07 Aug Remembering Samantha Jones’s Famous Failed Chemical Peel (They’re Better Today)
Twenty years ago on Sex and the City, Samantha Jones famously underwent a chemical peel. She had gone to her doctor for a little Botox but got talked into a peel because it would “take just 15 minutes” and make her look “ten to twenty years younger.” Such a promise is hard to resist (reality check: peels don’t make you look that much younger, except for perhaps a deep peel which is rarely performed these days and only under anesthesia). The good news is that peels really are powerful, and readily available at Parson Skin Center—don’t worry, unlike Samantha you won’t be scaring young children when you leave or have to dress like a beekeeper to hide your face.
Chemical peels are much like what they sound like, a skin resurfacing procedure that uses some cocktail of chemicals to exfoliate and remove the top layers of skin. Most peels are superficial or medium-depth and comprised of ingredients like alpha-hydroxy, beta-hydroxy, or poly-hydroxy acids. This not only removes dead cells, but also encourages new cells to generate. This is why peels continue to improve skin in the days and weeks following their application. Superficial peels might not even “peel,” per se, but they still work. If you want a little more aggressive treatment, a medium-depth peel can make it look like you have a sunburn for a week or two.
What Went Wrong on SATC
The common ingredients listed above may also be found OTC, so you may be wondering why you (or Samantha) didn’t just DIY. The solutions available in-office are much more concentrated and heavier, making them dangerous for non-professionals to use. The ingredients might look the same in a light, medium, or deep peel but the concentrations make them vastly different.
Many people seek out peels in order to even out skin tone, reduce hyperpigmentation and scarring, minimize fine lines, and improve texture. Lighter peels give you a glow for days while medium peels are better suited for tackling wrinkles and fine lines. You can even help melasma with a peel, which is the most stubborn kind of hyperpigmentation. Today, there are even peels (including aggressive peels) for those with darker skin tones. That didn’t use to be the case before, due to the risk of hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation.
To treat some hyperpigmentation issues, a series of light peels may be recommended. The keyword here is a slow and steady approach. Before any peel, the skin is cleansed so that any excess oil is removed. An exfoliant will then sit on your face for just a few minutes. Tingling may occur during this time. Some peels require a neutralizer that will be applied in-office while others, like TCA peels, self-neutralize. When a neutralizer is required, it prevents over-peeling and potentially seriously damaging your skin. This is what happened in Samantha’s case.
No Risks in Office
We know a lot more about peels today than we did in the early aughts. Samantha’s peel looks like it was either a deep peel or that the neutralizer was not applied fast enough. Fortunately, the sunburned look eventually goes away but not for quite some time. Before the peeling there’s redness, making it a waiting game. It’s critical to ask about the strength of the peel and consider if you want any recovery period (and how much). Many people feel fine going about their daily life after a medium peel while others prefer to hunker down for a couple of days. Light peels require virtually no downtime, but you might flake a bit.
No matter what kind of peel you get, post-treatment is a great time to revisit your sun care regimen. Upgrade to a medical-grade sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and wear it religiously for two weeks any time you’re exposed. Avoid going into the sun unnecessarily during this time. Some people prefer to wait until autumn to schedule a peel so they can make the most of the summer months, but if you’ll be in the shade there’s no reason you can’t get a summer peel. To learn more or book a consult, contact Parson Skin Center today by calling the office or filling out the online contact form.