Chemical peeling is one of the most dependable and widely recognised methods of improving the overall health and appearance of the skin, regulating and enhancing the cellular turnover process in the dermis for incredible results.
Not all chemical peels are created equally: from the “at-home” high-street, single-active serum, to a medically-administered, medium-depth clinical peel, it can be unclear what sets an “ok” peel apart from an “incredible” peeling system.
Chemical peels are generally classified as superficial, medium or deep, depending on the depth of penetration after application. A number of peeling agents are capable of achieving a range of penetration depths, depending on their percentage and method of application.
We are in a new era of chemical peeling, which is challenging the way we with chemo exfoliate the skin. The industry has moved away from single-chemical peels in favour of blending acids, which work in synergy to maximise outcomes and minimise unwanted side-effects.
By combining well known and clinically evidenced acids, melanogenesis inhibitors, hydrating agents, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, favourable changes can be created within the skin without inducing large amounts of inflammation or complications. Vitamin C has been our long-standing go-to antioxidant, but there is a new kid on the block with mounting evidence for its effectiveness topically.
Enter glutathione, “the mother of all antioxidants” that combats free radical damage and offers brightening effects. Glutathione is critical in maintaining cell health and clearing the body of free radicals and toxins. As a result, it is a powerful antioxidant that may have skin anti-aging and lightening benefits, especially when used in combination with other antioxidants like vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid or coenzyme q10.
Combinations of antioxidants may be synergistic and more effective than a single antioxidant in a product. That’s why cosmetic and skin care products such as The Perfect Peel system, contain more than one antioxidant.
A BLENDED APPROACH
Blended peels simultaneously induce exfoliation while also infusing the skin with added beneficial ingredients. By using several acids together, lower-percentage peeling agents can be used, to achieve incredible results.
In The Perfect Peel, Glutathione is combined with other peeling agents including salicylic acid, responsible for dissolving follicular impactions and inflammation; trichloroacetic acid, excellent at reducing dyschromias and stimulating collagen; retinoic acid for speeding and enhancing cellular turnover, and phenol; which drives deep to improve acne scars, as well as skin enhancing ingredients such as kojic acid, which lightens skin in the upper layers of the dermis. This allows different ingredients to work at different levels of the dermis and epidermis, while pulling down ingredients that typically could not penetrate to that level. The overall effect is a self-limiting peel, that is more predictable to administer, for maximum results with limited unwanted side-effects.
THE SCIENCE
Each cell in our body is able to make glutathione by synthesizing three amino acids, glycine, l-glutamic acid and l-cysteine. Glutathione plays a vital role in the health of every one of our body’s cells, but it’s found in highest concentration in the liver where it helps to break down drugs, heavy metals, toxins and carcinogens. When the liver has higher levels of glutathione, it’s able to better do its job of detoxifying, with low levels resulting in low functioning and damaged cell performance.
It is able to non-enzymatically reduce free radicals, while neutralizing damaging molecules within the body. This can be done alone, or with other antioxidants such as Vitamin C (which also increases glutathione’s absorption). This of course has huge benefits for sun-damaged skin.
Research also suggests that glutathione is able to work in a number of ways to affect melanin production, making it an effective skin lightening treatment, ideal for hyperpigmentation. In addition, researchers have come to realise that our ability to produce and maintain high levels of glutathione is critical to recovery from nearly all chronic illnesses.
COSMETICS INDUSTRY HERITAGE
Glutathione has been hugely popular within the Korean and Japanese skincare and cosmetics products for a number of years, predominantly for its skin lightening properties, as well as for being an antioxidant powerhouse. In the wake of the ban of hydroquinone in cosmetic products in the UK, glutathione has done a good job of superseding over the counter hydroquinone by appearing to behave in the same way if not better, without the potential side effects.
At least half of sun-related skin damage is due to free radical formation, and there’s mounting evidence that topical antioxidants like glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin C can mitigate some of this damage and reduce signs of skin aging.
Because glutathione’s main purpose is to protect the cells of our bodies from harmful toxins it works to remove free radicals and toxins from our body that can lead to serious skin problems like hyperpigmentation and melasma, as well as more common one like sun spots.
Glutathione can also give people with minor imperfections an overall better look by reducing the appearance of red spots and rough patches that may exist. Many women that use the tablet form of glutathione do, exclusively to get smoother more touchable skin.
A Glutathione Chemical Peel: The Perfect Peel
With glutathione being so critical for keeping our cells healthy (with no documented side effects) it’s not surprising it found its way into cosmetics and personal care. And because of its anti inflammatory benefits, the addition of this powerful antioxidant to a chemical skin peel was only a matter of time.
Combining glutathione into a medium depth peel, is an effective mechanism for allowing it to penetrate to the stratum basale and spinosum to the melanocytes, while also delivering a combination of acids, melanogenesis inhibitors, hydrating agents, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients.
The Perfect Peel is the first medium depth peel to have been created with glutathione. It contains a proprietary combination of peeling agents that uses multiple acids at lower concentrations, delivering deep results which are able to maximise outcomes and minimise potential side effects. Other elements of the peel are able to pull the glutathione down to other areas of the skin’s structure. In addition to the medium-depth, self-limiting peel, there is a range of prescription and non-prescription skincare products, all of which have glutathione at the core of their formulation. By creating a medical grade blended peel, treatments are more controlled in their penetration than single minded acid chemical peels.
THE EVIDENCE
Glutathione is becoming more widely used in aesthetics medicine, so evidence is mounting daily. However, evidence based medicine should never be the sole guide of clinical decisions, and should be used in conjunction with clinical judgement and research studies (Aesthetic Surgery Journal, January 2021).
The study “Skin-whitening and skin-condition-improving effects of topical oxidized glutathione: a double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial in healthy women” cited in Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology by Watanabe et al. 2014 concluded that glutathione is safe and effectively whitens the skin and improves skin texture. In addition, The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database classifies glutathione as a low hazard cosmetic ingredient.
The glutathione-led chemical peel The Perfect Peel medical peel and skincare range was brought to the UK by Medica Forte in 2015, and since then 1,000s of peels have been performed. Prior to that, The Perfect Peel has been available in America since its creation in 2011. Anecdotally, the growing popularity of this treatment and product line demonstrates that the peel is a safe and effective treatment, providing the results sought by the patient and practitioners alike. Patients and practitioners have reported anti aging benefits, skin brightening as well as improving cystic acne, acne prone skin or even the occasional breakout.
THE PERFECT BLEND
It is clear that blended chemical peels are the future of our growing industry. With the right combination of ingredients a powerful skin transformation can be achieved, in a more controlled and predictable way. In addition, the synergistic blend may allow other ingredients to reach depths of the skin unachievable if used alone.
The potential for the industry is therefore huge, with the ability to tailor a peel’s blend to target specific skin concerns, while beginning a whole host of additional skin benefiting ingredients.
The success of The Perfect Peel is testament to the market’s excitement for blended skincare peels and products; so much so that a whole new range of clinic, salon and home skincare treatments and products are currently in development, set to be launched early next year. This demonstrates how hitting upon a clinically-proven powerhouse ingredient, and using it in combination with acids that have a proven-track record can result in a game-changing skincare system.
Free Consultation
Many professionals offer a free consultation, if you are unsure The Perfect Peel would be best suited to your skin and needs, speak with a trained professional in The Perfect Peel.
Find a Perfect Peel Trained Professional / Clinic Near You
To find your nearest clinic offering The Perfect Peel, visit our Clinics page.