Fall Skincare Treatments to Put on Your Schedule Now

Three Fall Skincare Treatments: Chemical Peels, IPL, and Laser Resurfacing

As the warm, sunny days of summer transition into the cozy (but still warm!) hues of autumn, it’s time to rejuvenate and refresh your skin after all that beach and pool time. Fall is the perfect time to prioritize skincare treatments that address sun damage, pigmentation issues, and overall skin texture. Let’s discuss three highly effective treatments to consider this fall: chemical peels, the Photofacial using Broadband Light (BBL), and laser resurfacing. Read on to discover how these treatments can help you get that glow going.

Chemical Peels:

Chemical peels are a great way to tackle a range of skin concerns, including pore congestion, dullness, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. We love a bigger (read: more intensive, more peeling, more downtime) peel in the fall to correct any discoloration that appeared (or worsened) over the sunny summer months. Peels are especially helpful for those of us dealing with melasma, a form of muddy brown discoloration in the skin from the sun and hormones (read our post all about melasma here).

In a chemical peel, we apply a mixture of highly effective alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids and antioxidants to the skin, which exfoliates the outermost layers, revealing smoother, more vibrant skin underneath. There are lots of different single or combination acid peels that can be used depending on the goal of treatment. Book a consultation with a dermatologist to figure out what combo may be right for you.

Why is it important to wait until fall for this treatment? Chemical peels can cause temporary sensitivity to sunlight and also require avoidance of the sun while you are peeling, so the fall’s cooler temperatures and reduced sun exposure make it the right time to consider this treatment.

Photofacials, also known as Broadband Light (BBL)/Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy:

The Photofacial treatment, also known as Broadband Light therapy (BBL), is a versatile and effective laser treatment that utilizes intense pulsed light (IPL) to address discoloration in the skin. The Photofacial can help reduce the appearance of sunspots, freckles, age spots, and redness. Using specific filters of light, The Photofacial can precisely address different skin discoloration (for example, brown sun spots and redness from dilated blood vessels) all in one treatment, allowing for a customized treatment plan and clearer, brighter skin.

Why would you choose a Photofacial instead of a chemical peel? The Photofacial is our preferred treatment for discoloration in the form of sun freckles, while a chemical peel is generally better for discoloration from melasma. It also depends on what additional concerns you have – if you have a combination of brown and red discoloration, the Photofacial is for you. However if your main concerns are brown discoloration and dullness or pore congestion, a chemical peel may be your best bet.

Just like a chemical peel, a Photofacial can make your skin temporarily more sensitive to sunlight. So start looking into the cooler fall months to book this popular treatment.

Laser Resurfacing:

Laser resurfacing is a highly effective treatment for addressing more severe skin concerns, such as wrinkles, acne scars, and uneven skin texture. This procedure uses laser technology like CO2 or Erbium lasers, to precisely remove damaged skin layers or columns of skin, stimulating collagen production and revealing healthier, smoother skin.

Depending on the extent of your concerns, your dermatologist may recommend different intensity of settings for your laser resurfacing treatment. More intense treatments come with more downtime – in the form of redness, swelling, and sometimes open areas on the skin – but also give more effective results. Because of this downtime, you will want to plan for this treatment when you won’t have to go anywhere and when you definitely won’t be getting any sun exposure!

As the leaves change and the air becomes crisper, we start getting excited to do more peels, Photofacials, and laser resurfacing treatments on our patients. Which one of these fall skincare treatments will you be scheduling for fall? Let’s get it on the calendar now, so your skin can get back to glowing!