Peeling: An option to renew the skin on your face

Published: 02/10/2014 - Updated: 06/17/2016

Can you imagine taking off a layer of your skin and saying goodbye to spots, fine lines, and dead skin cells in your face? Broadly speaking, that is peeling.

Peeling is based on removing the surface layer of the skin in a controlled way. It is also a method for removing dead skin cells, thus decreasing wrinkles, and giving skin a more youthful and smooth appearance.

Winter is a good time to do it, because exposure to sunlight may be less during this season and also helps eliminate the appearance of aged skin due to sun exposure.

Farewell to dead cells

The skin's natural process of removing dead cells happens every 28 days. However, as the years pass our bodies no longer removes dead cells with the same efficiency. Thus, cells accumulate on the surrface and give our skin a greenish opaque tone, the texture is rougher and impurities appear more pronounced. Through exfoliation, we can remove dead cells and restore youthfulness to our skin.

Exfoliation types

There are different types of exfoliation: Both mechanical and chemical, but it is always recommended that you go to a professional to choose which exfoliation is best suited to your skin type.

Mechanical exfoliation

This mechanical procedure will result in the peeling of the skin and thus eliminate dead cells. The most common mechanical methods are the "scrub" or diamond-tipped micro-dermabrasion.

Scrub: A cream applied directly to the skin, which sticks and dries, forming a kind of rubber mask that you can detach with the fingers, thereby removing impurities and dead cells.

Microdermabrasion with diamond tip: Also known as "MicroPeel" is a controlled exfoliation using aluminum oxide microcrystals. Thus dead skin cells are removed, and this particular method favours their renewal . The result is a smoother, more luminous skin and it is also useful for removing impurities and imperfections.

Laser peeling

Today, we also have the option of "resurfacing" which is a form of laser peel, often used to banish wrinkles around the mouth, eyelids, and the lines and wrinkles of the lips.

The results are usually very good, however, recovery is usually a little slow, first forming a crust on the skin, which stays there for a week or ten days and then falls off. There is then a period of redness that lasts for a few weeks, and finally the skin takes on a pink hue, which may persist for several months.

CO2 "split” lasering can also be used, leaving certain zones or areas untreated, which promotes a quicker recovery.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels, also known as peeling, is the use of certain acids to remove skin in a controlled way. Commonly employed substances are salicylic acid, retinoic acid, trichloroacetic acid and phenol.

This procedure is mainly used on the face and usually requires more than one session to treat skin problems. The number of sessions may vary depending on the results you seek and the changes are progressive.

During the first 5 days, it is preferable to avoid sunlight, as well as also carrying out sessions of treatment in intervals of 7 to 21 days, depending on the problem at hand. Please do not forget to go to an expert or professional practitioner to have this done.

Natural Peeling

There are peelings that are carried out using natural products such as fruit acids and alpha hydroxy acids, which are the two most popular ones.
Ingredients like citric acid present in lemons and other citrus fruits, glycolic acid presents in sugarcane and mandelic acid can be obtained from almonds, which are used in natural scrubs.

These treatments are mainly recommended for sensitive skin or people with rosacea because they are less aggressive.

Benefits of peeling

  • Removes dead cells from the face.
  • Helps reduce pores, skin blemishes, wrinkles and fine lines.
  • Can be used to eliminate or fade acne marks, scars and other marks on the skin.
  • Allows other beauty, anti-wrinkle and anti-aging treatments to have better results when applied starting from a base of peeling.
  • Gives a new lighter appearance to the skin of our face.

Care after peeling

After the peeling is carried out, some after care must be applied: Above all, apply a moisturiser to replenish the natural hydro lipid layer of the skin. Also, try to use products with SPF and avoid exposure to the sun, since the skin will be very sensitive.

Finally, soothing and refreshing face masks made with witch hazel, oatmeal, aloe and chamomile should be applied once or more per week to aid in the renewal of skin cells.

About the author
  • Miriam Reyes

    Miriam Reyes is a professional expert in nutrition and dietetics. She has more than 12 years of experience in caring for patients with overweight and eating problems. She studied at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), where she obtained a degree in nutrition. Linkedin profile.

6 Replies to “Peeling: An option to renew the skin on your face”
  • Kate says:

    My mother was looking for something like this and surely she would love it, but it is a bit aggressive at least some of them, poor women living weeks with the red face, what is the point then right? Well, I hope my mom opts for the natural peeling at least.

  • Libby says:

    I like to exfoliate myself at home, well, I previously did it with some cosmetics I found in the market which seemed ok but then I opted for the natural products you have even make yourself at home and I am very good at this way, so I do not if peeling is still important do you know that?

  • Bill says:

    Could you please explain me which types of skin should not do this type of treatment? I mean, I have a very sensitive skin which get damaged with very hard things, and well, I want a peeling but not harming my whole skin, I would love if you could explain me, so I hope someone reads this soon

  • Tammy says:

    I am always looking for new options to treat my skin as it deserves, it is nice and shiny now because I followed a peeling treatment so I really recommend it if you want to seriously improve your skin, or course it is not easy and you have to wait for the good results but at the end you have a nice and shiny skin as mine

  • MERY says:

    IS THERE ANY BAD THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE SOMEKIND SENSITIVE SKIN? JUST ASKING AROUND

  • Stacy says:

    You kind of briefly touched on chemical peeling, but I was wondering what sort of chemicals are used in this process. It sounds pretty toxic, and I was wondering if it would even be good for your skin at all. The laser peeling doesn’t sound very good either. Any suggestions of homemade “mechanical” peels to use? Thanks!