peeling to a microscopic level so the skin takes on an instant, healthy glow, and clients are able to immediately apply makeup and return to their daily routine. The beneficial results of chemical peels are not only instant, they can also be continuous with the proper at-home skin care. Switching to products formulated for sensitive skin will keep post-peel skin calm between treatments, adding a hydrating gel facial mask to the weekly agenda will strengthen and balance, and a daily broad spectrum sunscreen is always recommended to protect new, sensitized skin.

[Image: Getty Images]