Anti aging skin care treatment with chemical peels

History of chemical peels as the anti-aging skin care treatment

The history of chemical peeling as an anti-ageing skin care treatment can be traced back to ancient times. People all over the world have been using various substances to aesthetically improve their skin.

Egyptian women bathed in sour milk, or rubbed fermented grape skins from the bottom of wine barrels over their skin to enhance beauty. Little did they know that they were benefiting from the superficial skin peeling effects of a family of chemicals called hydroxy acids which remove the outer layers of the skin.

The Viennese dermatologist Ferdinand Hobra is considered the father of topical skin rejuvenation dermatology. He treated freckles and melasma using different exfoliative agents in mid 1800s. He was also the first one to have mentioned croton oil as a chemical peel for the skin.

Tincure of iodine and lead was applied during that time to repeatedly to lighten the skin. Various acids were also used as anti-ageing skin care treatments for improving the skin.

Lime compressions were used for causing blisters on the skin which were than punctured and filled with starch to remove the crust. The procedure was quite frequently used for lightening the skin and was popular as an anti-ageing skin care treatment.

The history of deep chemical peels as professional skin care

is believed to have started with the discovery of phenol in 1834 by German chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge.

Use of phenol for skin lightning, and croton oil for causing inflammation, had been described as the important ingredients in peeling formulas used at that time for skin rejuvenation.

In 1892, Edmund Saalfeld published a report on phenols for removing freckles and use of masks and paraffin.

In 1900 P.G. Unna published a report on salicyclic acid, recorcinol, phenol and TCA (Trichloro Acetic Acid ) as agents for skin rejuvenation.

Advances in anti-aging skin care treatment with peels

The article by H.P. Bame a Los Angeles plastic surgeon published in 1927 is considered to be the first article on a cosmetic phenol peeling, and the procedure was included as a part of plastic surgery.

Croton oil - the extract of the seed Croton tiglium - had been commercially prepared as croton resin since 1932 to cause skin vesiculation even in low doses.

In 1946, Joseph C. Urkov, a Chicago plastic surgeon published an article in which he shared his 15 years experience treating 2,000 patients with pits, scars, and wrinklesusing cotron oil.

He claimed that this method was a safe and effective alternative to surgical face-lifting.

Most of the credit of phenol-based peels during the late 1940s and early 1950s was related to use by lay operators who did not have medical qualifications.

These illegal uses of phenol for skin rejuvenation in cosmetic salons, is one one of the reasons for the bad reputation of phenol, and created a wall of medical skepticism against its use until relatively recently.

In 1952, dermatologist George Miller MacKee, chairman of the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital, along with his associate Florentine Karp, published their experience with phenol peels for post-acne scarring.

During the 1960s two American plastic surgeons, Thomas J. Baker and Howard L. Gordon, revived and finally legitimized phenol-based peeling, by discussing it at national meetings and demonstrating their impressive results.

The 1970s provided an environment where it was acceptable for dermatologists and plastic surgeons to perform full face peels using TCA or phenol.

In the 1980s, Samuel J. Stegman in his work compared the histological depths of chemical wounding agents and dermabrasion and paved the way for chemical peeling in a scientific and controlled fashion.

The histological concepts put forward by Stegman led to the evolution of mid-depth peeling in 1986, by applying the combination of two or more chemical wounding agents.

Throughout 1990s, there was a progressive promotion to include AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) in the peeling spectrum. Salicylic acid was also popularized to compete with AHA.

The last five years have seen the introduction of Davis Harris' combination of manual derma-sanding with TCA peeling and Bruce Katz's flourhydroxy peel technique that combines 5-flourouracil with glycolic acid or Jessner's solution for treating actinic karatoses (rough, scaly, red or brown patches affecting more than half of elderly, fair-skinned persons in hot, sunny climates).

A new era has probably evolved since 2000 combining the use of medium depth chemical peeling with new laser resurfacing agents.

Research for newer modalities of skin resurfacing and anti-ageing skin care treatment to provide cost effective cosmetic procedures for skin rejuvenation for patients is still going on.

According to the survey conducted by the AAPS a major share of the anti-ageing skin care treatment market ($661,947,461) involved chemical peels with 1,090,523 procedures performed in North America alone.( Read Microdermabrasion treatment costs for more details)

The figures say that the chemical peeling is here to stay.

References:

Harold J. Brody, "A history of chemical peeling", Ophthalmol Clin N Am 18 (2005) 259 - 270

Marina Landau, "Advances in Deep Chemical Peels", Dermatology Nursing, (2005)176

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Egyptian women bathed in sour milk, or rubbed fermented grape skins from the bottom of wine barrels over their skin to enhance beauty. Little did they know that they were benefiting from the superficial skin peeling effects of a family of chemicals called hydroxy acids which remove the outer layers of the skin. The Viennese dermatologist Ferdinand Hobra is considered the father of topical skin rejuvenation dermatology. He treated freckles and melasma using different exfoliative agents in mid 1800s. He was also the first one to have mentioned croton oil as a chemical peel for the skin. Tincure of iodine and lead was applied during that time to repeatedly to lighten the skin. Various acids were also used as anti-ageing skin care treatments for improving the skin. Lime compressions were used for causing blisters on the skin which were than punctured and filled with starch to remove the crust. The procedure was quite frequently used for lightening the skin and was popular as an anti-ageing skin care treatment. The history of deep chemical peels as professional skin care is believed to have started with the discovery of phenol in 1834 by German chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge. Use of phenol for skin lightning, and croton oil for causing inflammation, had been described as the important ingredients in peeling formulas used at that time for skin rejuvenation. In 1892, Edmund Saalfeld published a report on phenols for removing freckles and use of masks and paraffin. In 1900 P.G. Unna published a report on salicyclic acid, recorcinol, phenol and TCA (Trichloro Acetic Acid ) as agents for skin rejuvenation. Advances in anti-aging skin care treatment with peels The article by H.P. Bame a Los Angeles plastic surgeon published in 1927 is considered to be the first article on a cosmetic phenol peeling, and the procedure was included as a part of plastic surgery. Croton oil - the extract of the seed Croton tiglium - had been commercially prepared as croton resin since 1932 to cause skin vesiculation even in low doses. In 1946, Joseph C. Urkov, a Chicago plastic surgeon published an article in which he shared his 15 years experience treating 2,000 patients with pits, scars, and wrinklesusing cotron oil. He claimed that this method was a safe and effective alternative to surgical face-lifting. Most of the credit of phenol-based peels during the late 1940s and early 1950s was related to use by lay operators who did not have medical qualifications. These illegal uses of phenol for skin rejuvenation in cosmetic salons, is one one of the reasons for the bad reputation of phenol, and created a wall of medical skepticism against its use until relatively recently. In 1952, dermatologist George Miller MacKee, chairman of the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital, along with his associate Florentine Karp, published their experience with phenol peels for post-acne scarring. During the 1960s two American plastic surgeons, Thomas J. Baker and Howard L. Gordon, revived and finally legitimized phenol-based peeling, by discussing it at national meetings and demonstrating their impressive results. The 1970s provided an environment where it was acceptable for dermatologists and plastic surgeons to perform full face peels using TCA or phenol. In the 1980s, Samuel J. Stegman in his work compared the histological depths of chemical wounding agents and dermabrasion and paved the way for chemical peeling in a scientific and controlled fashion. The histological concepts put forward by Stegman led to the evolution of mid-depth peeling in 1986, by applying the combination of two or more chemical wounding agents. Throughout 1990s, there was a progressive promotion to include AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) in the peeling spectrum. Salicylic acid was also popularized to compete with AHA. The last five years have seen the introduction of Davis Harris' combination of manual derma-sanding with TCA peeling and Bruce Katz's flourhydroxy peel technique that combines 5-flourouracil with glycolic acid or Jessner's solution for treating actinic karatoses (rough, scaly, red or brown patches affecting more than half of elderly, fair-skinned persons in hot, sunny climates). A new era has probably evolved since 2000 combining the use of medium depth chemical peeling with new laser resurfacing agents. Research for newer modalities of skin resurfacing and anti-ageing skin care treatment to provide cost effective cosmetic procedures for skin rejuvenation for patients is still going on. According to the survey conducted by the AAPS a major share of the anti-ageing skin care treatment market ($661,947,461) involved chemical peels with 1,090,523 procedures performed in North America alone.( Read Microdermabrasion treatment costs for more details) The figures say that the chemical peeling is here to stay. References: Harold J. Brody, "A history of chemical peeling", Ophthalmol Clin N Am 18 (2005) 259 - 270 Marina Landau, "Advances in Deep Chemical Peels", Dermatology Nursing, (2005)176

Information on chemical peels - history of chemical peels