If you’ve caught yourself frowning at what you see in the mirror lately because your skin looks dull, drab, tired or aged, you’re not alone. As we age, we all see imperfections we’d like to address but aren’t quite sure how to go about it. At Refresh Evolution in Pitt Meadows, BC we recommend total facial rejuvenation by combining dermaplaning with a chemical peel.
Why Does Our Skin Change?
We’d all like to keep the complexion we had when we were 20, but time marches on. As it does, our skin changes both structurally and aesthetically. These changes go hand in hand. As the structure changes, the way it looks changes almost as quickly. So, what really happens?
The Structure of Young Skin
Young skin has absolutely everything going for it. The building blocks of strong healthy skin are plentiful and doing everything they’re supposed to. The three dynamos of beautiful skin are collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. When you see a vibrant, wrinkle-free and dewy complexion, it’s a result of having these three in spades.
Collagen
Collagen is the protein that everything else is built on. It makes up 80% of our skin and keeps all our skin cells packed tightly together. Think of collagen as the very building block of every part of our skin. It’s most prevalent in the middle layer of our skin, or dermis. Here, the strong fibers of protein are woven tightly together and act as a framework for everything else to lie on. It keeps a strong hold on the surface of our skin, ensuring it stays tight and doesn’t sag.
Skin cells are regenerated on collagen, and when there’s plenty of it, our cells come back bright and vibrant, keeping the surface of our skin smooth, clear and even. Every 28 days, our cells are replaced, and collagen keeps them looking their best, which is why young skin doesn’t have splotches, rough patches or dullness.
Collagen also keeps everything underneath it in place. The deepest layer of our skin is called the hypodermis, and that’s where the layer of fat and fat pads are. These pads give our cheeks their youthful contour, prevent tear troughs from forming under our eyes and gives the apples of our cheeks their youthful roundness. Collagen works hand in hand with elastin.
Elastin
In our dermis, among the collagen fibers, is another protein called elastin. As you could probably guess by the name, it keeps our skin and other organs flexible and elastic. When we smile, sleep, yawn and pull on our skin, elastin keeps it bouncing back to place. You’ll notice young skin doesn’t yet have expression lines or areas where the skin looks lax because elastin is plentiful enough to do its job.
Elastin, along with collagen, keeps skin in place as gravity tries to pull it down. That strong foundation won’t loosen its grip and keeps skin tightly adhered to underlying tissue and bone structure. Those defined jawlines, facial contours and strong lines result from the great bond between collagen and elastin.
Hyaluronic Acid
There’s one more age-defying addition that keeps us looking young, and that’s hyaluronic acid. This is a naturally produced sugar our bodies create to hydrate and lubricate our skin. When we’re young, there’s very little that can make our skin look dry or cracked because hyaluronic acid molecules can hold 1,000 times their weight in water. They actually attract moisture and hang on to it.
Our skin looks dewy and supple, feels soft and silky and our makeup goes on like a dream. Our makeup doesn’t settle into any fine lines or wrinkles or sit unattractively on top because it mixes with our natural moisture to blend and look natural.
What Happens?
Around the time we turn 20, our production of all three of these key elements declines by about 1% a year. Because collagen plays the largest role in healthy skin, we notice that impact the most. It’s not just time that causes a decrease in this protein, either, but certain lifestyle choices speed up the loss of collagen, causing a faster breakdown. Factors that slow production of collagen include:
- Smoking
- Unprotected sun exposure
- Alcohol consumption
- Excess sugar or processed food intake
- Long-term unmanaged stress
- Not enough sleep
- Poor hydration
- Poor skincare routine
Collagen Loss
When we lose collage, everything changes. Where we once had a solid foundation of tightly packed protein, we now have a weakening layer of skin. Collagen fibers are more sparsely spaced out, giving new cell regeneration a smaller platform. This can lead to sun-damaged cells not being replaced with bright and healthy ones, cells regenerating unevenly in both pigment and texture and our pores appearing larger.
The most profound change happens when the dermis starts to have areas of weakness that turn into small crevices. Our top layer of skin falls into those areas, leaving us with the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and folds. Our collagen also loses its grip on the lower layer of our skin and the fat pads there slide downward. Our once youthful contours can flatten and look hollowed out.
Elastin Loss
When collagen slows, so does elastin. Our skin will no longer bounce back the way it used to. Because there isn’t a strong foundation holding our surface skin to our facial structure, elastin can’t fight the pull of gravity and our skin begins to sag. All those expressions we’ve made our whole lives leave their road map on our skin because it doesn’t snap back anymore. The result is crepe-like skin that shows wrinkles and sags where gravity pulls the most, near the bottom of our face.
Hyaluronic Acid Loss
It becomes much easier for our skin to dry out and show all of our fine lines as hyaluronic acid depletes. Our skin can look dull and makeup just sits on top of our face or settles into fine lines. We don’t get the supple “bounce” we used to when we touch our faces. The texture can be rough and dry, even ashen.
Solutions
As bleak as that may sound, there are innovative solutions that can bring back vitality, life and youthfulness to your complexion: dermaplaning and chemical peels. Before we talk about how dynamic a duo they are together, let’s explain each one on its own, first.
Dermaplaning
If you do a search, you’ll see satisfying videos of people having this treatment performed. This treatment involves one of our estheticians using a medical-grade scalpel, held at a 45-degree angle, to gently scrape the top layer of your skin. As long as you’re in the hands of one of our professionals, it’s wonderful. It’s also not a new concept, though the official treatment is modern.
It’s been a Hollywood secret for decades that beauties like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor shaved their faces. Why? Because when this is done the right way, it “shaves” the top layer of dead and dull skin cells from the surface of your skin. It also takes with it all the peach fuzz from your face.
The Results
The results are amazing. When you’re done with treatment, your face will immediately look brighter and smoother. Your color and texture will be even and your skin will feel like silk. Everything that was just lying on top, forming a dull barrier to your beautiful complexion, is removed.
Even that peach fuzz was not doing you any favors. All those hairs acted like magnets to oil and debris, making it difficult to see the radiance underneath. Makeup sat on top of those hairs rather than penetrate them, so your skin may not have looked as flawless as you would have liked.
We’ve all heard the myth about peach fuzz growing back darker or thicker after treatment. Without going into the science, just know it’s physically impossible for this to happen. Whatever your peach fuzz looked like before treatment is exactly how it will look when it eventually grows back.
Benefits
There are more benefits than just glowing, smooth skin. Once your complexion is free of that dull barrier, all your facial products can actually do their job. Often our clients, who have been constantly going through products looking for one that works, realize after treatment that it was their skin that was the problem, not the product. The nourishing skincare line you’ve chosen will get real results after this treatment. You can even ask us for a recommendation for a line that’s perfect for your skin type and concerns.
The other benefit is how much better other treatments will work. It’s like you’ve just pulled a mask off your skin, and it is now more receptive than ever to cosmetic treatments you’d like to try. We recommend pairing dermaplaning with chemical peels.
What Are Chemical Peels?
Chemical peels are treatments that use scientifically formulated solutions applied to the skin to exfoliate the dead and dull cells on top. The beauty of chemical peels is how versatile they are. When we conduct your skin analysis, we can choose the right peel to address your level of concern and get the results you’re hoping for.
Our chemical peels don’t require downtime, but you will be asked to stay out of the sun for a few weeks because the removal of this layer of skin will make you more susceptible to sun damage.
The Results
As the top layers are exfoliated away, they will peel, revealing a healthier, brighter and revitalized complexion. This process also triggers your body’s natural healing response, which is to produce more collagen. We know what a collagen boost can do for the skin. This boost can help:
- Improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Even out skin tone and texture
- Reduce pore size
- Improve the appearance of acne scars
- Address minor skin laxity
- Help with hyperpigmentation
- Brighten a dull complexion
As the dead layer of skin peels away, you’ll have smoother and younger-looking skin. Results will continue to improve as more collagen is made and your skin continues to build strength from the inside out.
The Benefits
Once your skin is healed, it’s like the clock has been reset. You’ll have a younger-looking complexion, your products will work better and makeup will go on more smoothly. Overall, you will look invigorated and more awake.
Combining Dermaplaning With Chemical Peels
This is the one-two punch your dull skin has been craving. Dermaplaning on its own removes a lot of dead skin cells and the dulling layer of peach fuzz. When you have this treatment first, you’re giving the chemical peel a better starting point because it doesn’t have to work to get through that barrier.
The chemical peel can then go to work on the newly uncovered layer of skin. This will amp up the production of collagen even more, contributing to better immediate and long-term results.
What to Expect
We’ll have a consultation with you to do our skin analysis and make our treatment recommendation. Once we’ve all agreed this is the right combination of treatments for you, we’ll begin with dermaplaning.
Treatment
You will first get comfortable in the treatment chair. Then, one of our estheticians will carefully and expertly maneuver the scalpel over your skin, picking up all the debris along the way. We’re happy to show you everything we’re removing as we go, and you’ll be amazed! When this treatment is over, we’ll prep you for your chemical peel.
The level of intensity of peel will determine how long you’ll be in treatment. Generally, we’ll apply the peel solution, and, after the correct amount of time for your desired results, neutralize and remove it. We’ll then apply a soothing and nourishing serum or lotion and some sunscreen. We’ll send you with post-treatment instructions to stay out of the sun, but there is no downtime necessary.
Results
Over the next week or two, you may notice your skin will flake and peel off, revealing a brighter and more youthful complexion underneath. Because you’ve combined treatments, your skin will be super soft, smooth and glowing. Results from dermaplaning can last months, though cells regenerate every 28 days, so clients who experience the best results come in every few months for treatment.
Chemical peel results can last up to six months or longer, depending on the peel you’ve had. Clients who want to enjoy seamless and progressive results will come in every three months or so for maintenance. We’ll work with you to determine the right schedule for you, your skin’s condition and the desired results.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Almost everyone is a candidate for dermaplaning except for someone in an active cystic acne breakout. We’ll just reschedule for when your skin has calmed down. Because peels are so versatile and can be so mild, they’re appropriate for almost everyone too. A consultation will help us decide what course of treatment will get you the kinds of results you want and address your specific areas of concern.
Get the Complexion You Remember
With so many innovative treatments, there’s no reason you should suffer through the frustration of dealing with a dull, dry or aging complexion. We offer many quick, easy and comfortable solutions that require no downtime.
Don’t put yourself and your self-confidence off for another minute. Contact Refresh Evolution in Pitt Meadows, BC now to schedule your consultation with us. We’re committed to finding the right solutions for your unique needs. We believe when our clients look their best, they feel their best, and we’re honored to be part of that process. We look forward to helping you with all your aesthetic goals.
