Chemical Peel Training Archives

Chemical Peel Training, Facial Rejuvenation, Skin Rejuvenation, Skincare Products

Neostrata for your Aesthetic Practice

Neostrata is an award winning cosmeceutical brand of skincare products, designed specifically for use in medical aesthetic clinics. Neostrata incorporates active and patented ingredients and are all glycolic acid based, so therefore have an effect on both the surface of the skin as well as the deeper layers of the epidermis.

Why do we favour Neostrata as a cosmeceutical brand?

The beauty of the Neostrata products is the wide range of inidividual products available. These products have been seperated into 6 ranges; Skin Active, Resurface, Restore, Refine, Enlighten and Targeted Treatments each designed for specific skin concerns. They have effects on tone, texture and pigmentation, and as a result can be used for many different purposes; including anti-ageing, sun damage and pigmentation. Neostrata has historical, clinical and technological data to back up their claims and is also licensed to many big names including Allergan, depicting the quality of the ingredients and products.

Neostrata Facial Skin Peels

A chemical peel is a technique used to improve the condition and the texture of the skin by removing the outer epidermal layers in order to rejuvenate and refresh the complexion. Peels can vary in strength; from 20%, 35%, 50% and 70% are all available. Neostrata consists of three targeted boosters – brightening for pigmentation, clarifying for ageing and acne; and rejuvenating for ageing and skin texture. Neostrata skin peels will only stay on the skin for a maximum of seven minutes but can reach the deeper layers of the stratum corneum. It is a fast and safe effective procedure that will reach deeper than any home skincare products.

The Neostrata skin peel can:

Coagulate proteins in the skin
Exfoliate
Decrease Pore size
Black head removal
Treat dry, flaky skin
Brigten dull, dehydrated skin
Increase luminosity
Increase cell turnover
Even out pigment
Increase collagen fibre
Enhance clarity
Improve elastic fibres
Increase dermal thickness
Help to plump and firm as well as reducing wrinkles

The Neostrata skin peel can also be used in conjunction with microdermabrasion and dermaroller and in fact our Neostrata skin peel training course covers the use of microdermabrasion as well as the chemical peels for skin rejuvenation. Chemical peels are a non-invasive non-surgical treatment that are becoming increasingly popular and with good reason. Facial peels are a popular procedure for clients who have not had non-surgical procedures before, and so a good way to entice potential clients to your practice and an ideal way of introducing them to other non-surgical procedures that may benefit them. This quick and easy procedure is highly effective for all Fitzpatrick skin types including even the most sensitive skin.

Neostrata Skincare Training Day

For optimum results your clients will need a course of skin peels along with a high quality home skincare regimen. The skin care market is ever growing and a brilliant way to expand revenue as well as improve the services you offer to your clients. At Cosmetic Courses, we offer a Neostrata Skincare Training day for only £50 + VAT. This will educate you on the different ranges of products available. From this day you will gain an insight and overview of the products, ingredients and the conditions they can treat. We will also advise you on how to integrate these products into your clinic in order to improve revenue and client satisfaction.

If you are interested in our Neostrata Skincare Training or our Chemical Peel Course or if you have any further questions, feel free to contact us on 01844 390 110 or e-mail us at [email protected].

November 8, 2016/by Dr Fiona Durban

Chemical Peel Training, Dermaroller Training, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Skin Rejuvenation

Beauty Therapist Training Courses – is it time you moved from beautician to aesthetician?

As a Beauty Therapist, you’ve put in the hard work to build up a loyal client base.

But while you can help your clients with a lot of their aesthetic issues, there are probably some needs you can’t meet.

Current beauty therapy training only qualifies you to treat some complaints you’re likely to encounter in your clients. And for an ambitious Beauty Therapist like you, that can be frustrating.

Not only does it mean you can’t provide a truly comprehensive service to your clients, you’re also missing out on the revenue from treatments they’re seeking elsewhere!

So what can you do?

You already have a good understanding of aesthetics and the “science of beauty”. And you already have the client base.

All you need to do is broaden your repertoire. Extend your beauty salon treatments to include some popular non-surgical aesthetic treatments.

You want to become a ‘one-stop beauty shop’, so there’s every chance your clients won’t need to go anywhere else! And there are a few Beauty Therapist Training Courses that will help you do just that.

Which Beauty Therapist Training Courses are available?

There are two obvious choices when it comes to adding new treatments to your beauty repertoire. Chemical skin peels and Dermaroller micro-needling.

With proper training you’ll be able to safely offer these advanced aesthetic techniques to your clients – either individually or as part of a beauty package.

Add them to your treatment menu and watch your profits skyrocket.

Both Dermaroller and skin peel treatments are extremely cost-effective to perform. Once you’ve trained, the consumables used for each treatment are very inexpensive.

Genuine Dermaroller treatments use no product on the skin, so the only expense is the disposable roller. Treatments are usually charged at around £225, and a course of at least 3 is usually recommended for best results.

Skin peels have a broad scope, treating specific skin complaints as well as improving the general condition of the skin, which makes them popular with all ages. Prices vary depending on the product used, but are typically from £75-£150 per treatment – and again, a course of at least 3 is usually recommended to get optimum results.

Training in both means you can provide your customers with proper, comprehensive treatment plans, leading to a significant increase in both your income and your client satisfaction levels.

Our next available Beauty Therapist Training Courses

Would you like to get some more treatments under your belt? We’re always adding new dates for Beauty Therapist Training Courses throughout the year, but these are our next available dates:

Chemical Peel training – Buckinghamshire – BOOK NOW
Dermaroller training – Buckinghamshire – BOOK NOW

Both of these upcoming courses will be held at our Paddocks Clinic training centre in Princes Risborough, Bucks.

Find out more about our Beauty Therapist Training Courses

Cosmetic Courses is led by acclaimed Consultant Plastic Surgeon Adrian Richards. We offer a wide range of accredited training courses for people looking to enter or improve their credentials in the aesthetic industry. For more information on any of our Beauty Therapist Training Courses, please call the team on 01844 318317 or email us at [email protected].

December 11, 2015/by Melanie Recchia

Bespoke Training, Botox Training, Business Marketing Training, Chemical Peel Training, Dermaroller Training, Filler Training, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Platelet Rich Plasma Training, Vaser Training

5 reasons to choose our Aesthetic Training Courses

With demand for aesthetic treatments growing fast, and more professionals looking to enter the industry, the number of aesthetic training providers is expanding too.

Which means if you’re a medical professional looking to train in aesthetics, you’ve more choice than ever. But given the number of providers out there, it’s important to do your research and find the right provider for you.

If you’ve landed here, we guess you’re considering us (thanks!). So to give you a flavour of what you can expect, here are 5 reasons to consider our Aesthetic Training Courses…

1. Our team

We think the number one reason to choose us is the thing we’re most proud of – our people. The Cosmetic Courses team, handpicked and led by Consultant Plastic Surgeon Adrian Richards, go the extra mile for our delegates.

All of them have excellent medical credentials and bags of experience. That’s a given. But what sets them apart – and what we consistently receive great feedback for – is their approach.

Our team understand that you need a little hand-holding while you’re learning, and in the early days after training. So we’ll always be there to help and support you throughout. We don’t just provide training – we see ourselves as a lifelong learning partner for our delegates.

2. Our history

We’ve been doing this for a long time. We’re the UK’s most established provider of aesthetic training courses, starting life back in 2002.

Over those 13 years, we’ve continuously refined and developed our courses, and added several new ones, in order to make sure we’re offering the best aesthetic training available in the UK.

To date, we’ve successfully trained and mentored over 3,000 Doctors, Dentists and Nurses, many of whom are now running their own successful businesses – and 72% of whom came back for more training.

3. Our comprehensive service

There are plenty of challenges involved in changing career. So we’re determined to make the training part as easy and hassle-free as possible for our delegates.

We provide all the models and resources you need for your training. All you need to do is turn up on the day, ready to learn.

We also offer a bespoke, tailored service that lets you piece together a comprehensive training plan to suit your specific needs.

4. Our business support

As a medical professional, the practical side to aesthetics should come easily to you. But if you want to work for yourself, you’ll need to know about the ins and outs of running a business too.

So we’ve put measures in place to help you.

Once you’ve completed one of our aesthetic training courses, you’ll get access to the Members area of our website. Rather than having to create patient medical history and consent forms, treatment information sheets and other essential documents yourself, you can simply download them from here.

We’re also partnered with a pharmacy to give you a convenient way to access the products and supplies you need to run your practice – with cost savings too.

5. We’ll help you find new clients – for free

Training is only part of the picture. We know it can take time to build up your client base in the early days. So after you complete a course with us, we’ll automatically give you a free listing on our National Cosmetic Network (NCN) website.

The website is targeted at patients looking for safe, insured and accredited aesthetic practitioners in their local area. You can update your profile as you complete more training with us, so any prospective patients can see your expert credentials at a glance.

We only list practitioners that we’ve personally trained, so a listing on the NCN is a vote of confidence from the most established aesthetic training company in the land. Priceless!

Find out more about our Aesthetic Training Courses

At Cosmetic Courses, we offer a broad range of aesthetic training courses at several centres across the UK, including Bucks, Essex, Kent, Birmingham and Manchester. For information on our training, or to book a place on a course, please call us on 01844 318317 or email us at [email protected].

November 6, 2015/by Mr Adrian Richards

Botox Training, Chemical Peel Training, Filler Training, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Platelet Rich Plasma Training

Aesthetic nurse training – what do you need for a cosmetic career?

Are you a nurse looking for a new direction? Still keen to keep using your practical and personal skills to change people’s lives?

There could be a home for you in aesthetic nursing.

The aesthetic industry is booming – and the non-surgical side in particular. Demand for non-invasive aesthetic treatments is now growing faster than cosmetic surgery.

And nurses have been at the forefront of the aesthetic revolution. They’ve been treating and caring for aesthetic patients since the early 1980s.

There are over 4,000 Aesthetic Nurses currently practising in the UK. So how do you go about joining them?

Aesthetic Nurse training – the requirements

While a minority of Aesthetic Nurses work in cosmetic surgery, most work on the non-surgical side.

Either based in clinics or self-employed in their own practices, they offer treatments like cosmetic injectables (Botox, dermal fillers), skin peels, sclerotherapy and medical micro-needling.

The most popular treatments by far are injectables. So if you’re serious about becoming an Aesthetic Nurse, you’ll need to pursue training in Botox and dermal fillers.

As long as you’re a Registered Nurse with current registration with the NMC, you’re eligible to train in the use of Botox and fillers.

Training can be completed in one day, and will qualify you to offer both Botox and filler treatments to your own patients.

But bear in mind that Botulinum Toxin is a prescription-only medicine. So unless you’re a Nurse Prescriber, you’ll always need to work with someone else who can prescribe it.

For that reason, we’d recommend your Aesthetic Nurse training also includes an Independent Nurse Prescriber Course. These are offered on a part-time basis at colleges and universities and can usually be completed in around 4 months.

Being able to prescribe Botulinum Toxin, as well as administer it, will make you a valuable asset to potential employers. It’ll also make it easier to set up and run your own business further down the line.

Other Aesthetic Nurse training options

Once you’ve trained in Botox and fillers, you’re ready to start practising as an Aesthetic Nurse. But in time, you’ll probably want to be able to offer more treatments to your patients.

You can add more to your repertoire at your own pace, as and when you’re ready. It’s simply a case of deciding which treatments you’d like to offer your patients, and completing the appropriate course.

Most non-surgical treatments only need a one-day course, letting you get up to speed very quickly. At Cosmetic Courses, we offer a wide range of one-day courses, including Microsclerotherapy, Chemical Peels, Dermaroller and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy.

You might also want to consider advanced Botox and dermal filler courses to learn more specialist techniques like chemical brow lift and peri-oral sculpting.

Whatever you choose to learn on your Aesthetic Nurse training journey, it’s a great time to get on the aesthetics learning curve.

If the UK market keeps growing (and with an increasing – and ageing – population, it seems likely), you can expect to carve out an extremely rewarding career, both financially and professionally.

Find out more about Aesthetic Nurse training

Cosmetic Courses are the UK’s most established aesthetic training provider, with centres in Buckinghamshire, London, Kent, Birmingham and Manchester.

To date, we’ve trained over 3,000 nurses and other medical professionals to administer safe, effective treatments to their patients. Want to find out more about our Aesthetic Nurse training courses? Give us a call on 01844 318317 or email [email protected].

September 29, 2015/by Melanie Recchia

Botox Training, Chemical Peel Training, Filler Training, General Training

5 great benefits of aesthetic training for Doctors

Are you a Doctor working in the NHS? Starting to want more variety from your working life? Read on for 5 compelling reasons to make aesthetic training for Doctors your next move.

1. It’s great for your bank balance

Let’s not be coy. Training in aesthetics offers you far more scope to dictate your own earnings than working as a GP.

Most aesthetic treatments can be performed in under an hour. Botox, for example, takes around 15-40 minutes depending on the areas treated. With Botox treatment typically charged at around £200 for one area, your earning potential is limited only by your own ambition.

2. More patient time

If you’re frustrated by the time pressure of the NHS, and want to spend longer with your patients, aesthetics is the perfect antidote to the NHS ‘conveyor belt’.

You can choose how much time to spend with your patients. If you enjoy patient interaction, aesthetics is much more conducive to chatting and passing the time of day.

Another crucial difference is that you’re not trying to remove a negative, as you are when you’re a GP treating unwell patients. Instead, you’re aiming to produce a positive, in the form of a great aesthetic result. So there’s far more potential for spreading joy!

3. Training is quick

In most careers, if you want to shift focus and move into a new area, you can expect a fairly lengthy retraining period. If you’re a Doctor, however, you’re in the happy position of having access to a new specialism that uses all your existing skills and experience – allowing you to qualify very quickly.

Aesthetic training for Doctors is quick to complete, with most courses taking only one day. It’s quite possible to train one week, and be treating your own aesthetic patients the next.

4. Growing market

Aesthetic treatments are hot right now. Botox alone is a billion dollar industry worldwide, and that shows no sign of slowing. In fact, demand for non-surgical aesthetic treatments is growing relative to cosmetic surgery. So getting qualified in as many non-surgical treatments as you can will make you a sought-after expert in a booming industry.

5. Long-term patient relationships

Aesthetic treatments produce impressive results for your patients – but they don’t last forever. So if a patient’s happy with their treatment, there’s a good chance they’ll return to you when needed.

And establishing long-term relationships with your patients not only makes them likely to return to you for top-ups, they may also be tempted to try new treatments you add to your repertoire.

Find out more about aesthetic training for Doctors

For more on the benefits of aesthetic training for Doctors, watch this video where Dr Sophie Shotter explains how aesthetic training helped kickstart her business.

Cosmetic Courses is the UK’s longest established medical aesthetic training provider. Our team offer a wide range of accredited aesthetic training for Doctors, Dentists and Nurses. To find out more, call the team on 01844 318798 or email [email protected].

August 28, 2015/by Dr Fiona Durban

Bespoke Training, Botox Training, Chemical Peel Training, Dermaroller Training, Filler Training, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Platelet Rich Plasma Training

Finance your career in aesthetics the affordable way

Are you a medical professional who’s decided on a career in aesthetics? Great news – you’re in the right place. At Cosmetic Courses, we’ve helped thousands of people like you carve out exciting and lucrative new careers in aesthetic medicine.

If you’re just setting out on your journey, we know there’s lots to think about. And one of the most important is finance.

Training in aesthetics is a great investment in your financial future. But before you can reap the rewards, you’ve got to meet the costs of your training courses.

Depending on how many treatments you want to learn, that can involve a hefty outlay. Which is why we’ve introduced our finance plans – to make it easier and more affordable for you to make your career dreams a reality.

Funding your career in aesthetics

We understand the financial pressures involved in retraining for a career in aesthetics, and setting up in business. Many of our trainers have been there themselves.

So we’ve put together some plans and packages to make your transition into aesthetics as affordable and cost-effective as possible.

1. Our course packages

If you’re planning on taking several courses, our course packages are a great way to save while you learn.

2. Our 0% finance option

And if you’d rather not pay a lump sum for your training at the outset, we offer interest-free finance to help you spread the cost.

Our 0% direct debit options are available on all the packages outlined above, as well as a select number of our individual bespoke, advanced and skin rejuvenation courses.

Because we know everyone’s circumstances are different, our direct debit plans are flexible. You can choose to divide the cost into affordable monthly payments over a fixed 6 or 12-month period, or together we can create a tailored plan to suit you.

All you have to pay in advance is a small fee to secure your place. Then once it’s set up, you can forget about paying and get on with learning.

Kickstart your career in aesthetics

If you’d like help in starting your career in aesthetics, our team will be more than happy to advise. Please give us a call on 01844 390110 or email [email protected] to find out more about our finance plans and training courses.

August 20, 2015/by Dr Fiona Durban

Chemical Peel Training, Dermaroller Training, Facial Rejuvenation, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Skin Rejuvenation

Could our beauty therapist courses help boost your career?

As a beauty therapist, you’ve worked hard to gain your qualifications and build up your client base, and are proud of what you’ve achieved so far.

But you know that the beauty industry is competitive and changing all the time.

And as your loyal clients learn more about the different treatments available, there’s a good chance they’ll eventually want to try something new.

Would you like to be able to offer them more?

At Cosmetic Courses, our training isn’t just for medical professionals. We also offer courses suitable for qualified beauty therapists who are looking to add more high-end treatments to their repertoire.

These beauty therapist courses are fully accredited, can be completed in one day and take place at fully equipped aesthetic clinics around the UK.

Our expert team of trainers take you through the techniques at a pace you feel comfortable with, combining theory with lots of hands-on practice to leave you feeling confident to perform the treatments by the end of the course.

You’ll be given lots of support along the way and encouraged to ask questions throughout. And you’ll leave looking forward to providing a more comprehensive service to your existing clients, and attracting new business from a whole new client base.

What can you learn as a beauty therapist?

The beauty therapist courses we offer at Cosmetic Courses are Chemical Skin Peel training and Genuine Dermaroller training.

Why train in Chemical Skin Peels?

Chemical Skin Peels are a popular treatment for anti-ageing, treating specific skin complaints, and improving the general condition of the skin.

The treatment will help treat fine lines, improve skin clarity and reduce visible pores, treat superficial scarring including acne scars, and help improve the appearance of acne, melasma and rosacea.

This broad scope, plus the fact that treatment is very affordable, means it appeals to people of all ages. So there’s great potential for attracting new clients, and introducing the treatment to your existing clients – creating a healthy new revenue stream.

Why learn Genuine Dermaroller?

Training in Genuine Dermaroller will allow you to treat stretch marks, chicken pox, acne and other depressed scars, as well as improving sun damage, fine lines, uneven skin tone and the general texture and tone of the skin.

The micro-needling treatment is great for anti-ageing and rejuvenation, but particularly popular for treating sun-damaged skin in the décolletage area.

It’s a unique treatment with an excellent safety profile, as it uses no product on the skin. This makes it a very cost-effective treatment to offer your clients, with a very healthy return. Treatments are typically charged at around £225, and a course of at least 3 is usually recommended for best results.

Our next available beauty therapist courses

We’re always adding new dates for beauty therapist courses throughout the year, but these are our next available dates:

Chemical Peel training – Buckinghamshire – BOOK NOW
Dermaroller training – Buckinghamshire – BOOK NOW

Both of these upcoming courses will be held at our Paddocks Clinic training centre in Princes Risborough, Bucks.

Want to find out more about making the journey from beauty therapist to aesthetician? Contact the team for more information or to book a course by calling 01844 318317 or emailing [email protected]. Alternatively, you can book now by clicking here.

June 18, 2015/by Melanie Recchia

Chemical Peel Training

Combined Skin Peel Training & Microdermabrasion

As Cosmetic Courses get ready to unveil their brand new Combined Agera Chemical Skin Peel & Microdermbarasion Training Courses, Medical Aesthetician and Trainer Fleur Nichols provides an overview of these exciting skin treatments:

Agera Chemical Skin Peels (in Partnership with Eden Aesthetics)

“Everybody can benefit from having a skin peel as Agera peels are at a basic level to exfoliate, decongest, remove dryness and help neutralize any little breakouts!

The Agera peels are effective, non-aggressive peels developed by leading scientists and Doctors. Using a combination of salicylic acid, lactic acid and l-ascorbic acid, we can treat different skin types and conditions.

Due to the low PH levels of these peels, we are able to treat the skin from the lower epidermal levels and up which basically means we can minimize irritation, redness and down time!

A course of Agera peels can gain fantastic results for those suffering from acne, congested problematic skin, fine lines and open pores plus help reduce pigmentation and sun-damage.”

Medical Microdermabrasion

“Microdermabrasion is a very popular non-surgical resurfacing procedure. It is safe, painless, effective and results can been seen after just one treatment!

Using a controlled flow of medical grade crytals and a vacuum, we remove the outer dead layer of skin cells which, if allowed to build up, make our skin look dry, congested and dull. The vacuum stimulates and invigorates the blood circulation to brighten your complexion.

At Cosmetic Courses, we have the unique option to combine Microdermabrasion and Agera Chemical Skin Peel training into one session to really enhance the results you can provide.”

For more information on Chemical Skin Peel with Microdermabrasion training at Cosmetic Courses, or to become a model for us and experience one of these fantastic treatments at a reduced price training rate, please contact 0845 230 4110 or [email protected]

January 13, 2012/by Melanie Recchia

Bespoke Training, Chemical Peel Training, Dermaroller Training, Microdermabrasion Training

Ring Around the Rosacea Risks: Treating Clients with Contraindications

There was a really interesting LinkedIn Aesthetics & Beauty Group thread recently about how best to deal with clients with rosacea.

We thought this discussion could be of benefit to our delegates at Cosmetic Courses as it is a relatively common ailment presented in clinic and quite tricky to deal with. As a potential contraindication, rosacea impacts upon many skincare / medical aesthetic treatments which you are offering.

Interestingly, one LinkedIn user opened the discussion by wondering how often “Rosacea” is actually misdiagnosed. True rosacea is estimated to effect about 1 in 10 people. It is characterised by:

episodes of flushing
outbreaks of spots
persistent redness of the skin
Visibility of small blood vessels
Thickening and enlarging (especially around the nose area), but this is in more severe cases

It is counted as a chronic, long-term condition which is made worse by a number of trigger factors including extreme weather exposure, stress, certain food/drink.

Because there are so many different aspects to these symptoms, Broken Capillaries on the face are often wrongly diagnosed as Rosacea…so are papular / pustular acne break outs with a large degree of redness and even tendencies to flushing may be labelled Rosacea too! On the other extreme, some patients may have been given an official rosacea diagnosis by their GP but hide telling you for fear you won’t treat them or due to the connotations with stress / alcohol consumption.

It is good practise (as agreed on the LinkedIn thread) that, when dealing with rosacea only a doctor or dermatologist should make an official diagnosis. If you do have suspicions that your patient is suffering from this condition, you could gently try and persuade them to make an appointment. However, you should never share your own diagnosis with the patient.

Where does that leave you, with treating a potential Rosacea patient?

Lovely as it would be to “fix” every patient’s skin problems, as one LinkedIn thread user admits, it just isn’t possible. Rosacea is a long-term problem without a known cure and certain treatments are actually proven to aggravate and make the condition worse.

If the rosacea presents with active acne, for example, then you should react as with any other active acne case and avoid treatments like Genuine Dermaroller Therapy, botox to the area and microdermabrasion which could spread the acne or cause infection. You will not need to mention rosacea to your patient: you can just cite the active acne as your reason for being unable to pursue this course of treatment and this is an ideal excuse to refer them to their GP who may identify the rosacea at the same time.

For rosacea patients with particularly irritated, red skin and blood vessels very close to the surface, treatments like abrasive peels and microdermabrasion should be avoided.

However, your rosacea patient may still be able to have some treatment. If no active acne is present, use your experience to decide whether a gentle L-absorbic acid type peel might be suitable (for example) and Genuine Dermaroller, too, is fine on non-irritated areas. It is all about really getting to know your patient, doing a very thorough skin history assessment with them and using your professional discretion. If in any doubt, refer to a GP first and remember you are within your right to gently suggest it would be better not to treat – rosacea is a recognised contraindication.

We hope this has been helpful to you. For more advice, please do not hesitate to contact Cosmetic Courses on 0845 230 4110.

September 14, 2011/by Dr Olha Vorodyukhina

Chemical Peel Training, Cosmetic Surgery, General Training, Microdermabrasion Training, Skin Rejuvenation

Glycolic Skin Treatment

Now is the perfect time for a facial peel, in winter the skin can appear dull and ashy in appearance. Facial peels are a great way to rejuvenate the skin to reveal younger looking more radiant skin. Vegetable peel facials offer the same benefits as other chemical treatments like microdermabrasion. All facial scrubs and chemical peels can be used in combination with at-home methods like peel off masks.

Facial peels can repair damage to the skin caused by air pollution or overexposure to the sun. People who benefit the most from chemical peel treatments are those with mild to moderate acne, certain thyroid conditions which may cause a dull complexion. Menopausal women also benefit greatly from chemical peels to counteract the lax or sagging skin that occurs during menopause.

Chemical peels use glycolic acid as an exfoliating agent to chemically remove surface dead skin cells and improve the texture of facial skin. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) are often used in chemical peel treatments. AHA and BHA are acids that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. There are other acids that can be used in chemical peels that are derived from natural sources such sour milk- it produces lactic acid which was used as a beauty treatment by the Egyptians. AHA is the most popular because of its molecular structure; it can penetrate the pore and remove the dead skin cells to accelerate the exfoliation process. Glycolic acid stimulates collagen growth and does not cause any visible peeling. Chemical peels should only be performed by a licensed dermatologist. Only your dermatologist knows the proper concentration of glycolic acid to apply to improve the appearance of the skin.

During the chemical peel process, AHA is the form of glycolic acid is applied directly to the skin. The face is prepared for the treatment by using a pre-peel cleanser. The glycolic acid should only be left on the skin for a few minutes.

You must use sunscreen for 2-4 days following treatment and you should avoid intense sunlight. You may start to wear make-up, 24 hours after treatment. Treatment may consist of a series of acids peels for an interval of three to six weeks to achieve total skin rejuvenation.

Follow all instructions by your dermatologist and if you experience any side effects after a chemical peel, such as brown discoloration of the skin. Contact your dermatologist immediately.

November 21, 2010/by Melanie Recchia