Peels

Human skin has a wonderful ability to renew itself every 28 days – this cycle can be a few days shorter or a few days longer, depending on the condition and type of skin. The renewal process allows dead cells on the surface of the skin to slough off and make way for new cells.

To understand the skin renewal process, we need to understand stem cells.

The skin is made up of skin cells. New skin cells are produced throughout life in the depths of the dermis. The new skin cells that are produced are undifferentiated, which means that they are not specialized. Stem cells have one special feature: they can divide indefinitely. New skin cells constantly move towards the epidermis, where they differentiate or specialize – that is, they become skin cells whose job is to form a barrier and protect the body from external factors. During differentiation, skin cells move towards the surface and when they have served their purpose, they die – they turn into corneocytes and eventually peel off from the surface of the skin.

How quickly the skin can renew itself and remove dead cells from the surface of the skin depends on the condition of the skin itself. Often, a phenomenon called hyperkeratinization occurs, which simply means that dead cells are not removed quickly enough and accumulate on the surface of the skin. We see and feel this as a rough texture of the skin. The phenomenon of hyperkeratinization usually occurs in acne-prone skin, various skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, as well as dry skin. By using peels, the process of peeling dead cells from the surface of the skin can be accelerated and thus smooth the texture of the skin.

What types of peelings are there?

There are 3 types of peels: mechanical, chemical and enzymatic peels.

Mechanical peeling

Mechanical exfoliants are cosmetic products designed to remove dead skin cells, containing solid particles that are not soluble in the product's vehicle (carrier). The solid particles used to remove dead skin cells are called abrasives. Mechanical exfoliants also promote microcirculation. When used judiciously, they have virtually no harmful side effects. By adjusting the type of abrasive and vehicle (oil or water), they can be tailored to suit different skin types.

Our grandmothers used to use dry brushing to achieve a more beautiful skin appearance, which is still one of the best methods for removing dead skin cells today, but also for accelerating microcirculation. With the development of the cosmetics industry, mechanical exfoliants began to appear on the market, which contained various solid particles or abrasives. Abrasives are divided according to their solubility, shape and size of the particles. In the past, coarse exfoliants were especially popular, containing finely ground quartz sand, pits and stones of olives, apricots, peaches, sugar or salt. However, it is increasingly becoming apparent that exfoliants with such coarse particles are not suitable for the skin, as their irregular shape causes micro-cuts on the skin. Micro-cuts are cuts that are not visible to the naked eye, but cause inflammation in the skin. They also remove a good part of the epidermis and thus also part of the skin barrier, which increases transepidermal water loss.

With the awareness that mineral, organic and crystalline particles with sharp edges can cause skin damage, the cosmetic industry is moving towards developing gentler abrasives such as coffee grounds, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyurethane (PUR) plastic particles. In addition to healing earths (clay, bolus alba), jojoba beads are also very common in mechanical exfoliants.

Chemical peels

Chemical peels include both hydroxy acids and vitamin A derivatives. Chemical peels cause controlled damage to specific areas of the skin, with the aim of stimulating the growth of new skin cells and improving the surface texture and appearance of the skin. The exfoliating effect of chemical peels stimulates epidermal growth and the formation of new collagen tissue.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)

Alpha hydroxy acids are the most studied and marketed hydroxy acids. AHAs include glycolic, lactic, mandelic, malic and tartaric acids. They have a keratolytic effect, which means they remove dead skin cells. Keratolytics thin the top layer of skin on the applied area, causing the outer layers of skin to soften and peel. They also stimulate the renewal of the epidermis and the formation of new collagen tissue, while also having a moisturizing effect.

Beta hydroxy acids (BHA)

Beta hydroxy acids are relatively poorly represented on the market, as they are quite expensive. Many people consider salicylic acid to be a beta hydroxy acid, but it is actually its own group due to its action. Beta hydroxybutanoic acid, tretocanic acid, and tropic acid are also known as BHA.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid is one of the hydroxy acids, but it behaves slightly differently than all other hydroxy acids, so it cannot be classified as either an AHA or a BHA. Salicylic acid is a classic keratolytic, which means that it exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells. It is the only acid that reduces the thickness of the dermis, unlike other hydroxy acids, which stimulate the synthesis of dermis components and collagen. Due to its lipophilicity (it loves oil), it penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and is therefore often effective, especially for acne-prone skin.

Enzyme peels

Corneocytes (dead skin cells) are attached to the surface of the skin by proteins. Using enzyme peels, dead skin cells can be removed from the surface, as enzymes work by breaking down the proteins that attach dead skin cells. They provide a gentle exfoliating effect and, as a result, smoother skin. Enzyme peels usually come in the form of a powder that is mixed with water, thus activating the enzymes.

The most commonly used enzymes in enzyme peels are called proteases or proteolytic enzymes. Examples include papain, derived from papaya juice, and bromelain, derived from pineapple juice and stems. Enzyme peels are usually very gentle, and their effect is limited to the surface of the skin.

How to use scrubs?

Peels are always used on clean skin. While mechanical peels are applied by massaging them in and rinsing them off with water, acid and enzyme peels are left on the skin for a longer period of time. Acid peels can also be left on the skin, while some are rinsed off with water after a certain period of time.

Before the peeling procedure, it is recommended to analyze the skin condition to make sure that the skin is actually able to react with the planned recovery. The type of peeling should be chosen according to the type and condition of the skin, as well as the associated indications (acne, hyperpigmentation, atopic dermatitis). Otherwise, we must be aware that the peeling procedure can further damage the skin, which is a problem especially in the case of a damaged skin barrier.

The intervals between peels should be adjusted to the skin's ability to recover after peeling. After peeling, it is very important to properly care for and protect the skin. Skin care after peeling should focus on not inhibiting the skin's recovery process.