Properly executed, a dermatologist's chemical peels can put you on the fast track to younger-looking skin. But maybe you're not up for shelling out $150 a pop several times a year. Or perhaps the idea of carving out that kind of time is a quaint notion from your premom days. Or possibly the thought of a lab coat–clad professional looming over you with a cotton swab dipped in high-test acid scares the living bejesus out of you.
Happily, gentler alternatives are as near as your corner apothecary, in the form of the ever-expanding selection of drugstore anti-agers. Rather than packing an intense blast, these premoistened pads work their magic—exfoliating flaky skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines—in a slow, steady fashion. "Skin is a lot better off with a light peel on a regular basis than with something harsh less frequently," says New York City dermatologist Dennis Gross, whose MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel pads all but invented the category six years ago. Created to complement his in-office peels, they were at first given solely to patients; once word got out and demand skyrocketed, Gross took the plunge and brought them to the masses. "They keep the machinery of the skin—its cells—revved up," he says, "and perpetuate and augment the benefits of professional procedures."
An important distinction
The versions available in stores range in acid strength from 5 to 10 percent (versus 20 to 70 at the derm's office), and their look and feel are virtually identical across the board. The most important distinction among brands is that some include a second-step pad called a neutralizer, which soothes the skin with calming ingredients like vitamins, green-tea extract, and aloe.
"The single-step peels are just easier," says New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler. "They play into that down-and-dirty American mind-set of 'Get it done quickly or don't do it at all.'" And as long as users follow the directions, says Wechsler, one-step peels are usually perfectly safe and not too harsh.
"If a peel isn't neutralized, chances are it's pretty mild," says Fredric Brandt, a dermatologist in Miami. "But it's not as if single-step peels are better than two-step—they are just two roads to the same destination." As an extra hedge against potential irritation, Brandt recommends scrutinizing the label for the type of acid in a given peel. "Most of the alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic acid, require neutralization," he says. "Beta hydroxy acids, such as salicylic acid, don't. They kind of neutralize themselves."
Look before you leap
Still, as gentle as they are, nonprescription pads need to be used with caution: Wechsler recommends that newbies do a forearm test for three days before diving in full throttle. (The same goes for beauty junkies who brand hop.) Then start slowly, with no more than one application a week, always following it with sunscreen if it's in the morning. Should you experience irritation, scale back on acid strength; if it continues, consider ditching the pads entirely.
But if, on a cheerier note, your skin starts looking a bit more radiant—and you're finding that, postpad, your favorite miracle cream sinks right in like a dream—then you can get reacquainted with your lost youth.
