Mankind,and of course womankind, always yearned to look young and beautiful. Evenduring the Vedic ages our ancestors used mud, herbs, turmeric and sandalwood tomake pastes to be applied on the skin. Some of these had antiseptic andprotective properties while others helped to clear the oiliness and pimples.The pure air breathed by people in the pre-industrialisation days enabled themto keep their skin fresh and glowing even during their old age.
It is a well-known fact that emotionalstresses interfere with metabolic processes in all organs and the skin is noexception The stresses of modern life, the ever-increasing pollution of ourenvironment and the desire to look better than the neighbouring Manisha createswrinkles, marks and eruptions on the skin.
The skin is cleaned with a moisturizingcleanser to remove any dirt and a pen-like instrument is run over the scarredarea of the face or the back. The ‘pen’ contains aluminium oxide crystals thatwill flow through a tube to gently scrape the skin and the crystals get suckedaway under vacuum. The scraping action removes the superficial layers of theskin, which contains dead cells and marks. A sunscreen and skin-lighteningagent is then applied.
No. Most people require severaltreatments - usually 3 to 6 - to substantially reduce pore size, smoothirregularities and even skin tone. However for maximum results a treatmentcourse of at least 8-10 treatments should be recommended.
People havingsuperficial scars, marks and tiny growths on the skin will benefit from skinpolishing. It restores evenness to those having uneven skin colour of recentorigin.
The skin getstanned on exposure to bright sunlight. Skin polishing removes the dead cellsfrom the surface of the skin and this also takes away some of the pigment inthe superficial skin. Therefore it makes the person look a shade lighter Thereshould be simultaneous use of sunscreens and fading agents to keep the shadelighter for prolonged periods.
Cosmetic peeltreatments help to remove the uppermost layer of the skin, giving a freshappearance to the face. A dilute solution of Glycolic acid is the commonestpreparation used to achieve a peel. Deeper peels are achieved by using strongerpreparations known as TCA (trichloroacetic acid) or phenol.
Cosmetic peelingis the extension of an existing method of treating marks and scars on the skin.Earlier creams containing dilute acids to peel the dead skin were prescribed topatients. This took a lot of time to deliver results.
Newer, saferacids were then discovered to produce better and quicker results when appliedby a qualified and experienced doctor.
At lowerstrengths Glycolic acid softens and loosens the uppermost dry, dead skin cells.
This allows the skin to shed the dead cells. The process uncovers new skincells, which lie deeper. Other than a mild irritation at the time of application,there is no irritation. People generally notice a layer of the skin peeling offafter 24-48 hours to reveal a smoother, cleaner and fresher skin surface.
Usually thephysician does a ‘test peel’ on a small coin-shaped area
of the face a few days before the actual peel.
One of thereasons why pimples develop among young men and women is because the pores,which bring out the oil (sebum) in the skin, get blocked. A Glycolic acid peelopens these blocks and reduces the development of blackheads and pimples.
Prior to starting chemical peels, the skinshould be primed with certain creams to speed up the action of glycolic acid.The skin specialist will select the priming agent depending on the nature ofthe patient’s skin.
The doctor notesthe time of application as the solution can be left on the skin only for aperiod of 1-7 minutes depending on the concentration used. The solution is diluted or neutralised afterthe desired time and the patient can leave the clinic.
The effect ofone peel lasts for a couple of weeks. Some patients may require a series offour to six applications of glycolic acid of varying strengths. Thesetreatments are performed every 14 days in most cases.
Following apeel, some medications may be necessary to prevent an irritant reaction. Inaddition, the person is advised not to move out during the bright sunnyhours. An appropriate sunscreen is necessary.
After your firstglycolic wash the skin appears smoother and will have better colour. The skinappears healthier and as you go through the series one may experience minimalredness like sunburn. The skin could develop light flakes and some crusting. Atthe end of a series of peel treatment the skin appears smoother with a uniformskin tone. Fine lines are diminished and the complexion is better.
Laser is a revolutionary method oftreating acne scars using an intense beam of light focussed through a hand-heldinstrument. The beam produces a superficial burn on the skin which eliminatesthe scars on the skin.
While chemical peels can be carried outby doctors in their consulting rooms, Laser corrections can only be done incentres having such equipment. However the prohibitive cost of the Laserequipment makes the procedure quite expensive. The facility is available onlyat select centres in major cities of India.
While medical science never promises anymagic, cosmetic peeling definitely clears up the unevenness in shade andsmoothens up the scars giving a clearer, youthful appearance. Old anddeep-seated marks/scars do not disappear with 4-5 peels as expected by mostpeople as these may require additional peels.
Dr.Rajan T.D., MD, DVD, DNB, PGDMLS
Specialist in Skin & Sexuallty Transm. Diseases
102B, Samrock Apts, Near Shoppers Stop,
Juhu Lane, Andheri West, Mumbai. India
Tel:0091-22-26705557 / 66982747
Email: skinbeautydoc@gmail.com
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