Waxing Wednesday- Waxpert Andy Rouillard

Treatment Thursday- LOVE BioSurface Peel

'Chemical Peels are one of the most sought after professional services today because they can quickly treat ageing skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and acne, brighten and improve skin radiance.' -International Dermal Institute. 

Many peels on the market are aggressive and require a few days of hibernation after the treatment.  Dermalogica's innovative BioSurface Peel takes about an hour and can carry on with their normal daily routine. The effectiveness of a chemical peel depends on a variety of factors such as application, skin preparation, and ingredients. 

The application is important due to the location of sebaceous glands which help increase product absorption. The BioSurface Peel is applied from the forehead in outward strokes to enable a deeper penetration of the product. 

The skin preparation takes place during two steps of the BioSurface Peel.  A preliminary  step is to ensure the skin is fully primed with a course of treatments or prescribed products, but not all clients will require this skin preparation.  However, skin that has been primed will recover quicker because the skin health is ready for a deeper treatment.  The first two steps of the BioSurface Peel are to thoroughly cleanse the face removing all makeup, dirt and impurities. 

Ingredients are essential to achieving results and optimum skin health. In a chemical peel, the most effective ingredients fall into three categories:

- Keratolytic agents break apart the bonds that hold the dead skin cells together with ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid. These help to improve the skin's texture and appearance. 

- Keratocoagulant agents coagulate the skin's proteins like egg white when cooked. The main ingredient to contribute to this skin desquamation is trichloroacetic acid, a synthetic chemical used to stimulate cell renewal. 

- Proteolytic agents help to dissolve protein, accelerate cell turnover and resurface the skin whilst protecting the skin's collagen.  These agents are made up of a variety of fruit enzymes that work like little pac men which munch away on the dead skin cells. 

The BioSurface Peel treatment is made of up 4 steps- Skin Prep, Enzyme Active, Acid Active, and Decelerator. 

1. Prep Solution is like a third cleanse to make sure the skin is cleaned thoroughly in preparation of the peel. 

2. Enzyme Active degreases the skin to allow even absorption of the active ingredients. 

3. Acid Active is applied in 3-5 layers of active ingredients with 5-minute intervals to enable product absorption.  The time also allows for the chemical change in the skin and for the product to penetrate into the dermis layer of the skin.

4. De-celerator is foamed and applied for 10 minutes to calm the skin and neutralise the active ingredients with skin soothing botanicals returning the skin to its natural pH.  

Aftercare including a high factor, broad spectrum sunscreen and a course of treatments is essential to obtain the desired results and maximise skin health.