A facial peel uses acid to exfoliate the top layer of your skin, correcting skin imperfections and smoothing your complexion. According to DocShop.com, acid peels can improve the appearance of lines, wrinkles, uneven skin pigmentation and acne. Peels are available in varying strengths, all of which cause some degree of skin irritation.
Types of Chemical Peels
Glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid derived from fruit or beet sugar, is one of the most popular types of chemical peels. Dermatologist-administered glycolic peels range in acid concentration from 40 percent to 70 percent. Glycolic acid breaks down the lipids that bind the surface layer of skin cells, in effect melting the dead skin away. Trichloroacetic acid, or TCA, peels are frequently used for medium-depth peels. Like superficial and medium glycolic acid peels, more than one TCA peel is often required to see satisfactory results. A phenol peel is the strongest. It's reserved for treating deep facial wrinkles, sun-damaged skin and pre-cancerous growths. Phenol carries a significant risk of scarring, especially if used on any part of the body other than the face.
Appearance After Treatment
Immediately after a chemical peel, your skin will have a sunburned appearance. With a superficial glycolic acid peel, the redness usually fades within the day but can last for up to a week. The Johns Hopkins Cosmetic Center advises patients to avoid applying any products to the skin for at least three hours and refrain from retinoids or glycolic acid for three days. After a TCA or medium glycolic acid peel, skin swells for 48 hours. Blistering and scabbing are common. Between one and two weeks later, your skin crusts and falls off. You can wear makeup after the first week. It takes up to three weeks to recover from a deep peel. You leave the hospital in bandages, and your face scabs and blisters for at least two weeks. You must wear sunscreen for three months and can wear makeup after 14 days, depending on the condition of your skin.
Recovery and Aftercare
Superficial peels are outpatient procedures that don't require medical followup. You should use compresses and moisturizing lotion for several days, but aftercare is minimal. Medium and deep peels are much more serious, and the aftercare is much more involved. You require antiviral medication after a medium or deep peel because as the blistering can leave your skin open to infection. After a deep peel, you're quite swollen and may require a caregiver for a day or two. You need several follow-up visits with your doctor in the week following your peel. A deep peel requires you to apply a thick, moisturizing cream several times a day.
Aftercare Products
Many product lines are designed to treat skin that has just been peeled. Available products include cleansers, moisturizers and sunscreens, many of them formulated with vitamins, aloe vera, collagen and co-enzyme Q10. Sunscreen is perhaps the most important product, because you're now missing the outer layer of your skin that's your first defense against ultraviolet rays. The deeper the peel, the thicker the moisturizer you need. A product that combines sunscreen and moisturizer can help cut down on aftercare time.
Considerations
Because they produce only superficial results, glycolic acid peels are generally quite safe. TCA and phenol peels, with their increased risk of infection, carry additional risks. The American Academy of Dermatology says you should inform your physician if you have taken isotretinoin or are prone to cold sores or scarring. Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should not have facial peels.
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