Chemical Peels at Home

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The vast majority of chemicals, exempting phenols, which are contained within a chemical peel solution, are available for purchase. Thus the ability to re-create a chemical peel in a home environment is entirely possible. However, the strength of the chemicals available on the market is less than those contained in a chemical peel which can be carried out be a practitioner. They have training to cope with the greater pH and thus limit the possibility of skin damage that can result when handling stronger chemicals.

Importantly for those with dramatic skin complaints e.g. superficial wrinkles or acne scars, a home chemical peel will produce little effect upon the skin. As a home chemical peel will always be weaker than the practitioner’s alternative, expectations of major alterations in the skin’s appearance should be quashed.

Branded chemical peels

The effectiveness of chemical peels has been noticed by cosmetic brands that are now opting to distribute their own version of a chemical peel. This is a chemical solution with a low concentration of glycolic acid (a chemical often utilised within superficial peels) that is applied to the skin. The resultant skin will be exfoliated of the dead skin cells and thus appear fresher and softer too the touch. Effectively this is the equivalent of a superficial peel.

Foodstuffs as chemical peels

Another possible means of re-creating a chemical peel treatment at home is with everyday foodstuffs, although this will be far less efficient than possible at a beauty salon or a private surgery.  A notable benefit is that this method is far less expensive, using everyday items that are commonly found on an everyday shopping list.

Citric acid containing fruits such as oranges and lemons contain a key ingredient vital to any chemical peel- an acid. The acidic property of the juice of an orange cane be demonstrated if the juice is applied directly to the skin, it will begin to dissolve the outer layer of the skin. This cane be utilised within a home chemical peel.

Grapes contain tatric acid, milk contains lactic acid, apples are a source of malic acid and glycolic acid is found in sugar cane. Moreover sweet birch contains salicylic acid and wintergreen is thought to contain BHA’s.

Crucially the enzymes that are found in fruit also have a useful property; they are a topical exfoliating skin component. This means that enzymes found in papaya (papain) and pineapples (bromelin) are often utilised within skin products to dissolve dead skin cells.

There are various natural skin peels; a combination of grapefruit and oatmeal has become a very popular natural skin peel.

How to make a natural skin peel

With the chosen type of fruit, extract the juice and measure out around one teaspoons worth per day (this is may yield certain improvements in the skin’s quality).  With a lemon the fruit can be kept refrigerated and the juice extracted over the length of a week.

Dab your fingers into the teaspoon of juice and gently apply to the desired area of skin (probably the face). Leave for about 10 minutes and then promptly wash to remove the acid.

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