If you’ve read the article about chemical peels, you found out that this represents a controlled lesion of the skin through different substances, which have a final rejuvenating effect, through collagen secretion stimulation, which gives structure to the skin through elastin secretion stimulation which makes the skin more elastic, and, secondary, can improve the hydration.
Well, this name “peeling” is, like others (see hyaluronic acid or collagen) an attractive term. And generally speaking, these attracting terms attract money.
In this article, which by the way I am writing in the plane, I will tell you which peeling is the real one and which is fake.
I recommend you read the article about chemical peels, in order to remember that these therapies have different intensities, and as the intensity increases (a more concentrated, strong acid, longer exposure time), the effects increase.
An important mention is that if a peeling is more profound, it does not mean it is better for the patient, as the discomfort increases too – the most aggressive peeling is phenol peeling; in this case, the patient is sedated or a general anaesthesia is performed, as the pain is unbearable.
A second important mention is that the aggressiveness of the peeling is decided by the doctor, which takes into consideration the patient’s needs. As aesthetic medicine is not a farmer’s market (even if it slowly began to look like one – I’ve seen and heard bittersweet things), there are certain things I take into consideration when I decide which acid, which concentration and what exposure time I should use better for each and any patient.
Moving back to the previous comparison, medium and profound peelings are done only by medically trained doctors and nurses. Superficial peelings, with fruit acids, have their role, a superficial one, but they cannot give you the effects of a medical-grade peeling. These peelings are done at home or by cosmetic technicians. They are like chocolate flakes on top of a whipped-cream birthday cake – a nice touch if well done.
There is also the scrubbing, sometimes presented like a peeling. This is a method to get rid of the “dead cells” from the most superficial layer of epidermis. It is a mechanical method similar to ponce stones.
These 3 different procedures have a decreasing depth of action, also the results before and after are more spectacular linear to depth. But there is a client for each of them.
The dark side of this industry is that some individuals which do not have the right or the knowledge to do the real medical-grade peelings are trying hard to push an aggressive marketing strategy stating that what they are doing is an alternative producing the same effects as the medical-grade peelings. The promise that they can obtain the same effect with a good scrubbing or a weak peeling is dirty tactic aimed at obtaining a higher number of clients which, in the end, will be disappointed, of course.
Inside the aesthetic industry, now, there is a dirty game happening, and we can see the results everywhere – monstruous looking clients, people who paid big money to promises, unrealistic expectations, and the worst of them all, the psyche-emotional manipulation: “do you want to increase your confidence? Do this procedure”
For you who suffer from a lack of self-esteem or a lack of confidence, the solution is meet a professional as a phycologist or a psychiatrist who cand surely can help you better overcome it. Aesthetic surgery, X-product or a certain dress or sneakers of a brand will not help you at all. This is something that the industry does not want you to know.
Today’s “influencers” could have a good impact, but, unfortunately, a lot of them do not have a personal opinion as they are selling it to any brand that would pay some dollars in order to promote their product. Moreover, they are just reading without any second thought the company’s leaflet in front of the camera, transmitting a whole young generation a wrong message. And we are talking about a generation with record suicidal rates. We are bombarded, more or less subtly, that in order to increase our self-esteem and confidence, we should buy a certain product, a certain shoe, a certain brand of make up or a certain aesthetic procedure.
I am trying to raise awareness about these tactics. The client / the patient should not be a prey in a cage, surrounded by hyenas everywhere, each trying to rip him off, taking his money and his confidence, leading to more ripping-off and starting a circle. He should be guided. Ethically. This word, ethics, with it’s meaning, is lacking from the dirty marketing campaigns today, in 2023.
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