Exfoliators, Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peels
Products that use retinoic acid or tretinoin ingredients such as Retin A or over-the-counter
products with retinol are designed to remove the dead layer of skin. Other products such as Glytone
have glycolic acid. These are described as exfoliators and make the skin brighter and smoother and can help
minimize small imperfections caused by sun damage or acne. Personally I have not found the over-the-counter
versions strong enough but have used Retin A with success. There are literally thousands of exfoliating
scrubs on the market and I can't seem to find a huge difference short of Retin A. These are some of the
favorites I have heard about. Tell me yours in the Blog.
Vichy Normaderm Daily Exfoliating Cleansing Gel
Clinique Exfoliating Scrub
Loreal Pure Zone Deep Exfoliating Gel Wash
Lancôme Exfoliance Clarte
Clarins One- Step Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser
Glytone Clarifying Gel
Retin A
RoC Retinol Correxion
Chemical Peeling and Microdermabrasion are both skin resurfacing procedures that exfoliate the skin. These are more aggressive methods than the exfoliation products mentioned above. Generally speaking, they should not be used together because they can cause serious damage to the skin because of the double impact, although some home microdermabrasion kits say it is safe to use retinol with the microdermabrasion.
Both procedures are done at doctor's offices, spas or beauty salons but there are also less aggressive products that can be used at home. In most cases the over-the-counter products will be less effective than the professional procedure. But most women will see positive results with home treatments - smoother, brighter skin and improvement to fine lines, mild acne scars, enlarged pores, age spots and sun damage. More serious skin problems such as deeper scars and wrinkles may benefit from professional treatments.
On the website, we will focus on over-the-counter products that can be used at home. Keep in mind that avoiding the sun and using sunscreen is even more important after peels since your skin will be much more sensitive.
So what is the difference between Microdermabrasion and Chemical peels? Basically, Microdermabrasion is a mechanical or crystal peel whereas Chemical Peels use acids like glycolic acid, salicylic acid or retinoic acid. Both methods remove the top layer of dead skin cells. Some chemical peel products (i.e. Retin A, Alpha Hydroxy Acids) will also help in generating collagen which is the skin's structural fiber.
So let's start with the home microdermabrasion kits. It seems that the kits work better or worse based on your skin type. So what works best for me may not work best for you. I will list the most popular kits and their pros and cons according to user reviews:
Pros: Good battery-operated hand tool, good results, company specializes in microdermabrasion products
Cons: Expensive, may not be suitable for sensitive skin (but company has versions of the product for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin), non-acne product often causes breakouts, some found the tool hard to use, available exclusively online and in a few salons
Dr. Brandt
Pros: Works well for some people, contains flower-based products that are soothing to the skin, easy to apply by hand
Cons: Expensive, no applicator tool, applied by hand, available only online or at some salons
Lancome
Pros: Well-known cosmetics brand, gentle, contains anti-oxidants, easy to apply by hand
Cons: Expensive, no applicator tool, may not work as well on wrinkles and acne scars, available online or at department stores
Loreal
Pros: Inexpensive, widely available at drugstores, grocery stores and discount stores, some love the moisturizers
Cons: No applicator tool, may not work as well on wrinkles and acnes scars, some do not like the moisturizer, easy to apply by hand
Mary Kay
Pros: Easy to use, quick to see results for smaller pores and smooth skin
Cons: Expensive, poor results for the money, no applicator tool, available from Mary Kay representatives, some drugstores and online
Neutrogena
Pros: Inexpensive, easy-to-use applicator too, widely available, promises less but delivers, good one to start with to see if skin tolerates microdermabrasion
Cons: Breakouts more common with this product, promises less, results do not last long
Oil of Olay
Pros: Very inexpensive, best results for the price
Cons: No applicator tool, serum was too greasy for some
Susan Lucci Youthful Essence
Pros: Gentle, most people had good results, applicator sponge
Cons: Moderately priced, only available with automatic delivery of refills or on EBay or HSN, some say it has a residue that is hard to rinse off, difficulties dealing with customer service, refill delivery timing was not good
Active ingredients for mild to moderate strength chemical peels:
MD Formulations My Personal Peel System
Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Facial Peel
MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel - 30 applications
I personally have not used any of these because I am hesitant to "burn" my skin with acid but I would love to hear from our readers on the Blog to get reviews from both happy and unhappy users.
Vichy Normaderm Daily Exfoliating Cleansing Gel
Clinique Exfoliating Scrub
Loreal Pure Zone Deep Exfoliating Gel Wash
Lancôme Exfoliance Clarte
Clarins One- Step Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser
Glytone Clarifying Gel
Retin A
RoC Retinol Correxion
Chemical Peeling and Microdermabrasion are both skin resurfacing procedures that exfoliate the skin. These are more aggressive methods than the exfoliation products mentioned above. Generally speaking, they should not be used together because they can cause serious damage to the skin because of the double impact, although some home microdermabrasion kits say it is safe to use retinol with the microdermabrasion.
Both procedures are done at doctor's offices, spas or beauty salons but there are also less aggressive products that can be used at home. In most cases the over-the-counter products will be less effective than the professional procedure. But most women will see positive results with home treatments - smoother, brighter skin and improvement to fine lines, mild acne scars, enlarged pores, age spots and sun damage. More serious skin problems such as deeper scars and wrinkles may benefit from professional treatments.
On the website, we will focus on over-the-counter products that can be used at home. Keep in mind that avoiding the sun and using sunscreen is even more important after peels since your skin will be much more sensitive.
So what is the difference between Microdermabrasion and Chemical peels? Basically, Microdermabrasion is a mechanical or crystal peel whereas Chemical Peels use acids like glycolic acid, salicylic acid or retinoic acid. Both methods remove the top layer of dead skin cells. Some chemical peel products (i.e. Retin A, Alpha Hydroxy Acids) will also help in generating collagen which is the skin's structural fiber.
So let's start with the home microdermabrasion kits. It seems that the kits work better or worse based on your skin type. So what works best for me may not work best for you. I will list the most popular kits and their pros and cons according to user reviews:
Home Microdermabrasion Kits
DermanewPros: Good battery-operated hand tool, good results, company specializes in microdermabrasion products
Cons: Expensive, may not be suitable for sensitive skin (but company has versions of the product for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin), non-acne product often causes breakouts, some found the tool hard to use, available exclusively online and in a few salons
Dr. Brandt
Pros: Works well for some people, contains flower-based products that are soothing to the skin, easy to apply by hand
Cons: Expensive, no applicator tool, applied by hand, available only online or at some salons
Lancome
Pros: Well-known cosmetics brand, gentle, contains anti-oxidants, easy to apply by hand
Cons: Expensive, no applicator tool, may not work as well on wrinkles and acne scars, available online or at department stores
Loreal
Pros: Inexpensive, widely available at drugstores, grocery stores and discount stores, some love the moisturizers
Cons: No applicator tool, may not work as well on wrinkles and acnes scars, some do not like the moisturizer, easy to apply by hand
Mary Kay
Pros: Easy to use, quick to see results for smaller pores and smooth skin
Cons: Expensive, poor results for the money, no applicator tool, available from Mary Kay representatives, some drugstores and online
Neutrogena
Pros: Inexpensive, easy-to-use applicator too, widely available, promises less but delivers, good one to start with to see if skin tolerates microdermabrasion
Cons: Breakouts more common with this product, promises less, results do not last long
Oil of Olay
Pros: Very inexpensive, best results for the price
Cons: No applicator tool, serum was too greasy for some
Susan Lucci Youthful Essence
Pros: Gentle, most people had good results, applicator sponge
Cons: Moderately priced, only available with automatic delivery of refills or on EBay or HSN, some say it has a residue that is hard to rinse off, difficulties dealing with customer service, refill delivery timing was not good
Chemical Peels
When looking for home exfoliating products you should look for specific ingredients. Home chemical peels tend to be
mild to moderate with superficial results that are generally less effective than microdermabrasion.Active ingredients for mild to moderate strength chemical peels:
- Glycolic Acid(AHA)
- Salicylic Acid (BHA)
- Lactic Acid
- Jessner's Peel (combination of salicyclic acid, resorcinol and lactic acid mixed in ethanol)
- Resorcinol
- TCA (Trichloracetic Acid) used in AccuPeel and the Obagi Blue Peel
- Baker's Phenol
MD Formulations My Personal Peel System
Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Facial Peel
MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel - 30 applications
I personally have not used any of these because I am hesitant to "burn" my skin with acid but I would love to hear from our readers on the Blog to get reviews from both happy and unhappy users.
