What To Know About Chemical Peel And What Does It Do ?A chemical peel is a procedure that involves applying a chemical solution to your skin in order to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells. The goal is to improve the appearance of your skin by reducing fine lines, boosting collagen production, and even addressing acne and scarring.
However, chemical peels are not for everyone. They can be quite painful and involve some downtime for recovery so you need to be sure about whether or not it’s right for you before deciding to go forward with one.
Chemical peels address this problem by removing the top layers of your skin and the damaged layers of your skin with it. This leaves you with new and fresh skin, promoting better skin tone and improving the overall look of your complexion. Chemical peels come in different strengths, so it is important to consult a doctor or dermatologist before proceeding. Their opinion will also help determine how long you need to leave the peel on for, as well as how much recovery time your skin will need. Read on to learn more Chemical Peel Side Effects and Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages.
What To Know About Chemical Peel And What Does It Do
- Who Is a Good Candidate For a Chemical Peel?
- Before You Get a Chemical Peel
- How Chemical Peels Are Done
- What To Expect After the Chemical Peel
- Possible Complications
Chemical peels can improve the skin’s appearance. In this treatment, a chemical solution is applied to the skin, which makes it “blister” and eventually peel off. The new skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin.
Chemical peels can be done on the face, neck, or hands. They can be used to:
- Reduce fine lines under the eyes and around the mouth
- Treat wrinkles caused by sun damage and aging
- Improve the appearance of mild scars
- Treat certain types of acne
- Reduce age spots, freckles, and dark patches (melasma) due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills
- Improve the look and feel of skin
Areas of sun damage may improve after chemical peeling.
After a chemical peel, skin is temporarily more sensitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen every day. It should say “broad-spectrum” on the label, meaning it protects against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Also, it should be a physical sunscreen and be above SPF 30. Limit your time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Who Is a Good Candidate For a Chemical Peel?
Generally, fair-skinned and light-haired patients are better candidates for chemical peels. If you have darker skin, you may also have good results, depending upon the type of problem being treated. But you also may be more likely to have an uneven skin tone after the procedure.
Skin sags, bulges, and more severe wrinkles do not respond well to chemical peels. They may need other kinds of cosmetic surgical procedures, such as laser resurfacing, a facelift, brow lift, eyelid lift, or soft tissue filler (collagen or fat). A dermatologic surgeon can help determine the most appropriate type of treatment for you.
Before You Get a Chemical Peel
Tell your doctor if you have any history of scarring, cold sores that keep coming back, or facial X-rays.
Before you get a chemical peel, your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain drugs and prepare your skin by using other medications, such as Retin-A, Renova, or glycolic acid. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs.
Work with your doctor to determine the depth of your peel. This decision depends upon the condition of your skin and your goals for treatment.
Ask your doctor in advance whether you will need to have someone drive you home after your peel.
How Chemical Peels Are Done
You can get a chemical peel in a doctor’s office or in a surgery center. It’s an outpatient procedure, meaning there’s no overnight stay.
The professional who does your peel will first clean your skin thoroughly. Then they will apply one or more chemical solutions — such as glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, or carbolic acid (phenol) — to small areas of your skin. That creates a controlled wound, letting new skin take its place.
During a chemical peel, most people feel a burning sensation that lasts about five to ten minutes, followed by a stinging sensation. Putting cool compresses on the skin may ease that stinging. You may need pain medication during or after a deeper peel.
What To Expect After the Chemical Peel
Depending upon the type of chemical peel, a reaction similar to sunburn occurs following the procedure. Peeling usually involves redness followed by scaling that ends within three to seven days. Mild peels may be repeated at one to four-week intervals until you get the look you’re after.
Medium-depth and deep peeling may result in swelling as well as blisters that may break, crust, turn brown, and peel off over a period of seven to 14 days. Medium-depth peels may be repeated in six to 12 months, if necessary.
After treatment, you may need bandages for several days on part or all of the skin that was treated.
You’ll need to avoid the sun for several months after a chemical peel since your new skin will be fragile.
Possible Complications
Some skin types are more likely to develop a temporary or permanent color change in the skin after a chemical peel. Taking birth control pills, subsequent pregnancy, or a family history of brownish discoloration on the face may make that more likely.
There is a low risk of scarring in certain areas of the face. Some people may be more likely to scar. If scarring does happen, it can usually be treated with good results.
Chemical Peel Side Effects
- Redness, scabbing and swelling. Normal healing from a chemical peel involves redness of the treated skin. …
- Scarring. …
- Changes in skin color. …
- Infection. …
- Heart, kidney or liver damage.
How you prepare
Choose a doctor with knowledge of the skin and procedure — a dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon. Results can be variable and depend on the expertise of the person doing the peel. Improperly done, a chemical peel can result in complications, including infection and permanent scars.
Before you have a chemical peel, your doctor will likely:
- Review your medical history. Be prepared to answer questions about current and past medical conditions and any medications you are taking or have taken recently, as well as any cosmetic procedures you’ve had.
- Do a physical exam. Your doctor will inspect your skin and the area to be treated to determine what type of peel you might benefit from most and how your physical features — for example, the tone and thickness of your skin — might affect your results.
- Discuss your expectations. Talk with your doctor about your motivations, expectations and potential risks. Make sure you understand how many treatments you might need, how long it’ll take to heal and what your results might be.
Before your peel, you might also need to:
- Take antiviral medication. Your doctor might prescribe an antiviral medication before and after treatment to help prevent a viral infection.
- Use a retinoid cream. Your doctor might recommend using a retinoid cream, such as tretinoin (Renova, Retin-A) for a few weeks before treatment to help with healing.
- Use a bleaching agent. Your doctor might recommend using a bleaching agent (hydroquinone), a retinoid cream, or both before or after the procedure to reduce the risk of side effects.
- Avoid unprotected sun exposure. Too much sun exposure before the procedure can cause permanent irregular pigmentation in treated areas. Discuss sun protection and acceptable sun exposure with your doctor.
- Avoid certain cosmetic treatments and certain types of hair removal. About a week before the peel, stop using hair removal techniques such as electrolysis or depilatories. Also, avoid hair dying treatments, permanent-wave or hair-straightening treatments, facial masks, or facial scrubs in the week before your peel. Don’t shave the areas that will be treated beginning 24 hours before your peel.
- Arrange for a ride home. If you’ll be sedated during the procedure, arrange for a ride home.
What you can expect
Before the procedure
A chemical peel is usually done at an office or in an outpatient surgical facility. Before the procedure, your doctor will clean your face, protect your hair, and cover your eyes with ointment, gauze, tape or goggles.
Pain relief isn’t typically needed for a light chemical peel. If you’re having a medium peel, you might receive a sedative and painkiller. For a deep peel, you might have a sedative, something to numb the treatment area and fluids delivered through a vein.
During the procedure
During a light chemical peel:
- Your doctor will use a brush, cotton ball, gauze or sponge to apply a chemical solution typically containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. The treated skin will begin to whiten.
- You might feel mild stinging while the chemical solution is on your skin.
- Your doctor will apply a neutralizing solution or wash to remove the chemical solution from the treated skin.
During a medium chemical peel:
- Your doctor will use a cotton-tipped applicator or gauze to apply a chemical solution containing trichloroacetic acid, sometimes in combination with glycolic acid. The treated skin will begin to whiten.
- After a few minutes, your doctor will apply cool compresses to soothe treated skin. You might also be given a hand-held fan to cool your skin. No neutralizing solution is needed, however.
- You might feel stinging and burning for up to 20 minutes.
During a deep chemical peel:
- You’ll be given intravenous (IV) fluids, and your heart rate will be closely monitored.
- Your doctor will use a cotton-tipped applicator to apply carbolic acid (phenol) to your skin. Treated skin will begin to turn white or gray.
- To limit your exposure to phenol, your doctor will do the procedure in portions at about 15-minute intervals. A full-facial procedure might take about 90 minutes.
After the procedure
After a chemical peel of any depth, your skin will be red, tight, irritated or swollen. Follow your doctor’s directions for sun protection, cleansing, moisturizing and applying protective ointments to your skin. And avoid picking, rubbing or scratching your skin. It may take several months before your skin color returns to normal and you can see the full results of the peel.
After a light chemical peel, treated skin will be red, dry and mildly irritated — although these effects might be less noticeable with each repeat treatment. Your doctor might apply a protective ointment, such as petroleum jelly, to soothe the skin. You can usually wear makeup the next day if you wish.
Treated areas take about one to seven days to heal after a light chemical peel. New skin might temporarily be lighter or darker than normal.
After a medium chemical peel, treated skin will be red and swollen. You’ll feel stinging. Your doctor might apply a protective ointment, such as petroleum jelly, to soothe the area and prevent dryness. After five to seven days, you can use cosmetics to cover any redness.
Use ice packs for comfort. Over-the-counter pain-relieving medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), may help reduce any discomfort. You’ll likely schedule a checkup soon after your treatment so that your doctor can monitor your healing.
As swelling decreases, treated skin will begin to form a crust and might darken or develop brown blotches. Treated areas take about seven to 14 days to heal after a medium chemical peel, but redness might last for months.
After a deep chemical peel, you’ll experience severe redness and swelling. You’ll also feel burning and throbbing, and the swelling may even make your eyelids swell shut.
Your doctor will apply a surgical dressing to treated skin. He or she might also prescribe painkillers. You’ll need to soak the treated skin and apply ointment several times a day for about two weeks.
Treated areas will develop new skin within about two weeks after a deep chemical peel, although redness might last for months. Treated skin might become darker or lighter than normal or lose the ability to tan.
You might prefer to remain at home while you’re healing from a chemical peel. You’ll likely need several follow-up visits soon after your treatment so that your doctor can monitor your healing.
Once new skin completely covers the treated area in about two weeks, you can use cosmetics to conceal any redness. Use sunscreen every day.
Results
A light chemical peel improves skin texture and tone and lessens the appearance of fine wrinkles. The results are subtle but increase with repeated treatments. If you have a medium chemical peel, treated skin will be noticeably smoother. After a deep chemical peel, you’ll see a dramatic improvement in the look and feel of treated areas. Results may not be permanent. Over time, age and new sun damage can lead to new lines and skin color changes.
Have you had an in-clinic chemical peel but didn’t experience any peeling afterwards?
Were you disappointed that the treatment hadn’t worked?
Don’t worry most people expect to have some peeling after a peel but it really depends on the condition of your skin at the time of chemical peel whether you peel or not.
Skin’s natural cycle
Our skin is in a constant renewal state and we shed our top layer on a daily basis. We shed very slowly, and as dead skin cells get washed or brushed away, we do not normally notice this. The cells are made deep in our skin and migrate to the surface to be shed. This process is quite quick in youth lasting about a four-week period extending to six weeks or longer as we get older. As the shedding slows down, so does the production of new cells leading to a build-up of a thicker layer of dead skin cells on the surface. Externally, this can give your skin a dull, dry appearance.
The cells also change as they migrate to the top from being juicy and plump to flatter and dehydrated. They normally carry pigment to the surface with them. Once at the surface they are held by special bonds which ‘glue’ the cells together for a short period before they break away.
What happens during a chemical peel?
During a chemical peel, a specially prepared acid or a combination of acid solution is applied on the surface of your skin. This breaks the bonds or ‘glue’ holding the cells together. Different acids are able to penetrate to different depths during the treatment. Over the following week, the cells separate away giving visible signs of flaking or peeling. Sometimes this may only be happening when you wash your skin so you may not be aware of the ‘peeling’. If the skin is particularly dehydrated at the time of the peel, you may experience more peeling. Deeper peels cause more extensive peeling.
Whether you peel or not, you can be reassured that a good chemical peel would do its job- stimulate separation of the surface layer encouraging your skin to multiply faster. Hence reveal more radiant, hydrated skin.
What are the risks of a chemical peel?
Occasionally if the skin is poorly prepared with no exposure to medical-grade products, it may react with side effects such as hyper (increased) pigmentation, inflammation or even scarring. It is possible to have an allergic reaction to the components of the peel in susceptible individuals. It is therefore recommended that your skin is prepared with the correct skincare before you have a chemical peel. This may be as little as two weeks or twelve to eighteen weeks depending on your risk factors. Those with a darker skin tone or a family history of darker skin tones are at increased risk of hyperpigmentation and need careful skin preparation.
What are the benefits of a chemical peel?
A chemical peel is a brilliant skin rejuvenation treatment to stimulate your skin to perform better. It is great at removing superficial pigmentation and improving superficial scars. By exfoliation, it can help to even out your skin tone. Chemical peels can be used to address uneven and rough skin texture by stimulating new skin production. It also helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles as skin quality improves.
In blemish-prone skin, the targetted chemical peel helps to shrink the pore and reduce sebum production. It will also reduce inflammation leading to fewer blemishes.
How often should you have a chemical peel?
How often you should have a peel really depends on the intended purpose. For acne and blemish-prone skin, gentle chemical peels are recommended every 2-3 weeks. For pigmentation, it maybe every 3-4 weeks. Skin rejuvenation peels maybe every 4-6 weeks. Once a course of a peel is completed you should really start a maintenance programme to sustain the results of the initial treatment course. You may also consider home peels when clinic attendance is unsuitable. If not maintained, the skin will revert back to its dull state lacking lustre.
At Skin Enhance And Wellness, I offer a variety of chemical peels including prescription-only chemical peels. It is best to have a consultation first in person or remotely to assess suitability and start on home treatment to prepare for a chemical peel.
Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages
Chemical peeling is a popular procedure that can improve the appearance of your skin. It’s a special type of exfoliation that uses chemicals to remove damaged or dead skin cells, revealing a smoother and fresher layer of skin underneath.
Benefits of Chemical Peels
There are many benefits to chemical peels, including:
Removal of damaged or dead skin cells
Facial rejuvenation
Skin tightening and smoothing
Acne scarring treatment (when done by a professional)
Improvement in fine lines and wrinkles.
Chemical peeling is a common procedure that has been used to treat skin conditions since the 1960s. Chemical peels are most often used to improve the appearance of the skin, but they can also be used to treat medical conditions such as facial scars and wrinkles.
Chemical peels are done in a doctor’s office or medical spa. The skin is treated with a chemical solution that causes it to peel off over the next few days. The new layer of skin underneath is smoother and more even-toned than previous layers. In some cases, chemical peeling can be used to remove pigment from areas like dark spots or freckles (hyperpigmentation).
Chemical peels can be very helpful for people with acne or other skin problems that aren’t responding well to other treatments such as topical medications or gels. It may take several sessions before you see results, so don’t expect a miracle after one visit. Your doctor will likely recommend follow-up appointments so he or she can evaluate your progress and determine whether additional treatments are necessary
The journey to a great chemical peel starts with finding the kind of peel best suited for you. It ends with ensuring that your skin gets the best care after the peel.
What Is a Chemical Peel
A chemical peel is a way of exfoliating skin using a solution that has a pH of around two. It helps to smooth out the texture of the skin making your face feel fresh. It helps to treat many skin issues like hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkles.
Chemical Peel Side Effects
The side effects that you may experience depend mainly on the type of peel used, its strength, and intensity. For light peels, you will have little to no side effects. Usually, you will get a little redness which resolves in an hour or two.
For deep peels, you will have skin peeling in addition to the redness. Other side effects include the change of skin color, heart, kidney or liver damage, infection, and scarring. These effects can last for 7-10 days.
How to Care for Skin
Knowing the above, it is therefore important that you take care of your skin after a chemical peel. For at least 24 hours, it is important to ensure that you do not use products that have active ingredients like:
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids.
- Beta Hydroxy Acids.
- Low pH Serums.
- Retin-A or any other Retinoids.
- Serums with Vitamin C and Ascorbic Acid.
- Any other chemical exfoliates.
Follow a very bland and basic skincare routine. Use a hyaluronic acid product as they help to moisturize, hydrate, and play an important role in wound healing. Look for ingredients like ceramides and cholesterol which function as ingredients identical to those found in the skin. They help to repair damage caused to the moisture barrier.