Facials & Peels
If you are looking for ways to recapture a healthy glow, facials, and chemical peels might be what you are looking for. Both cosmetic procedures can improve the appearance of skin. However, you may not know the differences between them.
At Westcoast Skin and Cancer Center, we always take a more personalized approach to skincare, ensuring your skin gets the pampering it deserves.
Facials
Facials are multi-step cosmetic procedures that can exfoliate, smooth, and extract impurities from your skin. They are specifically designed to rejuvenate your skin, remove dead skin cells, and hydrate your skin. There are various types of facials you can choose from: European, deep pore, and anti-aging. All three types of facial can restore a healthy glow while smoothing and tightening your skin.
European peels are meant to nourish your skin with rich emollients. Deep pore facials unclog your pores while minimizing their appearance. Anti-aging facials focus on minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, nose, forehead, and mouth. All three types of facials can be customized to suit your skin type and personal preferences.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are different than facials. While the do help exfoliate your skin to reveal smoother skin, chemical peels are typically more aggressive than facials. Some of the most common types of chemical peels are alpha hydroxyl, trichloroacetic, and phenol. AHA peels are the mildest of the three, with little to no downtime. TCA peels are considered a medium-depth peel and do have a recovery period, usually two to three days.
Phenol peels are considered deep peels. They remove the outer layer of your skin and do have associated downtime. Phenol peels may take a week to 10 days to heal. Typically, you will have swelling and redness with a phenol peel, which may cause discomfort. You will need to keep your skin hydrated to ensure proper healing, and you may be prescribed an antibiotic as well.
Differences Between Facials and Chemical Peels
As mentioned above, both facial and chemical peels can rejuvenate your skin. However, there are distinct differences between the two.
Facials are more superficial, whereas chemical peels are more intense and produce long-lasting, more noticeable results.
Contraindications
Before having either treatment performed, it is important to understand the possible contraindications.
You should avoid having a facial if you:
- Have an active skin infection.
- Recently had dermal fillers or neurotoxin injections.
- Have a sunburn or other active skin condition.
You should avoid having a chemical peel if you:
- Are currently using retinol.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Have an active skin condition.
- Have a history of keloid formation.
Be sure to discuss your medical and dermatologic history during your consultation to determine which is right for you.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you are ready to recapture a healthier glow, the experienced physicians at Florida Westcoast Skin and Cancer Center can help. With locations in Dade City and Tampa, smoother skin is just a phone call away. Contact us at 813-877-4811 or 352-567-3563 to schedule a consultation today.