Bridal and occasion skincare is something I have written extensively about but what about some of the clinical treatments available to you prior to your wedding or special occasion? These peels are the best and most effective way of helping with pigmentation, acne scarring and fines lines. These of course come with a caveat, you must be diligent afterwards with SPF as we all are these days with climate change, and depending on the peel type there may be “downtime” think Samantha from Sex and the City. Redness, peeling and a generally sunburnt visage could be yours. The benefits of a good peel however outweigh the disadvantages. Most people will see an improvement 2 to here weeks post peel so it is advisable to start the process as soon as possible. The history of chemical peels dates back to Egyptian times when the grape extract from the end of a thrashing barrels was applied to the skin for a smoother complexion, and of course who can forget Cleopatra bathing in ass’s milk. Even today these acids: tartaric and lactic acid are still used as peeling agents. There are many chemical peels in the market today and can be broadly categorized in a couple of ways: Superficial moderate and deep. How do peels work? The acid in the peel weakens the glue holding the dead cells to the surface, when these are dissolved smoother skin is revealed. These acids vary in strength from10 to 70 percent. Glycolic acid is one of the most common acids used in peels, it is naturally derived from sugar cane. It is the simplest form of AHA. It is suitable for fines lines, sun damaged and weathered skin. It stimulates the skin to make new healthier and elastin.
Superficial peels would be along the lines of a Skinceuticals Gel Peel or a Milk Peel. These are the mildest form of peels and require no down time at all. You may peel a little but it won’t be anything very dramatic. These are like a tester peel. The lunch break peel is what these are known as. The Gel peel is optimal for sensitive skin and acne prone skin. It is formulated with 20 percent glycolic acid and 10 percent Lactic acid. I would liken the sensation to pins and needle in your face. Not uncomfortable at all. It is a one size fits all and is a great introduction peel, I would liken the effect to a super exfoliation. Afterwards I found that my skin was clearer although I did have a small breakout. Any products that I put on my skin afterwards really worked well. TCA peels are another more effective form of peels, which give greater results. The downtime is around five days and he effect is really noticeable. These use TC Acid which is a slightly heavier form of acid. These are TCA crystals dissolved in water. There are variable percentages depending on what depth you and your doctor decide is necessary. An intermediate TCA peel should give a fantastic improvement in skin texture, pigmentation, fines lines and wrinkles. An intermediate depth peel results should last around two years. Post peel you will need to hydrate the skin and it will start to peel after 48 hours. It is really vital that you do not try to remove the lesions of skin yourself as this can cause scarring. The best products to use post peel is aqueous cream as the heavy amount of moisture will help healing. The higher depth peels are ones that are carried out under a general anaesthetic and are really only suitable for very damaged or mature skin. The most important post peel advice is that you use a high SPF that is mineral based all over the face neck and décolletage 
Because one of the primary ageing things is the sun a good quality SPF is the most important cosmetic product that you will ever buy. The ones contained in moisturiser or BB creams aren’t enough particularly If you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Post procedure a physical or mineral sunscreen of an SPF 50 or above is imperative.
GlamityJane 