Peeling for aesthetic medicine: acids, actions, and benefits

Peeling is a professional method used to thin and improve the appearance of the skin by exploiting its potential for renewal. Let's discover the characteristics that distinguish aesthetic medicine peels from other professional peels and how the acids most commonly used in this type of treatment work.

Chemical peels: discover the mechanisms of action

The application of a peel for aesthetic medicine creates visible changes in the skin through three mechanisms of action:

1. Stimulation of cell turnover through the removal of dead cells from the stratum corneum
2. The elimination of damaged and degenerated epidermal cells, which will be replaced by new epidermal cells
3. The introduction of an inflammatory reaction that will allow the activation of the production of new collagen fibers and revitalizing mechanisms of the dermis.

What is meant by controlled application?

The controlled application of acidic solutions, which can more rapidly remove the outer layers of the skin, stimulates a cascade reaction that reawakens sluggish cellular activity. In other words, aesthetic peels cause minimal damage to the skin's surface structures.

Each time this technique is applied, a controlled repair process occurs , resulting in skin renewal. Its depth of action is closely linked to the concentration used, the number of passes, and the contact time with the skin's surface.

Chemical peels to restore tone and brightness to the face

To begin with, this type of treatment encompasses a very broad spectrum of blemishes and benefits. Within aesthetic medicine, peels are recommended to assist in the treatment of keratosis, lentigo solaris, pigmentation disorders, chloasma/melasma, acne, sebaceous hyperplasia, superficial scars, and superficial wrinkles.

At the same time, chemical peels, thanks to their multi-action, are capable of restoring tone, freshness and luminosity to the face and reducing the damage caused by chrono and photoaging.

The main acids used in chemical peels

Finally, let's find out together which are the most used acids in peeling formulations for aesthetic medicine

Glycolic acid

Glycolic acid is a member of the alpha hydroxy acid family. Originally extracted from sugar cane, beetroot, and unripe grapes, glycolic acid has a very small molecular weight, giving it intense ability to penetrate the epidermal layers. This acid has a dual mode of action:

1. Exfoliates the superficial layer of the skin, facilitating cell turnover, resulting in thinning of the stratum corneum and hydration of the dermis

2. Activates the multiplication of epidermal cells by promoting an increase in the stratum spinosum and an increase in the production of collagen and elastin fibers.

Glycolic acid: benefits and results

• Reactivates cellular metabolism
• Facilitates the penetration of other active ingredients
• It acts positively, directly and indirectly, on many biochemical processes of the skin
• Evens out skin tone
• Induction of inflammatory processes in the deeper layers of the epidermis, essential for the deposition of neo-collagen and components of the extracellular matrix (hyaluronic acid, acid mucopolysaccharides) and for the qualitative improvement of elastic fibres

Mandelic acid

Mandelic acid, or amygdalin, is an alpha hydroxy acid derived from the hydrolysis of bitter almond extract. Mandelic acid has excellent exfoliating properties without causing burning sensations or significant redness . It is particularly effective in reactivating and repairing the skin and has excellent depigmenting properties , also demonstrated on freckles.

Likewise, the fact that it is not photosensitizing makes it particularly suitable for use in peeling treatments for aesthetic medicine during spring or warmer periods.

Mandelic acid: benefits and results

• Cellular remodulator of the epidermis
• Satinizing activity
• Moisturizing action
• Compacting action
• Evens out skin tone
• Gives immediate skin brightness
• It improves the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid derived from willow bark. It has keratolytic properties, acts only on corneocytes, and is well tolerated by the underlying cells.

Similarly, given its affinity for epidermal lipids, it exerts its action inside the pore.

Salicylic acid: benefits and results

• Thanks to its keratolytic action it facilitates the superficial removal of hyperpigmented cells
• Helps the penetration of brightening active ingredients
• It has a unifying action on the complexion.

Lactic acid

Lactic acid is a naturally occurring organic acid derived from fermented milk. It belongs to the alpha-hydroxy acid family. It is particularly used as a peel because it breaks down the adhesion between epidermal cells, thus promoting desquamation and exfoliation of the skin.

Lactic acid: benefits and results

• Increases hydration of the dermis.
• It breaks the connections between the corneocytes and the stratum corneum, effectively eliminating them.
• It interacts with the receptors of fibroblasts, stimulating the production of
• proteoglycans and collagen in the dermis.

Pyruvic acid

Pyruvic acid is an alpha-keto acid that occurs naturally: it is found in apples, fermented fruit, vinegar, etc.

First of all, its action is characterized by the high lipophilicity of the principle, which makes it able to penetrate deeply quickly.

Furthermore, at the epidermal level, it performs an action similar to that of glycolic acid and, penetrating the dermis, stimulates the production of elastic fibres and glycoproteins.

Thanks to its multi-layered action, this acid acts simultaneously on:

1. Epidermis
2. Papillary dermis
3. Pilosebaceous follicles

Pyruvic acid: benefits and results

• Acantholytic action: decreases adhesion between corneocytes
• Depigmenting: speeds up the elimination and replacement of hyperpigmented cells
• Renewing: activates the neosynthesis of collagen and elastin in the dermis
• Keratolytic
• Sebostatic and antimicrobial

KPEELS | Chemical Peels for Professionals

Kpeels is the line of chemical peels for professionals, offered in various concentrations and formulations. Specifically, we can say that KPEELS is a line specifically designed to meet the needs of all skin types.

The various products in the line are designed to combat all the most common skin blemishes: skin aging, blemishes and pigmentation, expression lines, wrinkles, dull complexion, acne, blackheads and oily skin.