Azelan peel
Azelan peel is a procedure of chemical cleaning of upper layers of facial skin. This procedure is useful for people with dermatologic problems: rosacea, acne, couperose and other abnormal changes of skin covering.
As a rule, azelan peel is applied from 5 to 12 times with intervals of 1-2 weeks. Depending on condition of skin and current tasks the consulting cosmetologist chooses the necessary concentration of active substances, length of applying and number of procedures.
One of azelan peel types is Krulig peel. It was named after the doctor, who invented it. Its peculiarity is that the upper layer of the skin does not peel, but becomes anhydrous. At the end of the procedure the upper layer of the skin is peeled off like a tenuous film.
So this can be called the peel of mid levels of the skin, but the consequences are not so negative. But still the skin needs tender care after this peel (defense, moistening and feeding). Kruling peel helps to get rid of freckles, small lines, toneless face color, pigmented spots and stretch marks.
Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic saturated carboxylic acid. It has all the chemical properties common for carboxylic acids. Azelaic acid is produced by the process of ozonolysis or by oxidation of oleic acid or linolic acid.
Chemical properties of azelaic acid are the following:
1. It produces antimicrobial effect, directed onto bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and Staphyloccocus epidermidis bacteria.
2. It serves as natural antioxidant and anti inflammatory agent.
3. It brings to balance processes of keratinization in sebaceous glands of face skin in cases of their intense disorder, boosts self-cleaning of these glands, eliminates comedones and prevents appearance of blackheads.
4. It reduces hyperpigmentation, slows overgrowth of melanocytes and proliferation of keratinocytes.
5. It inhibits activity of 5-alpha-reductase, slows production of biological skin fat, normalizes production of sebum.
6. Some manufactures put it into some professional or home cosmetic as a buffer cell for pH regulation in them.
Azelan peel releases the skin from the following problems (that is prescriptions for that peeing):
1. Demodex (acarian, living in canals of sebaceous glands and shaft of hair follicles, causing acne eruption).
2. Acne and pitted acne scars.
3. Ingrown hairs.
4. Superpigmentation of any kind.
5. Couperose.
6. Epifolliculitis.
7. Rosacea.
8. Photodegradation.
9. Seborrheic dermatitis.
10. Melasma.
This peel also is used for preparation of face skin to deep cleaning and laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion and other deep cosmetological procedures.
Azelan peel has several precautions:
1. solution of continuity of epidermis.
2. pregnancy and breastfeeding.
3. exacerbation of herpes.
4. allergy to components of the peel.
5. any other inflammatory processes not specified in the precautions.

Advantages of azelan peel are the following:
Applying azelaic acid is considered one of the most sparing procedures, that’s why it is popular enough. It does not cause skin flaking. Moreover this procedure is not traumatic if there are no deep mechanical damages and inflammations on the skin.
Azelan peeling is endured quite easily. It produces soft irritating effect on the upper layers of the skin, does not require long recovery time. This means that after visiting the cosmetologist it will be possible to return to the daily routine literally after a couple of hours unlike skin cleaning procedures with other fruit acids.
After procedure of azelan peeling pathogenic germs don’t develop resistance, as it is common for antibiotics. So frequent using this peeling is possible and useful thanks to firm bacteriostatic effect.
Azelaic acid does not cause keratosis of upper layers of the skin, that’s why curative effect is reached without unpleasant side effects: blocking of sebaceous glands canals and appearing of comedone.
Azelaic acid helps people with darker skin tones to fight superpigemntation after acne eruption more effectively than other cosmetic units.
Preparation before peeling
1. Before visiting the cosmetologist for chemical peeling procedure with azelaic acid it is necessary to prepare the full anamnesis with list of supposed reasons, why the face skin needs this procedure. This will help the doctor to find out possible allergy to components of the peel, precautions, compatibility with other medical agents, which are taken by the person, and many other facts.
2. Basing on analyzes results and after personal consultation the cosmetologist estimates state of health in the whole and state of face skin in particular in order to make the individual course of preparation before the peel, take into consideration technology of the procedure and choose cosmetic units for facial care after the procedure.
3. During preparation to the peeling at home it is necessary to regularly apply soft moisturizing creams or Alpha Hydroxy Acids Fluids which will gradually prepare the skin to the major components of the peel and will strengthen their effect. If for some reasons it was impossible to prepare the skin to azelan peel with the help of special cosmetic units, it is necessary to inform the cosmetologist about that, so that the cosmetologist uses the minimal time of the first procedure. However specialists recommend paying attention to preparation to the peel, so that the face skin does not respond to the chemical substance with some unexpected and negative reaction.
4. It is obligatory to make skin allergy test to azelaic acid. Several days before the procedure some peel should be put onto bend of elbow, and then reaction of the skin is estimated.
Stages of azelan peel
1. Cleansing. As a rule, a cosmetologist uses cosmetic milk with glycolic acid and natural moisturizing components.
2. Skin defatting. It is performed with solution of glycolic acid for removing remains of cleaner and homogeneous defatting of the skin. This provides deep penetration of azelaic acid.
3. Defense of tender skin areas. It is performed with some cosmetics having polymers of silicone and other protective chemical combinations, protecting corners of eyes, lips and mucous areas from contacting the acid.
4. Performing the procedure of peel. As a rule, 15-30% azelaic acid with pH of 1.8-3 is diluted by the cosmetologist in the special anti-bacterial liquid. The cosmetologist applies the peel on the face skin and rubs it in with massage movements till complete cessation of finger sliding within 6-7 minutes. After that the peel is removed with distilled cool water. The face skin is soaked with napkins till complete drying of the liquid. Depending on preparation formula time of applying the peel may vary.
5. Applying some special cosmetics. Azelan peel procedure obligatory includes applying the finishing preparation which stays on the face skin within 4-6 hours and soothes the blood vessels for preventing spider veins. Usually strengthening bioconcentrate is produced in ampoules. It has retinol, Glycyrrhiza extract, concentrated vitamin E, lactic acid and other components.
Facial care after azelan peel at home: goals and stages
Facial care after chemical peel is as important as the procedure itself. The result of the procedure and absence of possible sequalae depend upon that facial care.
If face skin is sensitive or a problem one, the specialist may prescribe 1-2 special recovery procedures, relieving the recovery time, and recommend some cosmetics for tender facial care at home.
Importance of facial care during recovery time after azelan peel can be explained by the following reasons:
- fast discomfort relief after chemical peel,
- preventing ingress of infection into the skin,
- protecting the supersensitive tissues from sunlight and ecological pollution,
- speeding regeneration of epidermis and its deep moistening.
The cosmetologist, who makes procedure of azelan peel, will for sure recommend using some cosmetic products from the manufacturer who produced the peel. Facial care after the peel will help to smooth the skin, give the face well-coiffed look, enrich it with vitamins, strengthen the effect from normalization of metabolic processes and prevent from inflammatory processes. Within 2 weeks after the last procedure it is necessary to hold back from visiting solarium, public swimming pools and saunas, so that pathogenic bacteria do not penetrate into deep tissues through unprotected areas of the skin.
Stages of daily facial care after the peel are the following:
1. Cleansing the upper layers of the skin with cosmetic milk for removing make up and pollution.
2. Softening and feeding with non-comedogenic caring fluids with light texture (preferably produced by the same manufacture who produces the peel).
3. Creating the defensive layer, protecting the face from superpigmenttion because of UV-rays with light sunblock creams with SPF of 30 and anti-bacterial gels.
Depending on skin state and its reaction to azelaic acid the care after the peel is made within 10-14 days after the last procedure. It is necessary to protect the skin from negative factors between the procedures.
Repetition of the course of azelan peeling is possible in half a year after finish of recovery.
Photo. Azelan peel before and after 2 procedures

Complications, possible after procedures of azelan peel
As majority of peels of top and middle layers, azelan peel is connected with some possible complications, but with high qualification of the cosmetologist all of them can be removed during correctly organized recovery period.
Complications, common for azelan peel, are divided onto immediate, appearing at the regeneration stage (2-4 weeks after the course) and steady (from the 4th-10th week of the recovery time).
Possible immediate complications are the following:
1. Dehydration of skin, which means overdrying. This complication is removed by applying soothing gel, beauty masks with collagen and beauty masks made of oil rich cream with extracts of aloe, tea olive and chamomile.
2. Facial cutaneous edema. This complication is removed with moistening agents (liquids or gels with antioxidant agents), reconstructing normal epidermal barrier.
3. Exacerbation of herpetic infection, which can cause appearance of cicatrices. This problem is solved with course of classical antiherpetic therapy with acyclovir and Valtrex (unctures or morsuluses).
4. Skin infections. It happens because of violation of aseptic rules during the care after the peel. The complications is quickly solved with standard antibiotics: oxycort, kefzol, baneocin.
5. Allergies. They can happen if the patient did not submit to a blood test for acceptability of azelaic acid before the procedures.
Complications, happening during the regeneration period:
1. Erythema. It is cured with cancellation of visiting saunas, swimming pools and solariums and with applying some special medical preparations: omega 3 aliphatic acids, hepatrombin, creams with arnica extract. Sometimes it is necessary to apply photocoagulation or microcurrent therapy for recovering blood circulation on skin cells.
2. Superpigmentation. Careful preparation to peel within 1-1.5 months is recommended for superpigmentation precaution. Moreover it is prohibited to be below direct sunlight without applying sunblocking fluids. During the first weeks after the peel it is advisable to apply preparations containing natural antioxidants for anti-inflammatory therapy. If superpigmentation has already appeared, it is necessary to get rid of it with the help of skin whitening preparations.
3. Seborrhoea and acne exasperation. These complications are common for patients who received the course of peel procedures with oily and dehydrated skin. Some cosmetologists do not recommend to solve these side effects, because the skin normalizes itself 2-3 months after the afterpeel care. Sometimes the following preparations are prescribed: Aevitum and Zinkteral, anti-inflammatory gels: Zinerit, Skinoren, Curiosin and some others.
4. Hypersensitivity of the skin. Patients with slow regeneration can have this complication. It is solved with long apply of light cosmetical creams with natural oils: shea butter, grape seed extract, evening primrose extract, hyaluronic acid, placenta infusions and many others.
5. Enlarged pores. This side effect does not have to be cosmetologically solved. It is just enough to apply spirit free tonics.
Here are some possible steady changes appearing after recovery time:
1. Depigmentation. This problem is solved with decorative cosmetics, but it sets some limits onto permanent make-up.
2. Cheloid scars. They are removed with cryo-therapy, ozone therapy and course of triamcinolone injections. In case of personal habit to scar tissue appearing the precaution is recommended. The preventing measures are possible with silicone plasters for outward applications (Contractubex).
Tags: peel