Skin peels: chemical vs. enzymatic. Pros and cons.
Skin peels, i.e., removing the upper layers of the epidermis (some go far deeper), have pros and cons. Your skin may look fresher, but then the layers you removed may have helped protect it from UV, oxidants and all the stuff is there to protect you!
Once you decide how deep you want to go and accept the risks of any skin alteration, you can look at options.
Physical exfoliation is straightforward: don’t go too deep, and you will be OK. Wear sunscreen to partly replace the protection you removed.
What are the other alternatives? Chemical and enzymatic peels.
Enzymatic: proteases (of different sources and purity) will break down proteins, allowing the external layers of cells to shed. Options? Many, most often, plant or bacterial extracts containing papaya protease (papain), or kiwi, pineapple, and more.
From my book
Proteases can break down other proteins into small pieces by breaking bonds that link specific amino acids within those proteins. When cooking, have you ever used a meat tenderizer? Do you use cold water laundry detergent for your clothes? How about contact lens cleansers? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you have used proteases. Meat tenderizer contains papain. Cold-water detergent has subtilisin to break down proteins that stain your clothes. Strong contact lens cleansers also contain subtilisin.
Proteases will not penetrate very far at all, so they are very safe. However, some of us tend to develop allergies: please consider that many people can become allergic to some proteases, especially papain and subtilisin. Clothes washing liquids, and conditioners are responsible for the eczema of countless people.
When applied to the skin, proteases with the right specificity will hydrolyze the proteins in the most superficial layers of the skin. Our enzymatic peel product is a natural, gentle enzyme “peel” that can be used straight from the bottle. Proteases hydrolyze the proteins, exfoliating dead skin cells, taking trapped impurities with them. The peel leaves the skin cleansed and silky smooth. Exfoliation will help keep your pores open and free of blackheads and acne, letting you show off your new skin. Remember that dead cells (and proteins) are key to the skin barrier, so use proteases but don’t abuse them.
What about chemical peels? They can provide a similar result, but they work by breaking proteins through acidity. Most common are alpha hydroxy acids, but trichloroacetic is used for deeper peels. Often, other chemicals are added for additional effects.
From my book
Acid solutions often called “chemical peels,” break down the proteins in the most external layers of the skin when used with caution (if used without great caution, they will burn the skin). We have a mild form of chemical peel, our Alpha-Beta Exfoliator, which you can use on face, décolleté, and hands without problems. It will provide an invisible peel, and you will have satisfyingly smooth skin without downtime or visible peeling. If you are looking for something even milder, our Vitamin C Serum with its low pH will leave your skin feeling smooth.
Please don’t think that you can mix your acid peel at home. You can undoubtedly prepare an acid solution, but you have no way to make it safely. If you’re trying to imitate an alpha hydroxy acid product on the market, please consider that these products tend to be heavily buffered so that the manufacturers can advertise a high concentration. Using the percentage of acid stated on the label may end up causing you a chemical burn. I’ve answered so many emails of people who ended up in precisely that situation.
What about side effects? Chemical peels and lasers may cause further hyperpigmentation in people with darker skin.
In short? As always, know before you act!