Acid sounds like something you should avoid putting on your skin, and the idea of peeling layers off your face is enough to make anyone nervous.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Jodi Skinner says many people were traumatized by the episode of Sex and the City when Samantha got a chemical peel and wound up with a raw, orange face.
“There are misconceptions that a peel is going to burn all your skin off and you’ll have to go into hiding for weeks, or that microdermabrasion is like sand-blasting your face,” says Skinner. “Neither could be farther from the truth.”
Skinner manages Skincare Studio Inc. in St. John’s, where they do dozens of microdermabrasion sessions and glycolic peels every week.
“Once someone tries it, they fall in love with how it makes their skin look and feel,” says Skinner. “Microdermabrasion and glycolic peels deep-clean your skin and leave it smooth, vibrant and glowing.”
There is also no need to worry about Samantha’s “beef carpaccio” face in Sex and the City. Skinner says there is “little to no down time” with either treatment — just a bit of redness for the first day or so.
Since she’s an LPN, she works in Skincare Studio’s dermatology clinic, as well as their medical aesthetics division. She’s one of three Skincare Studio professionals who offer microdermabrasion and glycolic peels.
Skinner says a microdermabrasion session usually takes about 30 minutes and is entirely non-invasive. “We use a pen-shaped wand with diamond-tip applicators, and we glide it over the skin to remove impurities,” explains Skinner. “It’s connected to a vacuum and removes debris and dead skin cells so we can reveal the fresh, clean skin underneath.”
Microdermabrasion also stimulates collagen and elastic production in your skin — making it appear plumper and more vibrant. It’s great for people with fine lines, mild scars, sun damage, age spots or crow’s feet.
Skinner had a noticeable chicken pox scar between her eyes but was able to significantly reduce its appearance after scar-revision microdermabrasion treatments. While she’s not crazy about publicizing her makeup-free “before” and “after” photos, she admits they’re important for customers to see.
“These are certainly not PhotoShopped in any way,” laughs Skinner. “They are completely real, unretouched photos that show how much the microdermabrasion treatment worked.”
Glycolic peels are ideal for people with rough/dry skin, acne, signs of sun damage and mild wrinkling. Glycolic acid is a fruit acid that comes from sugar cane. It has the ability to loosen dead skin cells and simultaneously treat the newer skin underneath.
“Your skin looks smoother, brighter and ultra-clean for the first few days, and the real magic starts happening three or four days after your peel,” says Skinner. “That’s when you’ll begin to shed individual skin cells, so you’ll see some flaking as the old skin continues to shed.”
While she doesn’t recommend doing both procedures on the same day, Skinner says some clients treat themselves to a glycolic peel first and schedule a microdermabrasion session for a few days later — which speeds up the shedding of the dead skin cells.
After microdermabrasion or a glycolic peel, remember to take extra-special care of your skin.
“Both treatments can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it’s important to wear sunscreen of at least 30 SPF,” says Skinner. “You want to treasure that smooth, fresh new skin.”
Still not sure if microdermabrasion or a glycolic peel is right for you? Skincare Studio offers free consultations with no obligation to follow through with treatment.
“We want people to feel comfortable coming in to chat with us about their skin and see if they’re a candidate. There’s absolutely no pressure,” says Skinner. “If their skin is perfect and they don’t need the treatment, we’re going to tell them that!”
If you are interested in booking an appointment or learning more about services offered, please visit www.skincarestudio.ca, call (709) 738-8420 (ext. 2) or drop by Skincare Studio at 181 Mundy Pond Rd.
