Ever heard of an enhanced Jessner’s peel? You’re about to! Read on about Social Media Manager Libby’s latest dive into PCA Peels.
Well, I’ve done what I thought I would never do – I put my face, sans-makeup, on the internet, in the name of beauty! Since my first PCA Skin SensiPeel, I’ve gone through two more peels with Gainey Village Esthetician Rochelle Kosanonich at our spa and lived to tell the tale.
Rochelle suggested that my second peel should be another SensiPeel, to get my skin used to the experience and to remove more dead skin before moving up to more intense peels (eep!). We did close to the same process as my first peel – double cleansing with PCA’s cleanser, then toning with a pumpkin toner to remove any residual makeup or impurities, then dermaplane.
Dermaplaning is a quick, simple procedure, with few to no adverse effects, that removes the vellus hair (or peach fuzz) and gently exfoliates the epidermis. Vellus hair can often cause a buildup of dirt and oils in the follicles, and removing the hair reveals healthier looking skin. And because the top layer of epidermal skin is removed, dermaplaning allows products and treatments to better penetrate the skin. It’s often used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with a facial to help with rough, dry skin, hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, or fine lines and wrinkles. The treatment gives the recipient a smooth, “glowing” appearance (who doesn’t want to glow?).
After the dermaplane for the second peel, we applied the SensiPeel and the extra actives and called it a day. But for my third peel, after the usual dermaplane, I was introduced to the magical world of microneedling.
(Hello, tiny needles in my face and tanning bed goggles)
Though it sounds scary, microneedling is becoming one of the most popular procedures for skin resurfacing. It’s also known as collagen induction therapy, and is known for its ability to improve the appearance of fine lines, acne scars and the overall appearance of the skin. As Rochelle explained (while she rolled my face with tiny needles), microneedling creates tiny “injuries,” or small holes, in the skin, activating collagen production and plumping the skin, while also further allowing treatments to penetrate the skin.
After microneedling, it was time to apply the peel. For my third peel, Rochelle used PCA Peel with hydroquinone and resourcinol. This peel is the most potent of PCA’s enhanced Jessner’s formulas, and is designed to even skin tone and provide exfoliation for oilier, thicker and more resilient skin types. My skin is all of those things, so it’s a great match for me.
What’s an enhanced Jessner’s peel, you ask? Jessner’s solution is a combination of three chemicals: resourcinol, lactic acid and salicylic acid, designed to be a superficial peel with less risk of scarring, but still peeling and flaking. PCA’s blend also includes citric acid, kojic acid, hydroquinone and resourcinol to promote clear skin and an even skin tone.
Rochelle applied four layers of the PCA Ultra Peel, then added several additives on top of the peel, including one for acne, one for oiliness and a final layer of ReBalance to bring the skin back to its natural pH level. I looked like this afterwards:
I would say my skin was definitely a little more rosy after this peel, and I could see where it was applied, especially around my eyes (the peel isn’t applied to the sensitive undereye skin). It felt much more active than the SensiPeel, the application of layers was more intense and I needed to use my little fan a little bit more than I did in the past. Today, a day after the peel, my skin feels very tight, and I’ve already begun to peel a little bit on my chin. I’m excited to share my skin’s progress with you next week, I’m already seeing great improvement with hyperpigmentation and skin tone!
Want to learn more about The Spa at Gainey Village? take a look at our spas on our website here.