Skin that’s been exposed to pollution and harsh weather often looks older than it is. Lines, wrinkles and dry, saggy skin can add years to your appearance – no matter how young you may feel.
But did you know you can have naturally younger-looking skin in just hours? You can cleanse away tired, worn skin cells, stimulate a healthier base layer, and have a smoother, softer look.
One of the fastest ways to promote a more youthful look is a peel.
At first, this may sound strange coming from a doctor who believes in natural remedies. But you can actually get a safe, natural peel.
Chemical peels often involve harsh acids – such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA). TCA is also used to remove tattoos… and is even the basis for a commercial weed killer. Strong acids like TCA can leave your face inflamed and feeling raw.
On the other hand, a natural peel promotes healthier skin, while reversing the effects of years of wear and tear. Here’s what you need to know…
Most natural peels are done with glycolic acid – an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) – or with salicylic acid – a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). To reveal the benefits of a natural peel, I’ll focus on glycolic acid (GA).
GA is a natural substance found in sugar cane. It weakens the lipid (fat) bonds that help hold dead cells together on your skin. That’s why it makes an effective peel.
GA promotes increased hyaluronic acid levels in your skin.1 This is important, because hyaluronic acid is your skin’s natural moisturizer. It helps your skin hold in moisture for a smoother, more youthful look.
And here’s another way GA could help you appear years younger…
GA helps erase fine lines and wrinkles. That’s because it supports the formation of collagen – an important building block of healthy skin – and promotes the growth of new skin cells.2
But GA has other important properties when it comes to your skin.
- Researchers at Yale Medical School found GA has an antioxidant effect.
- GA also demonstrated an SPF (sun protection factor) of 2.4 after regular application.3
So, unlike harsh chemicals, GA leaves your skin stronger and healthier. It doesn’t just get rid of old, dead skin. It helps you replace it with new, healthier skin… and helps moisturize and protect those new skin cells, too.
With all those benefits, you can probably understand why I sometimes recommend natural peels to my patients. But I also recommend other steps.
If you smoke, stop. A Korean study found smokers are almost 3 times more likely to have moderate to severe facial wrinkling than non-smokers.4 Smoking doesn’t just wreck your heart and lungs. It wrecks your face, too.
What you eat also matters. Researchers in Australia discovered diets higher in vegetables, olive oil and fish help keep your skin smoother and younger-looking. Eating lots of margarine and sugar leads to more wrinkles.5
And, of course, getting a good night’s sleep gives your body a chance to rebuild and repair. Seven to eight hours of good sleep each night should be the basis of any anti-aging regimen.
If you decide to try a natural peel, start with a low concentration of GA. Professional peels start at a concentration of 20%. As your skin gets used to the acid, you can gradually increase the percentage. Concentrations run up to 70%… but I think that’s too strong for first peels.
“Home peel” kits are available at beauty supply outlets, but I think they’re a waste of money. The solution they contain is too weak to be truly effective.
Your best bet is to get your natural peel in a doctor’s office. The professionals there can give you a new, younger look in about an hour.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, M.D.
1 Kim, S.J. and Won, Y.H., “The effect of glycolic acid on cultured human skin fibroblasts: cell proliferative effect and increased collagen synthesis,” J Dermatol. Feb 1998;25(2):85-89.
2 Perricone, N.V. and DiNardo, J.C., “Photoprotective and antiinflammatory effects of topical glycolic acid,” Dermatol Surg. May 1996;22(5):435-437.
3 Bernstein, E.F., et al, “Glycolic acid treatment increases type I collagen mRNA and hyaluronic acid content of human skin,” Dermatol Surg. May 2001;27(5):429-433.
4 Koh, J.S., et al, “Cigarette smoking associated with premature facial wrinkling: image analysis of facial skin replicas,” International Journal of Dermatology. Jan 2002;41(1):21–27.
5 br Purba, M., et al, “Skin Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?” J Am Coll Nutr. Feb 2001;20(1):71-80.