Skin Deep

A journey into the realm of medical peels

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Admit it: when you hear the words “chemical peel,” a little piece of your mind goes to that image of Samantha from Sex and the City, painfully red and looking as though she just lost all of her facial skin. So did mine. But, in the spirit of good journalism and Seamist Medspa’s promise that that image was all Hollywood fiction, I gave it a shot. From the moment I opened the frosted double doors and entered the mossy green spa, I was warmly greeted by Shellie at the front desk and then met owner, Ellen Scobie. We walked past two other rooms where an array of non-invasive pieces of equipment sat, awaiting clients in need of lazer treatments for hair removal, facial and leg vein reduction as well as age spot removal. Other facial treatments include microdermabrasion and medical grade chemical peels. As Ellen says, “Chemical has a negative connotation. I like to say ingredients. Our peels use mostly fruit and plant derived acids.”

Ellen is a licensed nurse, and she knows what she is talking about. One thing that was constantly at the forefront of our conversation was her philosophy of less preaching and more listening. She wanted to understand what my skincare questions and concerns were. At no point did she say, “You could really use this.” In fact, she will point a client in the opposite direction of a treatment she desires if it is unnecessary. “The goal is not an overdone face. The goal is healthy skin and to age gracefully,” she says. Because of her medical background, she is very aware of the body dysmorphic disorders that plague some individuals, and she is not here to encourage that. The health of her clients is more important to her; this is why I felt comfortable and why I trusted her.

When you’re getting your first chemical peel, trust is a big thing. It sounds scary, but a chemical peel is just a super exfoliating treatment that takes away your dead skin cells, leaving refreshed new ones behind and promoting healthy cellular turnover. While Ellen was prepping my face, I was pleased that everything touching the sensitive skin was soft, soothing and gentle. After the prep, a soft sponge removed any dirt and oil, a few pads were placed over my eyes, and then the glycolic acid – a natural ingredient derived from sugar products – was lightly applied. After a minute or so and a light tingle, she padded on a neutralizing product, spritzed on a cooling organic chamomile and rose spray, which smelled incredible, then painted my face with a cooling and moisturizing cream. Five minutes of relaxation later, she removed the cream and gave me another spritz of the amazing spray and voila! I looked in the mirror and you know what I saw? No redness. No discoloration. My skin was literally glowing. Ellen even said that I have beautiful skin, and with her help I can keep it that way.

seamist medspa, ellen scobie, south kingstown, south county commons, wakefield, chemical peel, facial, skincare, skin, treatment, spa, beauty, so rhode island

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