Chemical peels are effective for diminishing fine lines, blemishes or age spots that make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. The cosmetic procedure uses acids to remove the top layer of skin that contains wrinkles or skin imperfections. Peels usually take an hour or less to complete, depending on the type of peel used.
Identification
During a chemical peel, a special solution is applied to the skin, which causes the surface layers to separate and peel away. You'll see smoother skin after the top layers of the skin completely peel off. Newly revealed skin may also be more uniform in color and tone. Peels can be done in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures, such as injections of Botox or dermal fillers to reduce the appearance of deeper wrinkles. Peels are used to treat skin on the face, neck and other parts of the body.
Conditions Treated
Chemical peels reduce the appearance of mild to moderate wrinkles, freckles, acne, surface scars, age spots, fine lines, rough skin, sun damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and dark patches of skin. Your doctor may also recommend a chemical peel if you have a precancerous growth in need of removal.
Types
Three types of acids, phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), are used to perform chemical peels. Each chemical can be used alone or combined with one or more of the other chemicals, depending on the treatment goal. Phenol is the strongest chemical available and produces a deep peel. It is primarily used to treat people who have coarse wrinkles, precancerous growths or sun-damaged skin, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. TCA causes medium peeling and is helpful in reducing the appearance of blemishes, fine wrinkles and pigment problems. AHA peels use the mildest acids to produce the lightest peels. AHA peels are effective in treating fine wrinkles, acne, dry patches of skin and uneven pigmentation.
Treatment Process
Before treatment begins, your doctor may recommend that you use a conditioning cream to prepare your skin for the peel. If you are having a phenol or TCA procedure, your doctor may prescribe the use of a sedative before the procedure begins. Cleansing the skin to remove surface oils is the first step of the process. The peel solution is applied to clean skin and the entire process is usually completed in 10 to 15 minutes, if you are undergoing a TCA or AHA peel. Phenol peels may take up to two hours to complete, according to the ASPS. During the chemical peel, your face may feel warm and you may notice a stinging sensation.
Recovery
Aftereffects of treatment depend on the type of acids used in your chemical peel. If you chose an AHA peel, you may only notice redness and scaling for three to five days following treatment. Deeper peels may cause redness, swelling and blisters. Peeling may take seven to 14 days or longer. The treated area may be covered with petroleum jelly and surgical tape following a phenol procedure. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that patients undergoing chemical peels wear broad-spectrum sunscreen following the procedure to protect sensitive skin from damage.
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