ANA peeling is one of the most popular procedures in various beauty salons and clinics. And this is understandable, because chemical peels can solve many skin problems, both young and mature.
Peeling is the exfoliation of the top layer of the skin. As a result of the procedure, dead cells are removed, and the skin condition improves. Exfoliation of the dead layer of the epidermis during chemical peeling occurs with the help of acids. The use of fruit acids is not a newfangled procedure, because even the ancient Egyptians used acidic fruits and juices to rejuvenate the skin. Today, this procedure, which is also called AHA peeling (peeling with alpha hydroxy acids), is very popular and combines efficiency, safety and affordability.
Many can compare chemical peeling with a skin burn, but the depth of the lesion is always controlled by a cosmetologist, so problem areas are eliminated without harm to health. After the procedure, cells begin to actively divide in the skin, which contributes to the renewal of the epidermis and improves its appearance.
In addition, acids ideally cleanse the ducts of glands that secrete sebum, reduce skin oiliness and the formation of acne and blackheads. AHA peeling also stimulates skin fibroblasts, thereby improving its elasticity and firmness.
Peeling can be of three types: superficial, medium, deep. The first type can affect only the upper layer of the skin, the second – the middle layer of the epidermis, deep – all layers of the epidermis.
The most popular is superficial peeling. After the procedure, there are practically no complications, so you won’t have to sit at home, waiting for swelling, peeling and redness to pass. After completion of the procedure, the complexion noticeably improves, and the skin becomes very velvety, as wrinkles are smoothed out, age spots become lighter and its elasticity increases. In addition, AHA peeling helps to reduce rashes. But it should be understood that superficial peeling is not able to eliminate deep wrinkles, sagging skin and remove all rashes and age spots from the face.
There are a number of the most popular and commonly used peels with fruit acids: mandelic, lactic and glycolic. Almond is considered the most gentle peeling, so it is recommended for people who have sensitive skin or have rosacea. In addition, this type is often used to improve problem skin. Milk peeling has an excellent moisturizing property and is used for dehydrated skin and prone to dryness. Glycolic peels are the most popular. It is used quite often and helps to get rid of many problems. It is especially effective in solving skin aging problems and correcting age-related changes.
Cosmetologists also use other fruit acids: tartaric, citric, malic. There are also combined peels, which include several acids. When choosing a peeling, you need to take into account existing skin problems, its condition and other important factors. Therefore, this issue should be entrusted to a cosmetologist who will be able to correctly assess the condition of the skin and carry out the procedure as correctly as possible.
Procedure
There are a few things to keep in mind before starting an AHA peel. This is necessary in order to get the maximum effect from the procedure and not harm the skin. Approximately two weeks before the procedure, you should reduce sun exposure and do not visit tanning salons. If a person has such an opportunity, then some preparation can be carried out. The bottom line is that a person should use a washing gel, lotion or cream with acids, which a cosmetologist can recommend. Pre-peeling preparation will help smooth out the stratum corneum, prepare the skin for AHA peeling and improve the effect of the procedure.
It is worth noting that this can be replaced by several peeling procedures with a small concentration of acid: glycolic or mandelic. After the procedure, it is important to apply sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 30, even if the weather is not too sunny outside. Also, you should not plan a vacation by the sea and visit a solarium for at least the next 2-3 weeks after the peeling.
Surface peeling with fruit acids often takes a little time – about 30 minutes, and consists of several steps:
- The beautician must thoroughly cleanse the skin and prepare it for peeling using special products.
- After that, he should apply acid (gel) to his face and keep it on the skin for about 2-10 minutes. During this period, a person may feel a slight burning sensation and tingling.
- After that, a means should be applied to the skin that will stop the peeling – a neutralizer.
- The last step is to remove all products from the skin and apply a post-peeling cream.
Important facts and recommendations
Many people are interested in the question of the age at which facial peeling with AHA acids can be performed. Cosmetologists say that the procedure can be carried out in adolescence and throughout life. The only difference is that for young skin, the procedure is carried out in order to improve the condition of problem skin, and for mature skin, to correct and eliminate signs of aging. Taking into account the existing skin problems and individual characteristics, the procedure can be carried out both as a course and as a one-time.
To reduce rashes and get rid of oily skin for a person under the age of 25, it is enough to carry out the procedure once every few months. If he has the opportunity, then you can take the full course, this will only improve the effect. People in the age group of 1-25 years old can activate the skin reserves in one procedure. To smooth mimic wrinkles, 30-2 sessions per year may be enough. For a person aged 3 to 30 years, in order to prevent and correct signs of aging, it is recommended to do a short course – 45-3 procedures, after which maintenance procedures should be carried out once every 5-1 months. If a person does not have such an opportunity, then it is recommended to carry out peeling with AHA acids once every 1-2 months, combining it with various anti-aging procedures. This is especially important in the autumn-winter period. This applies to those people who do not have pronounced skin problems. If the problem lies in age spots or noticeable age-related changes, then it will be effective to undergo a peeling course. At the age of 1 years, superficial peeling is recommended in a small course. Most often it is carried out as a preparation for the median peeling. If, at the age of 1 to 2 years, a person has completely healthy skin, then the procedure is not necessary.
AHA peel safety
Despite the fact that fruit peeling is one of the safest and most gentle, its implementation is still not always safe and has a number of contraindications. First of all, it is impossible to carry out the procedure for people with a fresh tan, since during this period the skin is very sensitive. Peeling should not be performed on people who are allergic to any of the products used during the procedure. If a person has any neoplasm on the face, rosacea, or has a respiratory disease, the procedure cannot be performed. In addition, peeling should not be carried out in the summer and spring, as there is a high risk of exposure to direct sunlight, and this is contraindicated after the procedure.
If the above contraindications are not present, then the procedure can be carried out without any fear. AHA peeling is well tolerated, it does not require a special recovery period and can be performed quite often. Cosmetologists recommend to carry out the procedure once a week. Extremely rarely, if the concentration of active substances in the products used is exceeded, a burn may occur after the procedure. But this can only happen if the procedure is carried out by a non-specialist and at home. That is why you should not risk your health and beauty, but it is better to turn to specialists who can perform ANA peeling professionally.
Peeling with AHA acids is a fairly simple and safe procedure, the action of which is aimed at preventing skin aging, eliminating signs of aging and some correction of cosmetic defects.