There are many types of chemical peels, depending on what part of the body needs to be treated. The most popular type of chemical peel is Glycolic acid peeling, which is the most popular peel for people with mild to moderate acne. Chemical peels eliminate the top layer of skin to show smoother, brighter, firmer looking skin underneath. For some, the idea of a chemical Peel is frightening, but the process is not at all dangerous if performed by a trained professional such as a dermatologist. However, it is important to understand what makes a chemical peel effective.
The two main types of chemical peels provide similar results. Both use enzymes and AHAs to help slough off layers of dead skin and increase the production of new cells. The biggest difference in the two is that AHAs tend to provide stronger exfoliation results than glycolic acids. These types of chemical peels also tend to be much less expensive than their counterparts.
AHAs are actually very useful in the treatment of acne. They attack the bacteria that cause pimples and blackheads. They do this without damaging the layers of your skin at the surface. Because of this, AHAs are much gentler on the skin than other types of chemical peels working on deep layers of the skin. Glycolic peels, on the other hand, penetrate deeply into your skin and attack the bacteria on the surface. Because of this, glycolic peels working on the skin’s surface may produce undesirable effects, including redness and irritation.
The difference between AHAs and glycolic peels becomes apparent when you consider that AHAs are less harsh than glycolic peels. This is why they are often used in conjunction with other acne treatments. Glycolic acid peels, for example, can be used in conjunction with topical retinoids like tretinoin (a form of vitamin A) to produce more potent results.
AHAs work well on the deeper layers of the skin but are weaker at penetrating the layers beneath the surface of the skin. This makes them particularly effective for eliminating those areas of your skin that are affected by dark spots, blemishes, and acne. However, they cannot penetrate all the way to the part of the skin not covered by the top most layers. Because of this, chemical peels are usually reserved for treating those dark blotchy areas of the skin only.