Chemical peels can be performed on the face, neck and hands. It can be performed in a doctor’s office or as an outpatient procedure. First off, the skin is thoroughly cleansed to remove excess oils. Then chemical solutions are applied to small areas on the skin. Most patients will feel a warm sensation lasting from 5 to 10 minutes, followed by the stinging sensation.

After the peel, a reaction similar to sunburn will occur. Redness and scaling, and obviously, peeling of the dead skin cells. There are different levels of intensities to peels, ranging from mild to deep. Mild peels can be repeated more frequently while medium and deep peels may be repeated in 6 to 12 month intervals. It is up to you and the dermatologist to determine the depth of your peel.

After the treatment, it is very important to protect the skin from sun and bacteria. Some dermatologists may prescribe bandages, while others will give stronger sunscreen creams and lotions.  There is a possibility of skin pigmentation change after the peel. There is also a low risk of scarring, although this can be treated with other scar removal products.

Your skin after the peels will subtly show improvement. You will eventually notice a difference in texture and glow. Peels have proven to remove wrinkles, acne, blemishes, and scars. However, these results are not immune to the effects of aging and sun exposure.

Please consult your doctor or dermatologist for more information on chemical peels, and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons website for more research on treatments.

Though predominantly found on the face, freckles can appear all over the body. Freckles are not a skin disorder and are not cancerous in any way. They can be a nuisance to some, yet normal to most, and even cute to a few people. For many of us, freckles are just our skin’s way of telling us that we are getting too much sun and should use sun protection.

Freckles Be Gone!

The most immediate way to “get rid” of your freckles is to use concealer or foundation that you can purchase over the counter. Although this is just to cover the freckles, it is by far the most cost-efficient way to hide them.

There are also bleaching creams that slowly fade the freckles by inhibiting melanin. Dermatologists can also prescribe chemical peels to peel off your freckled skin. Lastly, you can get laser treatment, a fast and long-lasting technique performed by dermatologists. The downside is that it can be a bit heavy on your wallet.

There are also home remedies such as sour milk and lemon juice. Washing your face with sour milk will make the lactic acid peel away your skin gently without too much irritation. Applying lemon juice to your skin is also another remedy, but requires that you avoid the sun for risk of burning your face.

Last Food (or Freckle) for Thought

Even a couple minutes of sun exposure every day can build up freckles over a longer time period. This makes it very important to protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen, avoid peak sun hours, and wearing hats to keep the sun from directly hitting your face. Believe me, this will save you so much time and money in the long run!