Bits of information that have survived to this day prove the existence of skin rejuvenation procedures by exfoliating the top layer with acid-containing fruits and berries, natural fermented milk products. The documents mention that finely crushed apricot pits, walnut husks and even ordinary sand were often added to the mixtures. Such combinations of ingredients were clearly invented for what is called peeling in modern language.
A new qualitative impetus to research in the field of skin rejuvenation and facial health was received along with the development of chemistry, pharmacology and dermatology in the second half of the nineteenth century. The first to use peeling was the German doctor Paul Unna. The procedure was carried out using salicylic and TCA – trichloroacetic acid, resorcinol and phenol. With the help of peeling, many well-known skin diseases were treated and prevented. The very name of the procedure comes from the English verb to peel – to clean, exfoliate, peel off. With such a harsh composition of the cleanser, peeling was considered a risky action due to possible serious complications on the face.
Already in the twentieth century, as a result of experiments with different combinations of acids and the discovery of the action of retinol and AHA acids on the skin, much gentler methods of peeling were invented. The procedure has gained immense popularity, has become affordable and quite safe.
In the modern version, peeling is a controlled cosmetic procedure, which is based on exfoliation of the stratum corneum of the skin and stimulation of the cell renewal process. Peeling copes well with acne, comedones, acne and post-acne, seborrhea, keratosis, and is also very good at smoothing scars and scars on the face, removing wrinkles, photoaging.
Types of peeling
Any type of peeling is considered according to the depth of action on the skin of the product, device or apparatus used. Actions are:
- superficial, when only the epidermis is affected
- median, when the basement membrane and the papillary layer of the skin fall under the process
- deep, when the action reaches the reticular layer
According to the methods of the procedure, peeling is distinguished:
- Mechanical, using special cosmetics or hand-mixed ingredients. This is a superficial type of peeling, which can be carried out both under the supervision of a specialist and at home, with the advice of an experienced cosmetologist. There is a large selection of peeling products on the market, but there are also good folk remedies, the composition of which is based on natural products with the addition of finely abrasive ingredients.
- The chemical type of peeling can be both superficial and medium and deep. When using chemical peel products in the usual home environment, it is imperative to obtain comprehensive recommendations from a cosmetologist or dermatologist, even if a slight superficial effect on the skin is expected.
- Ultrasonic peeling is carried out in a clinical setting using a special apparatus. Ultrasonic peeling can only be carried out superficial cleaning of the skin from dead cells of the epidermis.
- Laser peeling is also a hardware procedure and, according to the depth of the laser beam impact on the skin, it can be superficial and median.
Medicine in the field of dermatology has long established that most skin diseases result from excessive alkalinization of the skin, so most peeling chemicals are based on acid-containing components. The goal of any peeling is to achieve a healthy skin color, some kind of inner radiance, which is possible only if there is a predominantly slightly acidic environment on the surface of the skin of the face, the ph of which is slightly below the neutral seven.
The best home peels for the face
At home, for a noticeable improvement in the condition of the skin on your face, improvised products are used, which you can buy in a store or on the market. It is important to make sure that there is no allergy to the selected components. Here are some of the best recipes for home peeling.
Fruit and berry peels
The action of facial peels is based on the high content of fruit acids in the composition. For home procedures, lemons, apples, grapes, kiwi, strawberries and many more different fruits and berries are used.
- mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with water in a 1×1 ratio, apply to the skin and hold for no more than 5 minutes. After washing, treat your face with cream. This is a good way for oily skin to cope with fine lines and lighten age spots if you repeat the peeling at least 2 times a week for 2 months.
- a mixture in the form of gruel from strawberries and sour apples in a ratio of 1×1 gently rub into the skin for 5-7 minutes. Then wash your face and lubricate your face with cream.
Peeling from fermented milk components
The skin-friendly properties of sour cream, kefir and curdled milk were not neglected by our grandmothers. Apply any of these readily available products to your face for 15-20 minutes, do a light massage, and then remove. The softness and radiance of the skin will surprise you.
Peeling with honey
Honey has always been used as a healing agent not only in food. For external use, it is added to masks and scrubs for the face and body, and a special honey massage is made with honey.
- Lightly candied honey should be applied to the face, massaged with light movements for 3-5 minutes, and then washed off and smeared with cream on the surface of the skin.
- if you mix honey with lemon juice and hold this mixture on your face for 5 minutes, you can achieve a brightening and healing effect on the skin, the main thing is not to overdo it with lemon, so as not to cause active fat secretion.
- a good scrub with a tonic and cleansing effect is obtained from honey, oatmeal and egg yolk in a ratio of 1x1x1. It is applied for 2-3 minutes, during which it is necessary to lightly pat on the entire surface of the skin covered with scrub. Washes off with water.
Home peels are used only on the surface layer of the skin. The desired result can be obtained with the regularity of procedures, at least twice a week. But for peeling carried out at home, there are significant limitations – the skin must be relatively healthy, without serious lesions. In the presence of external damage or skin diseases, it is better to undergo a peeling procedure in a dermatological clinic under the supervision of a specialized specialist.
The best chemical peels for the face
Chemical peels are designed to enhance the protective function of the body and actively stimulate the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid – all those substances that are responsible for the elasticity and youthfulness of the skin. With the help of different combinations of ingredients, chemical peeling quite successfully copes with age-related changes, smooths skin irregularities well, removes small acne scars, post-acne marks.
Chemical peeling of the face can be both superficial and…