After the birth of my children, my skin changed. Dark melasma splotches would pop up seemingly overnight and no matter what “lightening” products I bought, my skin looked awful. A (probably) well-meaning woman at Sephora looked at me with mercy before showing me heavier foundations to wear in order to mask my uneven skin tone. But I didn’t like wearing so much makeup and I felt like the overall effect made me look much older. In a panic, I Googled someone to fix the melasma problem. After enduring two procedures with her, my skin looked even worse.

Then, we moved to Boulder and I found Leah. She explained that my skin tone was not a good candidate for the procedures that had been done before and prescribed me a series of peels and products to heal and peel my skin plus a maintenance routine. After only 5 peels over the course of 9 months, my skin looked remarkable. Now, I get ~3-4 per year as maintenance followed by microderm/petite facials 3 weeks later, and get compliments on my skin! Of course, I also bathe in Elta sunscreen and have a serious hat collection to create my own shade year-round. Leah’s approach was kind, gentle, and modern while also taking into account what I was and wasn’t willing to do at home. As silly as it may sound, the peels salvaged and restored my self-confidence. She proved out the motto: skin first, makeup second.

About Chemical Peels at Leah Nickie Advanced Aesthetics, a MedSpa

Some people refer to chemical peels as a skin reboot.

Here’s what they can do for you:

Improve the texture of your skin
Increase the cell turnover rate of your skin
Improve your skin’s ability to hold moisture
Help your skin produce more collagen
Reduce fine lines
Decrease hyperpigmentation
Unclog pores and help clear up acne
Leave your skin smooth
Make your skin softer
Make your skin look more even-toned
Give you a “glow”
Make your skin look dewy
Improve minor scarring

Who should get peel?

Anyone over age 25 (younger if you are struggling with acne or pigmentation)
Someone looking to improve skin tone, texture, signs of aging

Who should not get peels?

Someone who is pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
Someone who is taking Accutane or recently discontinued Accutane
Someone who is undergoing treatment for cancer

How to prepare for a peel:

Stop using Accutane & Retinol **No Peels for 6 months after stopping Accutane and 1 week after stopping Retinol**
Get any brow or facial waxing taken care of a week before your peel. You won’t be able to wax for about 14 days after your peel.
No hot workouts 48 hours post-peel (no heated yoga or extreme, strenuous sports)
The best effects are from clients who get a series of 3 peels over 3-6 months. As a package, they can be bought for $355 and the effects can last for up to 6 months.

What if feels like:

It ranges from tingly, to itchy, to a little warm. At LNAA we have products and tricks to make it as comfortable as possible and we monitor every second of the peel for performance.
It is not painful.

Can you go back to work afterward?

With a wash of Vitamin C and sunscreen on your face plus your eye makeup intact, you can go back to work afterward but you will look shiny -- in Boulder, no one seems to notice.

How to care for your skin post-peel:

We will send you home with a PCA Post Procedure kit that lasts about 5-7 days to nourish and care for your skin with gentle products containing anti-inflammatories and soothing agents for maximum effect and minimal downtime from the peeling that starts 36 to 72 hours after the procedure.
DO NOT pull or pick at the peeling skin; this will irritate your fresh, new, glowing skin that is emerging and could lead to discoloration or scarring.
Instead, use a baby washcloth or just your fingers and warm water with the PCA cleanser to gently remove the peeling skin that is ready to come off. These wisps of skin usually start peeling away near the nose and mouth first.
Do not use any mechanical or enzymatic facials scrubs, or your Clarisonic for 10 days
Use sunscreen 24x7 to protect your new skin (yes, even on cloudy or stormy days or indoors) OK, you don’t actually have to use SPF when you are sleeping ;-)