What is Fruit Acid Revitalization Treatment?
The main component of fruit acids used in dermatology is alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are mainly derived from various fruits, hence the common name fruit acids. Developed by Dr. Van Scott and Dr. Yu, it is a highly effective and safe superficial peeling medical aesthetic treatment offered exclusively to and performed by physicians.
What is the mechanism of fruit acid peeling?
(a) Regulates the process of keratinization, that is, cell renewal; (i) by loosening the adhesions (bridges) between keratinocytes on the surface of the skin, fruit acids separate and shed the excessive accumulation of keratinocytes, making the keratin layer denser and smoother; (ii) prevents and unblocks the hair follicles.
(b) Activate the renewal of epidermal cells and accelerate skin metabolism; reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the skin, restoring the skin to a more youthful state.
(c) Stimulate dermal cell renewal and collagen production, thus, (i) improving skin elasticity and tone; (ii) reducing fine lines and wrinkles of the skin
(d) Enhances skin moisture retention. (i) the hydrophilic group in the molecular structure of fruit acid enhances the water grasping ability of the epidermis; (ii) fruit acid stimulates the production of dermal mucopolysaccharide and enhances the hydration ability of dermal cells.
What diseases can be treated by fruit acid revitalization?
After more than 40 years of continuous improvement, fruit acid revitalization technology has become very mature and safe. In dermatology, fruit acids can be used to treat many kinds of conditions: such as acne (including pimples, pustules and pimples), acne marks, mild acne pits, post-laser hyperpigmentation, aging skin (such as fine lines, wrinkles, roughness, large pores, etc.), and periorbital keratosis (also known as chicken skin).
Why is fruit acid skin treatment only carried out in hospitals and not in beauty salons?
The operation process of fruit acid peel is very strict and the operators must be highly trained to ensure that they do not cause harm to the patients and give them the best treatment results. In the dermatology department of a public hospital, it is usually done by a doctor and a nurse who work together to accurately record the concentration of the fruit acids during the peel, the duration of the peel, and the patient’s tolerance level during the peel. This gives a good guarantee of patient safety, so fruit acid peels are usually performed in public hospital dermatology or cosmetic departments.
How safe is fruit acid peel?
First of all, fruit acids are relatively safe as they are extracted from fruits; secondly, the fruit acids currently carried out in dermatology are superficial controlled peels, which are safe as long as they are done properly.
What is the general procedure of fruit acid peeling?
The operator will first help you to cleanse your face, then will protect your skin around the eyes, mouth and lips, nasolabial folds, and recently injured skin on the face with white petroleum jelly, next will apply a certain concentration of fruit acids to your face, neutralize the fruit acids on the face at the right time according to each patient’s skin tolerance level, and finally finish the treatment with a combination of cold spray and mask treatment. Of course, these are very simple introductions, so that patients do have a good idea of the operation, the operation can only be completed in the medical staff, patients must not operate on their own!
What should I pay attention to after the treatment?
(a) The skin recovery time is approximately one week after the treatment (which may be shortened or extended depending on the patient’s skin condition). During the skin recovery period, any slight irritation, itching, burning, dryness, flaking or slight redness or crusting are normal reactions. If there is discomfort such as itching and burning sensation, ice can be applied appropriately; if dryness and flaking of the skin are obvious, moisturizing can be enhanced (using moisturizing products such as masks or lotions that have been used in the past without allergic reactions); a very small number of patients may have blisters and redness that are obvious and it is recommended to return to the hospital for consultation.
(b) After the first one or two treatments of fruit acid revitalization, acne symptoms may worsen than before. This is because fruit acid removes excessive accumulation of keratin on the surface of the skin, reducing the blockage of the follicle opening and causing lesions that were previously latent in the deeper layers of the skin to emit. This is a good sign, please stick to the treatment, acne symptoms will be improved in general.
(c) After the treatment, you should pay attention to sun protection, mainly physical sun protection (wearing a mask, hat, umbrella); if you have to be exposed to the sun for a long time, you should use a neutral sunscreen product with an SPF of 15 or more (not recommended for patients with closed acne, as it may aggravate pore blockage).
(d) The following behaviors should be avoided after the treatment: bruising, picking, scraping, scratching, exposure to sunlight or light simulating sunlight, wearing tight hair bands or hats in the treatment area, etc.
(e) The treatment of fruit acid is usually 4-5 times for a course of treatment. During the course of treatment, you should come to the hospital in time as prescribed by the doctor and stop using makeup, foundation, BB cream, isolation cream and other products that can aggravate pore blockage.
A collection of questions that patients are more concerned about in fruit acid skin treatment.
(a) Will my skin become thinner and more sensitive after fruit acid treatment?
Fruit acids only remove excessive accumulation of aging keratin, long-term use will not only not make the skin thinner, but also increase the thickness of the epidermis and the composition of elastic fibers, collagen fibers and mucopolysaccharides in the dermis, so that the overall thickness of the skin increases, making the skin fuller, smoother and more elastic, unless the use of inappropriate high concentration of fruit acid peels, otherwise it is impossible for general fruit acid wraps to make the skin thinner.
(b) Can fruit acids be used for a long time?
Of course you can, fruit acids are divided into therapeutic fruit acids AHA, such as hydroxyacetic acid, with small molecular weight and obvious effect, but they are mainly used for treatment. After the patient’s skin symptoms improve, the second generation of fruit acids, PHA, can be used as long-term maintenance to keep the skin in the best condition. Long-term use can improve various skin aging symptoms.
(c) Who can’t do fruit acids?
1. Those who are allergic to hydroxyacetic acid.
2, viral diseases such as active herpes simplex and common warts (all refer to the face).
3, abnormally sensitive skin.
4, history of hypertrophic keloid or keloid scarring.
5. insufficient protection against light/sunburn.
6. Pregnancy.
7. having used or taken retinoids orally within 1 month.
8. currently using anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, etc.
9, has recently undergone surgery (with a healing wound).
10, has recently undergone radiation therapy.
11, have done freezing, electrolysis, hair dyeing, perming, waxing, skin grinding, hair removal, etc. within 1 month.
12. other special diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, diabetes, collagen disease, etc.
(d) Which type of acne is most effectively treated with fruit acid revitalization? How many times can I see the effect?
①Fruit acid skin treatment is effective for mild to moderate (grade I-III) acne and superficial acne scars.
②It is more effective on blackheads than on whiteheads. For the treatment of pustular acne, the pustules can be cleared with ice and oral medication. Or we can combine red and blue light to control the inflammation first, and then carry out the fruit acid treatment to eliminate the acne marks and regulate the keratinization.
To achieve the best results, it is necessary to insist on the completion of 1-2 courses of treatment.
(e) Is the higher the concentration, the better the results?
The concentration and dwell time of the acid is related to the depth of treatment, and its selection depends on the treatment target (indication), the patient’s skin response and the patient’s expectations. For example: for acne scars, we need to achieve dermal exfoliation, then the concentration of acid is increased and the dwell time is extended. If treating superficial pigmentation, the concentration can be maintained at this concentration after raising it to 35%, and the efficacy can be enhanced by extending the dwell time (no more than 5 minutes).
(f) What should I pay attention to when applying the acid?
①Apply the acid evenly ②After brushing once, you can stay for a while to observe the skin’s reaction and then reapply on the area that needs to be intensified. For beginners, repeated brushing is not recommended to avoid burns caused by excessive acid absorption by the skin.
(g) What kind of patients need to be cautious when choosing a fruit acid revitalization treatment?
In addition to the contraindications of fruit acid peels, patients with active acne, active melasma, and those on oral contraceptives are also not suitable for fruit acid peels.
(h) Can fruit acids cause skin allergies?
No. Fruit acids do not cause skin irritation, but may cause irritation. This is because antigens or non-antigens must be large molecules, and fruit acids have very small molecular weights and do not constitute antigens.
(I) What should I do in case of post-operative discoloration?
Usually post-operative hyperpigmentation will heal on its own over time. For faster pigmentation, topical whitening products such as L-VC can be used. pigmentation is slow to recover and another round of skin revitalization should not be performed until the patient’s pigmentation abnormalities have recovered.