Learn what matters in preparing your skin for advanced treatments like chemical peels and microneedling, especially for skin of color.
The Importance of Skin Prep
Have you ever gotten a dark spot after an acne breakout? Or what about getting a cut on your body? That is the skin's natural response to inflammation. Our skin detects inflammation and immediately wants to protect it by increasing melanin production in that area. For fair skin types, it's less likely to occur, but the majority of our client base are people of color and we can confidently tell you that the risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation with chemical peels or microneedling is higher than you think if your skin is not properly prepped for the treatment. This is what makes our estheticians stand out as each and every one of us have taken additional training for treating melanated skin.
Skin Prep at Facework By Kim
We always start low and slow to ensure optimal results with very little risk. For beginners, enzyme facials are the best way to start to test the strength and reactivity of your skin which is typically done on your first consultation visit. This gives us an idea of what your skin can handle. Based on your budget and concerns, we might upgrade to Mini Peels which are no-downtime peels that have minimal sensation and aftercare instructions or even a Microneedling/Microchanneling treatment. Results can still be achieved with Mini Peels, but it's the deeper peels and microneedling where we see the fastest and most dramatic results. Other aggressive treatments will require following pre and post care instructions because the risk of adverse reactions are higher.
For fair skin, we may require a 2 week prep period with pigment inhibitors and daily SPF use for our aggressive treatments such as MandeliClear Peel or Green Sea Peel.
For medium to deep skin, we always require at least 4 months of pigment inhibitors and daily SPF use.
Skin Prep at HOME
Skin preparations at home will look like a consistent routine with daily SPF use, a gentle exfoliant used 1-2x/week to exercise the skin, and pigment (tyrosinase) inhibitors. SPF will strengthen your skin and reduce cellular damage while tyrosinase inhibitors work hard to minimize melanin production in the skin. For pigment inhibitors, we recommend Circadia's Serum 71 packed with azaleic acid, tranexamic acid and mandelic acid or Hydrinity's Vivid Brightening (Kim's fav), a hydrating brightening serum that has hexylresorcinol and oligopeptide-68.
We require professional grade pigment inhibitors as these products are created specifically for the treatments we provide. Unfortunately, with over the counter products and the massive amounts of products available, it is too hard to determine which ones actually work in order for us to feel safe providing corrective treatments for you. We always recommend the products we carry as these are the products recommended for the treatments we provide by the company themselves, but we can make exceptions for other professional brands that we are familiar with but do not carry, for example products from your dermatologist office, medspa, or previous esthetician.
Here are some amazing pigment inhibiting products we carry in store:
Kim’s Choice: Hydrinity Vivid Brightening, a serum using dual weight hyaluronic acid to bring brighteners like hexylresorcinol and oligopeptide-68 deep into the skin while keeping the skin juicy and moisturized.
Epicutis Arctigenin Brightening Treatment, a serum containing 5x more arctigenin than burdock seed oil that blocks multiple pathways of pigment production while reducing inflammation.
Circadia Radiant Veil Brightener (formerly known as White Veil Brightener), a light-weight moisturizer with Sepi-White MSH, oligopeptide-68, and chromabright.
Circadia Licorice and Bearberry Mist, a super gentle and hydrating botanical mist for brightening.
Circadia Radiant Brightening Serum (formerly known as Bright White), a potent spot treating serum containing trans-resveratrol, tetrahexldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C), and phenylethyl resorcinol.
Circadia Amandola Milk Cleanser, a gentle milky cleanser with lactic acid.
Circaida Serum 71, an all-in-one serum targeting wrinkles, pigment, texture, and acne with a combination acid trio of tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, and mandelic acid.
Questions? Need to pick up product? Send us a text at 971-385-5730 or schedule your consultation today!
Special note: Green Sea peel has a specific skin prep item to be used 2 weeks before, please text us to pick one up.
Written by: Kim Moua, Owner and Licensed Esthetician