Over-the-Counter Face Peels vs Medical Treatments

For a wide range of conditions that affect the appearance of facial skin, skin peel products can bring improvements quickly and affordably. Used to treat fine wrinkles and lines, acne scars, uneven skin pigmentation, sun-damage skin and other problems, they work by removing skin layers and stimulating the body to present a fresh, new layer of skin that shows fewer blemishes and flaws. The results from facial peels vary widely, depending on the products used and the conditions that exist. Fresher, more youthful looking skin is always the goal with any facial peel treatment. Products available for peels and exfoliation vary widely, from heavily advertised over-the-counter peels to FDA-approved products that are only available from clinical skin care professionals, like those at our medspa and clinic located in the Lake Minnetonka area. You should know that not all these products are the same, and neither are the results you can expect from them. The advertised claims can be misleading. Below, you’ll learn the differences between do-it-yourself facial peels and those treatment available at our Twin Cities top-rated medical spa.

• Over-the-Counter Skin Peels Affect Only Superficial Skin Layers

  The potency of typical over-the-counter skin peel and exfoliation products is limited, and for very good reasons. Popular brands include Lancome, Derma-E, Olay Regenerist and Exuviance. Since they are used at home, without any medical supervision, they are only strong enough to remove the very outermost epidermal layer of dead skin. That limitation is for your own safety, but they can still cause unwanted side effects. Pharmaceutical skin peel products can only be used by trained clinicians, since they penetrate the epidermal layer and affect living layers of the skin. When used properly and after careful evaluation, those products produce superior results and longer-lasting improvements.

• Customized Treatments with Pharmaceutical Grade Peels

  Every skin type and condition is unique to every individual. Facial peel products available at beauty shops, department stores, online and at other retail stores lack potency and are typically formulated to be used by anyone, regardless of skin type, age or condition. They’re safe enough to use at home, but are not very effective. With their higher concentration and specific formulations for various skin types, pharmaceutical chemical peels are matched carefully by clinicians to your unique skin, and applied only after careful analysis to ensure safety and effectiveness. When administered at our Twin Cities medispa, they lead to dramatic improvements, especially when more complicated skin conditions exist.

• Pharmaceutical Chemical Peels Require FDA Approval

  Cosmetic products are not required to have regulatory approval before reaching consumers. Their low-potency means that they also achieve minimal improvements. The medical grade chemical peels used at our medical spa in the Minneapolis St. Paul area are far more powerful. They undergo extensive clinical trials and testing before being approved by regulators. Available only through medically-supervised clinics, they affect deeper layers of your skin and are far more effective. In a free consultation with our medically trained skin care professionals, we’ll design a treatment program using pharmaceutical-grade facial peel products that provide you with the beautiful, more youthful looking skin you expect and deserve. After extensive research and clinical testing, we offer Obagi Blue Peel, Vitalize Peel by SkinMedica and RESERFACE treatments to our clients.

• Pharmaceutical Skin Peels Require More Recovery Time

  Since typical over-the-counter products only affect the skin’s outer layer of dead cells, there’s very little recovery time needed after you use them. While that might seem like a benefit, they also don’t do very much to improve your appearance. Medically formulated chemical peels penetrate that dead epidermal layer and reach deeper layers where skin damage is really located. That causes skin peeling and involves some recovery time. The effects vary, depending on your skin type, the condition being treated and the formulation of the specific product used in your treatment

• Over-the-Counter Products Cost Less, But Achieve Little

  Everyone wants to save money, but money spent without getting the improvements you expect is wasted. Every day, we consult with men and women who have tried, but are disappointed by several inexpensive peels or exfoliation products. After a thorough skin analysis and consultation with them, we recommend a single procedure or a series chemical peel treatments. Once the treatment plan is completed, they tell us that their improvements have far exceeded their expectations. Our customized, medical skin care treatments are affordable and give our clients the clearer, younger-looking, healthy skin appearance they couldn’t get with low-potency over-the-counter products.

Is a Chemical Facial Peel Right for You?

If you are looking for fresher-looking, more youthful skin, you’re not alone. Don’t try to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, sun-damaged skin, acne scarring and skin discolorations with ineffective products available at drugstores, beauty shops and from online retailers. Instead, call our medical spa in Minneapolis St. Paul for a free consultation about our proven medical-grade chemical facial peel treatments. We’ll evaluate your skin type and condition and recommend a customized treatment plan designed just for you. We’ll discuss its affordable cost, describe the results you can expect and give you information about recovery. Your treatment will be performed by a highly-trained skin care professional at a convenient time for you in our Minneapolis area medical clinic and spa. Professional medical skin care helps to ensure that you get the genuine results you want at a price that fits your budget.