| Greetings and a happy spring to you all!! I hope this newsletter reaches you all well and that this Spring wind (and snow) hasn't blown you away!! I have a few announcements to make before getting into this months newsletter about chemical peels. First, the biggest announcement is that Pure Skin will be adding mani/pedi (no artificial nails) services to the current repertoire!! I realized that many of you get these services, and I am licensed to do them, so put 2 + 2 together = January doing skin care & nails!! (I likely won't be advertising for those services on my website yet, but feel free to pass the information on to any friends or family who might be looking.)
Pricing: Mani: $18 Pedi: $35 Second & finally, I am getting together some products for retail!! The skin care products I will be selling are by a company called Bioelements. I have used Bioelements for many years and I know they are a well designed professional skin care line and work well with the majority of skin types. They take the best elements of science and nature, and produce products that are effective and competitively priced. If you would like to learn more about this line, you can check their website at www.Bioelements.com. Here is a list of the few beginning items & their prices that Pure Skin will be carrying:
Bioelements Flash Foam Cleanser Advanced enzyme cleanser that gently exfoliates skin; excellent for most skin types. This cleanser offers a 2 in 1 treatment - hello time-saver!!! It cleanses and gently exfoliates all in one step with the help of pumpkin, papaya & pineapple extracts. 6.5 oz $29.00 1.75 oz $12.00
Bioelements Beyond Hydration Oil-free moisture gel for all skin types except dry & extremely dry; non-greasy, lightweight and very refreshing, non-comedogenic. This moisturizer is fantastic!! It offers incredible hydration that you have to feel to believe. 2.5 oz $30
Absolute Moisture Balancing moisturizer for combination skin. This is a lightweight cream that absorbs quickly leaving no oily feel or shine. Excellent hydration for all skin types except for extremely dry. 2.5 oz. $28
CND Cucumber Heel Therapy This is an intensive moisturizing complex with cucumber extract, chamomile & aloe to aid in the repair of dry, cracked skin. Translation: super soft happy feet! *This is an excellent cream for any area of the body that needs extra moisture, ie., elbows & knees. 2.6 oz. $ 15
So that's where our retail begins! I will make sure to keep you up to date as I add more items based on everyone's needs & requests! Now, on to the newsletter. Enjoy!! To Peel Or Not To Peel? In this edition, we will be discussing the benefits of chemical peels, what the purpose of different acids are and what to expect with each type of acid used for it's particular chemical peel. For the purpose of this newsletter, chemical peels will be referred to from here on out as "peels". First, what exactly is a chemical peel? A chemical peel is a treatment technique used to improve and smoothe the texture of the skin using a chemical solution that encourages the dead skin to slough off and sometimes peel. This treatment will reveal smoother, younger looking skin.
Characteristics that can benefit from peels are: * Hyperpigmentation (freckles, age spots, sun spots) * Acne * Fine lines * Scarring
Characteritics that can not benefit from peels (*this means under the scope of the esthetician - deep wrinkles can be treated in a physician's office, but with a great cost and substantial downtime) * Deep lines/wrinkles * Sagging skin * Bulging skin These skin issues require more invasive treatments such as botox, restylane (filler), collagen (filler) or even a face lift in order to correct the problem. With all the different types of acids out there, how do you know which one to choose for what issue? Ready for me to drop some knowledge on you? Here we go: Alpha Hydroxy Acids, also known as "AHA's", are naturally occuring fruit & milk acids and are the most well know and commonly used. These acids include, but are not limited to, glycolic acid (sugar cane juice derived), lactic acid (milk derived), citric acid (citrus fruit derived), malic acid (derived from apples) & tartaric acid (derived from grapes). These are the mildest and lightest peeling formulas. Alpha hydoxy acids are water soluble only, meaning they do not penetrate into the pores. This makes these acids best for treating hyperpigmentation and dry, uneven skin texture. These acids are not the best for fine lines or acne. The following photo is an example of a very high percentage glycolic peel.
Beta hydroxy acids or salicylic , are synthetically made and are lipid (fat) soluable making them an excellent choice for oily & acneic skin. This is due to their ability to penetrate into the pores containing sebum (oil) and exfoliating the dead skins cells within. They are effective for treating the problems listed above, hyperpigmentation & dry uneven skin texture but with the added benfit of being able to effectively treat acne as well as fine lines. This acid is becoming more and more popular due to it's less irritating nature than alpha hydoxy acids. If salicylic acid sounds familiar, that's because it's derived from Aspirin, acetylsalilcylic acid, which is an anti-inflammatory, hence the less irritation. One drawback of using salicylic acid is that, ironically, it can cause more sensitivity to sunlight. So if you are using a salicylic acid product regularly to treat hyperpigmentation, you should also be using an SPF to help prevent any pigment form returning.
This photo shows results from a series of salicylic peels - probably 3 or 4 treatments.
Trichloracetic Acid, or TCA , is another synthetically made acid, but is stronger than the previous 2 types of acids. This acid is great for correcting fine lines, superficial blemishes & hyperpigmentation. This type of peel will have a visible peel whereas the previous 2 will only have a dry or flaking effect. If you have a glycolic or salicyclic peel, probably no one is going to notice any flking or dryness that mey occur, but with a TCA, it will be more noticeable for about a week. First you look sunburned, then it starts to get darker where you have extra pigment, then it starts to peel off. FUN!!!
This photo shows results from a 30% TCA peel (this strength can only be performed in a doctor's office). It is likely that this was after only 1 treatment.
Jessner's Peel is one you may have heard of. This peel is actually a specific blend of 14% salicylic acid, lactic acid & resorcinol. Resorcinol is a synthetic ingredient which is used to smooht the surface of the skin. These peels are highly effective at targeting hyperpigmentation (as you can see from the photo below) but also, like a TCA, have visible peeling.
Before and after of a Jessner's Peel.
Phenol peels are extremely deep peels requiring anesthesia and a good bit of down time. These peels can only be performed by a doctor and are the most extreme kind of peel availalble. Typically only 1 treatment is needed. *Note, earlier I mentioned that deep wrinkles cannot be treated by chemical peels - this type of peel will most definitely remove deep wrinkles, but again can only be performed by a doctor under anesthesia. Check ou this ladie's results below. *Note, it does appear that she has also had a facelift or something because her turkey neck has disappeared!!
Phenol before Phenol after Well, all that being said I think I have covered this as best as I can for you, without melting my brain and hopefully not melting yours!! Please don't hesitate to call or email if you have any questions about chemical peels or if you think you would like a consultation.
It is my professional opinion that a series of chemical peels done by a well-trained esthetician are the most effective way to treat your hyperpigmentation, scarring, fine lines and acne with the most efficacy and the least amount of downtime. All our chemical peels are done in a series as they perform best when you do 4-6 over a period of about 6 months. All pre & post peel products are included in the price. Consultations are always complimentary!! A series of 6 peels runs $250, due at the time of the first peel service.
Until next month... Your most humble skin, and nail, therapist, January | 
