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Suzanne Harrison

'I HATE HAVING facials,' says the youthful-looking Central-based dentist. 'But I do a glycolic peel once a month for maintenance.' It obviously works - for her, anyway. But what is a peel?

Gycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), a natural substance derived from sugar cane. According to the Southside Medical Centre in Repulse Bay, it's  an effective superficial peel  that improves the look of  ageing skin by stimulating all  its  layers.  It works on the outer (corneal),  dead-skin  layer.

'As skin ages, this layer becomes thick and uneven, giving a sallow, lacklustre look,' says general practitioner Brigitte Schlaikier, who regularly does the peel on herself. 'AHA returns the corneal layer to a thinner, more even state.'

It can also increase the thickness of the middle (epidermis) layer, which tends to become thinner with age,  by increasing the number of healthy cells.

'Skin will be more hydrated and  less prone to irritation by harsh external environmental factors,' Schlaikier says.

AHA can also boost the level of collagen in the deep (dermal) layer.   Loss of collagen leads to wrinkles, sagging, diluted pores and loss of elasticity.

The treatment also help improve pigmentation, acne and acne-prone skin, and dry and sensitive skin. Best of all, you can walk out  afterwards without any recovery time - although Schlaikier says  some people have slight redness for a few days.

'AHA can help exfoliate the sun-damaged layer,' says dermatologist Tinny Ho Tin-yee.  'But, more importantly, it has been  proven to stimulate the growth of collagen and epidermal cells inside the skin.' As a result, the skin structure actually becomes younger. 'It's not just, as some advertisements say, 'Peel away the old skin to reveal the younger skin beneath' [like an onion],' says Ho. 'It actually grows better, healthier, structurally younger skin.'

Glycolic peels are  a good maintenance treatment for someone with  fairly healthy skin, says Ho.

Schlaikier says she performs about five peels a week in the surgery. It's best to start with a series of four to eight treatments, two to six weeks apart, she says.

Ho says people can have an AHA peel every week, depending on the purpose of the treatment.   The most common  are  once every two weeks for acne, but every three to four weeks is fine.

For those wanting to improve the texture of their skin, she recommends treatment every month for six months, with maintenance peels every three months, plus home-use AHA products.

Schlaikier says AHA peels work gently and gradually, unlike chemical peels, which require a long recovery time.

Usually, people do it for a boost because  they want to look fresher,' Schlaikier says. 'Sometimes, they do it for dry skin or rosacea. It's also  good for treating acne. Most people find that  their friends say their skin looks brighter.'

The most common concern  people have is whether  the treatment can damage their skin. Ho says it doesn't harm skin - unless you're allergic to AHA, or the concentration is too high.

Nonetheless, Ho says it's important  for clients not to use other chemical exfoliants such as BHAs (beta-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid or physical exfoliants (home-use micro-dermabrasion) without first  consulting their doctor.

'If you go out in the sun, using vitamin C and glycolic acid can actually leave you more susceptible, because they take off the dead-skin armour that's sitting on your skin,' says US-based dermatologist Laurie Polis in  How to be Beautiful, by Kathleen Baird-Murray (Random House).

'So, it's extra important to protect yourself from the sun when you're using these things,' says Polis,  who maintains her skin by alternating facials with glycolic peels and micro-dermabrasions once each season. 'I am currently using retinoid at night, a vitamin C in the morning and a glycolic cleanser,' she says in the book.

Having an AHA peel is  simple.  The Southside centre offers it as a four-step process that takes just over 20 minutes. First, your skin is cleansed and prepared with  a pre-peel lotion. The AHA solution is then painted on.

The  concentration  is based on your skin type.  The centre says the treatment is stopped when your skin has reached what it calls the 'optimal time', which is usually  one to five minutes. The peel is removed  with a neutralising-solution spray that  feels like a cleansing shower over your face. After that, a  mask is applied to  calm your skin.

Schlaikier strongly advises using sun screen and avoiding the sun afterwards.   How much does a peel cost? An individual session at a  doctor's surgery is HK$1,000 to HK$1,200, and a package of five or six sessions is HK$4,000 to HK$5,500.

AHA can also be applied to your back, arms and chest, and there are options other than glycolic, including  lactic, malic, citric and tartaric.    Facials with lactic-acid products aren't uncommon in some local, high-end spas. Beauty Clinic by Su in Central, for instance, offers a package of 10 for about HK$640 per session.

There are a growing number of home-use peel products,  but author Paula Begoun  says to be careful to avoid  lookalikes, such as sugarcane extract, mixed-fruit acids and citrus extract.

'Unless you see glycolic, lactic, malic, tartaric or citric acid on the ingredients' list, it's all too vague and meaningless, making it impossible to determine what you are really buying,' she says on her website. 'My advice is to be very suspicious of any product that claims an association with AHAs, but contains a variety of sound-alike ingredients.'

Begoun also warns against high concentrations of AHA. 'Removing the outer layer of skin can be taken too far, and many cosmetic dermatologists and researchers worry that the increased irritation and exfoliation caused by higher concentrations [above 10 per cent] of AHAs may be too much for skin,' she says.

'Without more evidence showing a benefit from higher concentrations, I feel that you can achieve great results without any unwanted side-effects. Further, the positive results women and men perceive with higher concentrations of AHAs may come from the swelling and edema they cause. That may diminish the appearance of wrinkles and make the skin feel smoother, but it's most likely not best for the long-term health of skin due to the increased amount of constant irritation.'

Ho  varies the concentration, depending on the client.  Home-use products have a set concentration, which may not suit everyone, she says.

For those wanting to give  the treatment a try at home, Natura Bisse has launched a new line to treat damaged and dull-looking skin. Glycoline  contains glycolic acid and has a 4.5pH balance.  Natura Bisse says it's suitable for all skin types. The range (available at Lane Crawford stores) includes GlycoPeeling 25 per cent (HK$1,300/30ml)  and GlycoPeeling Plus 50 per cent (HK$1,950/30ml).

Neutrogena has included  AHA in  its latest Pore Refining Peel (HK$259/50gm).  The company says the maximum  concentration allowed in over-the-counter products is 10 per cent, but that its peel 'has been clinically proven to deliver results up to a 20-30 per cent glycolic peel - with less irritation'.



Young as you peel