Peeling
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CHEMICAL
PEELING tips for the professional
SONETTE DONKER, founder of the Skin iD Clinic in Sandton, reveals vital pointers for performing in-salon peels.
T
he first and most important thing to do before a chemical peeling treatment is a consultation. During the consultation you need to establish if the client’s skin can actually handle a peel. For instance, if a skin is dehydrated and thin due to medication, the peeling agent will penetrate deeper than you intend, so not only will you lose control over the results, but there will be complications as well. When it comes to chemical peels, it’s all about having control of the penetration to get the best results. Prepare the skin before a peel with active home care products containing retinol and hydroxy acids. Normally, two to four weeks are needed prior to the client’s first peel. The client should not exfoliate a week prior to the peel. Keep the temperature of water cooler than normal during cleansing and peel removal, so as not to overstimulate the skin. The peel will generate heat in the skin, therefore you want to cool it as much as possible. Ensure that you neutralise the peel 100%, as some peels will keep
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on peeling the skin and might lead to severe dehydration and sensitivity.
Post procedure protocol After the peeling procedure, a post peeling cream must be used, which will speed up skin healing as well as protect the skin against environmental aggressors. This cream normally needs to be used for at least a week after the peel. The client might feel slightly sunburnt after the peel, but this is normal. It is vital that the client has no or little sun exposure after the peel and that she / he applies a sun protection of at least 30 post peel. Some post peeling creams already contain an SPF. There must be no exfoliation at home for the client for a week post peel. Your clients will have better results if they do a course of peels, normally four to six peels done every one or two weeks. Then rest the skin for four weeks and continue with a peel every four to six weeks to maintain the results achieved. The stronger the peel, the longer the waiting period will be between treatments and the
shorter each treatment needs to be to prevent overstimulation. If the peel is not that strong, then you can massage it in and make the treatment longer.
Time vs layers Hydroxy acid peels are always time-dependent and need to be neutralised or buffered after the desired time, whereas TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peels are layer-dependent. Both these types of peels comes in a variety of strengths and you will often start with the mildest and work up to the stronger formulation. Some clients may stay with the milder strength, as their skins won’t be able to tolerate the stronger formulations. PB Sonette Donker is a qualified professional skincare therapist with 20 years of experience. She has worked for companies such as Dermalogica, Nimue Skin International, Skin Rejuvenation Technologies and pHformula, and travelled the world presenting at congresses, press events and medical conferences. Donker specialises in the treatment of acne, hyperpigmentation and the visible signs of ageing. sonette@skinid.co.za
