What is An Enzymatic Peel?

Have you ever noticed how the skin tends to dry out and become flaky or itchy? This is caused by dryer air and from temperature changes between indoor to outdoor (1). To fight dryness it is necessary to hydrate, exfoliate and use a richer skin care regime in order to prevent unwanted symptoms like a scaly nose or dry skin patches. Enzymatic peelings are the best way to promote the skin cells renewal process, thus to optimally prepare the skin for the warmer months.

An enzymatic or enzyme peel is a product that uses enzymes to peel the top layers of the skin. This is done by breaking down the keratin protein found in dead skin cells, resulting in a smoother, fresher complexion. This procedure also encourages the turnover of new skin cells that reveals a more youthful texture and brighter skin.

So what do I get from an enzymatic peel?

An enzyme peel is one of the gentlest methods of exfoliation. It’s not done with harsh chemicals that often cause irritation, but with fruit enzymes, making it suitable even for sensitive, dark or acne-prone skin.

The most commonly used enzymes are papain, obtained from papaya juice and bromelain, extracted from both pineapple juice and stalks. Given their non acidic content, enzyme peels are usually limited to the skin surface, that’s why they are safe to use on a weekly basis and they are ideal for sensitive skin types or people who just want to start with a light peel.

An enzymatic peel helps improve the texture of the skin which, in turns, minimizes the look of pores, fine lines and has an overall brightening effect. This is a useful product for every skin type, and in particular for congested, acne-prone skin with uneven tones and red, dark spots.

What is the difference between an enzymatic peels and chemical peels?

An enzymatic peel is not a mechanical exfoliator, it doesn’t rub your skin like abrasive products or microdermabrasion, and it doesn’t melt dead cells from the top layers of the skin, like chemical peels do. Instead, it stimulates the natural exfoliating process. It enhances natural processes in your skin so that it can get rid of dead cells, promote cell renewal, purify pores and improve the overall texture and elasticity.

Enzyme peels don’t irritate skin like chemical peels or microdermabrasion might do, they don’t contain acids and because of that  the skin’s pH remains balanced.

While enzyme peels may be purchased over the counter, medium and deep chemical peels, as well as microdermabrasion, should only be performed by a specialist.