Did you know that applying alpha hydroxy face and body peels can help prevent the development of skin cancer? Alpha Hydroxy skin peels are concentrated exfoliants that use mandelic, lactic, pyruvic and glycolic alpha hydroxy’s to strip the skin’s top layers to reveal a new, fresh complexion. Skin peels are not just for vanity – they can help strip the skin of precancerous cells, thus preventing the disease from taking hold.

Many people head to the spa for skin and body peels to enhance their beauty, de-stress, or for other so-called "cosmetic" purposes. Science now points to other healthful benefits, which include cancer prevention. We’ve all heard the best steps to overcoming the most deadly form of skin cancer (melanoma) is prevention & early detection. Well studies show that people who receive alpha hydroxy skin peels on a regular basis have less risk of skin cancer and are actually preventing the occurrence by removing precancerous sun spots. Peels are effective for treating non-melanoma skin cancers, and to keep the skin in better overall shape from sun damage and sun spots. Alpha Hydroxy peels can prevent precancerous lesions or "sun spots" from growing on the skin. Areas of sun damage which may contain pre-cancerous keratoses that appear as scaly spots improve after skin peeling. Following treatment, new pre-cancerous lesions are less likely to appear.

The American Cancer Society states that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed in the United States each year. Most skin cancers are caused by excessive exposure to the sun's UV rays. Avoiding sun exposure, checking the skin regularly for abnormal changes and treating precancerous skin lesions, such as actinic keratosis, can help prevent skin cancer from developing.

Actinic keratosis is a precancerous skin condition that usually appears as flesh or pink-colored rough spots on the ears, face, hands, and other sun-exposed areas of the skin. Actinic keratosis affects an estimated 10 million Americans according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Make sure to treat sun damaged skin such as actinic keratosis with alpha hydroxy peels. Our T4 10% Mandelic and 15% Glycolic Face & Body Peels use natural acid ingredients to strip the top layer of skin which causes damaged skin to peel away. New, healthy skin can then grow in its place.

Keep in mind cosmeceutical product daily maintenance regimens are proven to boost skin health along with weekly alpha hydroxy skin peeling and are vitally important if you choose a more aggressive route for anti-aging skin rejuvenation. Combining a peel with a melanin inhibitor such as T4 Skin Care’s Sun & Age Spot Remover, a fast-acting spot treatment, helps accelerate the exfoliation of dark spots while suppressing melanin production. In addition, use T4’s 20% Vitamin C Super Serum w/ B3, B5, E & Ferulic, a powerful lightening treatment that stimulates the skin’s immune cells to prevent abnormal melanin production for a more even skin tone. It is also a potent anti-oxidant that provides protection against skin damage induced by UV radiation.

Studies prove that creams and serums containing vitamins A and C can significantly reduce your chances of skin cancer. As an added benefit, these vitamins also reverse some of the other effects of sun exposure, such as wrinkling, dark spots and a sallow appearance to the skin. Make sure to use our Extreme Retinol Treatment Crème with 1 Million I.U. Units of Vitamin A or our popular T4 Collagen Boosting Face Repair Crème that contains both Vitamin C & Retinol. But most important, use one of T4 Skin Care’s two different SPF 30 titanium and/or zinc oxide, broad spectrum physical sun blocks 365 days a year and get your skin checked regularly for potential cancerous spots, especially moles or freckles that change in color, size, or shape. You can never be too careful! Facts to keep in mind:

1. Skin cancer affects men more than women according to the skin cancer foundation. Men take sun protection less seriously.
2. Melanoma is the most frequent cancer of all cancers in women aged 25 to 29 probably because of ultraviolet tanning.
3. Americans develop more skin cancer on the left side of their body due to added sun exposure to the arms, ears & face from driving. Ultraviolet rays pass right thru the car window.
4. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies tanning beds in the highest cancer risk category that exists. 2.3 million teens visit tanning salons every year.
6. A simple rule for identifying problem moles. Use the acronym ABCDE. A stands for asymmetry-if half the mole looks different from the other half, see a dermatologist. B stands for border-if the mole’s edges look ragged or jagged-see a dermatologist-C stands for color-variations in color might be a bad sign-D stands for diameter-if a mole is larger than a pencil eraser it is time to see a dermatologist-E stands for evolving-a mole that changes in color, size or shape deserves an expert look.