Before Your Chemical Peel

Before you get a chemical peel done, you must know about your skin's anatomy and wound healing. Your skin is what covers your entire body and it stays in contact with the surroundings all the time. The skin acts as a protective barrier and prevents exposure of internal tissues to trauma, ultraviolet radiation, temperature extremes, toxins, and bacteria. Other vital functions of the skin include sensory perception, immunologic surveillance, thermoregulation, and control of insensible fluid loss.

The skin essentially has two independent layers, the epidermis and dermis, resting on a fatty subcutaneous soft tissue. The epidermis has no blood vessels and is dependent on the underlying dermis for delivery of nutrients and disposal of wastes. This occurs by diffusion through the so-called junction of the epidermis and dermis. The basic function of the dermis is to sustain and support the epidermis. Epidermal appendages are epithelial structures within the dermis lined with epithelial cells that have the potential for growth and division. These structures are named from the fact that they develop as down-growths of the epidermis into the dermis. These appendages have an important role as a source of epithelial cells, which are necessary for re-epithelialization when the dermis on top is damaged or removed. Chemical peeling is one way of how the epidermis may be destroyed. Other ways of this happening include partial thickness burns, dermabrasion, traumatic abrasions, or split thickness skin graft harvesting.

Epidermal appendages include sebaceous glands, sweat glands, apocrine glands, mammary glands, and hair follicles. Sebaceous glands have their highest in concentration on the face and scalp, where you may find as many as 900 glands per square centimeter. Epithelial appendages are located very deep within the dermis. When it comes to the face these appendages may be located in the subcutaneous fat lying beneath the dermis. The deep location of these structures coupled with their density in the face account for the remarkable ability of this area to re-epithelialize the deepest of cutaneous wounds. Atrophy of the skin is a process which does happen as you age. This process typically begins after forty.

Other than the aging process, actinic damage, or photodamage, can produce a lot of unwanted change in the skin. This usually results in the thickening of the skin. Dermal elastosis happens because of the accumulation of thickened and degraded collagen and elastic fibers. Ground substance increases in the skin, while the mature forms of collagen are decreased. Facial rhytides are the combined result of aging, photodamage, gravity, and repeated use of muscles for making facial expressions.

Chemical peeling applies chemicals to the skin to destroy the damaged outer layers. The epidermis regenerates from the epidermal appendages located in what is left of the dermis. This healing process begins within 24 hours of application and is usually completes in 10 days. The new epidermis shows greater organization and vertical polarity, with the unnecessary marks and wrinkles disappearing from the face of your skin making it look a lot clearer from the outside and healthier on the inside.