A chemical peel is a procedure that involves applying an acidic solution to the skin. The acid causes the outer layer of the skin to be removed, revealing younger and fresher layers. Chemical peels are used to treat wrinkles, sun damage and age spots. They can also be used to remove acne scars and help with skin discoloration such as melasma or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
Chemical peels can be performed on different parts of the body including the face, neck, hands and chest. Additionally, there are several different types of chemical peels that have varying degrees of effectiveness depending on your skin type and desired results.
Read on to learn more about What To Expect From A Chemical Peel, Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages and What To Expect After A Chemical Peel
What To Expect From A Chemical Peel
From active acne and its scars to age spots, wrinkles, and sun damage, chemical peels can solve a lot of facial issues by causing your outer skin layers to lift off and flake away. Your chemical peel may contain one or more of a variety of acids, depending on your specific complaints, how long you’ve had them, and how deep within your skin layers they reside.
Our master aestheticians at Gago Wellness in Brighton, Michigan expertly analyze your skin to determine the best treatment for reversing the effects of age, sunlight, and acne. Often, we recommend the Forever Young BroadBand™ Light (BBL) intensed pulsed light treatment to rejuvenate your skin from the inside out, which increases your collagen production and promotes cell regeneration.
Chemical peels are also highly effective either as a stand-alone treatment or as a companion treatment to BBL, and we often administer them in between your BBL sessions throughout the year, alternating treatments for maximum results.
But if you’re new to chemical peels and are wondering what to expect, here’s an overview that will familiarize you with the process and help you anticipate the days and weeks following your treatment.
The day of your chemical peel
All chemical peels start with a thorough skin cleansing here in our office. If you’re getting a light or medium peel, we can begin the treatment right away, but if you’re getting a deep peel, we may give you a mild sedative to keep you comfortable.
One of our experienced aestheticians uses a brush or cotton applicator to apply the chemical solution directly to your skin. As it sits on the surface, you may notice that your skin starts to whiten or look grayish.
Most people feel some slight stinging as the acids penetrate the skin, and the stronger the chemicals, the stronger the sensation. If you get a medium peel, we offer you a handheld fan to cool your skin and ease the mild discomfort.
When the treatment is over in 20-90 minutes (again, depending on your goals, the solution, and your skin), we neutralize the acid and remove it from your skin.
The days and weeks following your chemical peel
Immediately following your chemical peel, you can expect your face to be red, tender, and somewhat swollen. We give you specific aftercare instructions according to the type of chemical peel you received, but in all cases you should avoid scratching, rubbing, and picking at your skin.
It gets worse before it gets better
During the first few days, you may notice some or all of the following effects:
- Dryness
- Flakiness
- Discoloration
- Breakouts
Of course, peeling is the signature characteristic of this effective skin treatment, so do expect to see some flaking. As your skin layers slough off, though, they take with them the age spots, wrinkles, and sun damage they contain.
The peel typically occurs between days three and four after your treatment. It’s best to let the peeling take place naturally, allowing it to flake away on its own without pulling at it.
After a light peel, skin typically heals completely in about a week, but medium and deep peels can take two weeks or more. While your skin is healing, make sure to protect it with a good broad-spectrum sunscreen and skip the makeup until we give you the green light.
Will my skin look dramatically different?
Chemical peel results vary from person to person and depend on several variables, including your age, the condition of your skin, the severity of the blemishes and discoloration, and the solution used. Most of our patients love their results and schedule a few follow-up sessions to achieve their ultimate goals.
For even more noticeable improvement, consider Forever Young BBL, which tackles some of the same skin issues from a different angle. This noninvasive treatment sends therapeutic light beams down through the layers of your skin to heal and rejuvenate without damaging any of your skin tissue.
Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages
A chemical peel is a mixture of chemicals that forms gel-like consistency. It’s applied to the face in order to smooth the surface of the skin, remove the appearance of fine lines and remove blemishes. There are three types of chemical peels: mild, medium-depth and deep. Each have their advantages and serve different purposes.
What Are the Advantages of a Mild Chemical Peel?
- Chemical peels help to smooth dry skin
- Can help with pigmentation problems
- Controls acne
- Removes blemishes
- Less recovery time
- Helps with mild sun-damage
- Reduces mild blotchiness
- Fresher and younger looking appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Medium-Depth Chemical Peel?
- Thin facial lines are removed or the appearance is less noticeable
- The medium-depth reduces facial birthmarks
- The pigmentation in the skin is improved
- Helps with dry skin and old acne scarring
- Helps with sun-damaged skin
- Improves blotchy skin
- Younger looking overall appearance
What Are the Advantages of a Deep Chemical Peel?
- Ability to remove pre-cancerous growths
- Deeper acne scar emanation
- Long lasting effect
- Eliminates deeper lines on the face??
- Controls acne
- Helps with deep or course wrinkles
- Age spot removal
- Only a single treatment is necessary
- Smoother skin, younger appearance
- Long-term results are very good when the peel is specifically for acne scarring
The advantages of chemical peels are many, and all three help with different issues. The deep chemical peels are reserved for those with the worst types of skin problems, including serious acne, scarring and birthmarks. Some disadvantages of chemical peels need mentioning.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Chemical Peel?
- Excessive peeling normally happens more with the medium-depth peel and particularly with the deep peel
- Stinging sensation when initially applied
- Redness appears. Again, this is particularly so with the deep and medium peels. The light peel normally results in peeling like a sunburn.
- Temporarily may feel a bit of numbness
- Deep chemical peels can cause a crusting or scabbing after the treatment, as the deep dead skin cells are sleuthing off. This is temporary.
- Sensitivity to the sun ? you will need to stay out of the sun for a short time after the peel as your skin is more sensitive
- Costs can also be a disadvantage for some, since the average chemical peel cost $500 for each treatment
While some disadvantages do exist for chemical peels, the advantages do outweigh them particularly for those suffering from severe skin problems, such as acne or acne scarring. Even with the disadvantages, most people that have had them report they would have it again because of the overall improvement of their skin’s surface and the younger fresher look the entire chemical peels bring about. The discomforts often associated with a chemical peel are temporary and subside rather quickly.
What To Expect After A Chemical Peel
A chemical peel is a cosmetic treatment that uses a chemical solution to peel away old and damaged skin cells, allowing healthier and more youthful skin to emerge. It can help address a number of issues including wrinkles, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation.
Some of the great benefits of this skin rejuvenation treatment include:
- Improves the efficacy of your skin care products
- Heals discolouration and scars on the skin
- Exfoliates away dead cells and increases cell turnover for healthy, glowing skin
- Results in a more even-toned complexion
7 Reasons to Consider a Chemical Peel
Chemical peels come in varying strengths and they can accomplish a great deal — whether you simply want a gentle exfoliation or you require treatment for more ingrained dermal problems. During a consultation, your skin care specialist can assess your concerns and skin type to determine which type of chemical peel is safest for you.
Customized Chemical Peels at our Edmonton Medical Spa
At our Edmonton med spa, our highly trained team of aestheticians creates customized chemical peel treatments to eliminate fine lines, wrinkles, and even acne scars. We also offer minimally invasive anti-aging treatments including Botox, Juvederm, and IPL photorejuvenation to address any skin concerns you might have and help you achieve all your aesthetic goals.
Want to know how we can help you achieve healthy, glowing, and more youthful-looking skin? Contact Our Edmonton Medical Spa
What to Expect Following Your Chemical Peel Treatment
A chemical peel works to peel away tired and dull skin cells while stimulating the growth of fresh and healthy skin. In addition to this, chemical peels will result in accelerated cell turnover and encourage the production of collagen. How to Prepare Your Skin for a Chemical Peel
If you are undergoing a chemical peel treatment, here’s what you can expect after your procedure and some tips on how to take care of your skin for the best results.
What Happens After a Chemical Peel?
The recovery period following a chemical peel will vary depending on the type of peel you opted for. However, in general, here’s what you can expect:
- The duration of the recovery period can range from three to 14 days, depending on the type of chemical peel.
- For most peels, patients can expect a recovery time of five to seven days.
- Following the procedure, your skin will dry out. During this time, you must drink plenty of water
- Avoid washing your face for at least 24 hours following your peel.
- Over the next few days, your skin will begin to peel. The most intense peeling will occur during the middle days of your recovery
- You may also experience some irritation, crusting, or skin redness. However, if you notice any bleeding or oozing, you must contact your skin specialist straight away
4 Tips to Take Care of Your Skin After a Chemical Peel
When performed by a highly-skilled aesthetician, a chemical peel is a safe and effective way to rejuvenate your appearance and eliminate any scars or signs of aging. However, in order to get the best results, you must look after your skin properly following your treatment.
Here are some tips to follow:
- Avoid using hot water for at least one week: For the first week following your chemical peel, avoid washing your face or showering with hot water. This is because hot water can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. In addition to this, the steam will open up your pores which can significantly increase your risk of infection.
- Let your skin peel naturally. The most important thing to keep in mind following your chemical peel is to avoid touching your face. Picking and pulling your skin can result in scarring. The best course of action is to allow your skin to peel off naturally.
- Be gentle with your skin and avoid exfoliation. Following your chemical peel, the skin’s protective barrier will be temporarily compromised. This means that you should avoid any cleansing products with exfoliators such as facial scrubs until your skin has completely healed. When drying your skin, do not rub it. Instead, pat it dry gently with a soft towel.
- Always use sunscreen and limit your exposure to the sun. Your face is at its most sensitive post-peel, so you want to avoid the sun for at least a few days. When you do go outdoors, make sure to use sunscreen and stick to shady spots. Use the sunscreen for a minimum of six weeks after your chemical peel.