What To Expect When You Get A Chemical Peel

If you’re thinking about getting a chemical peel, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll go over what to expect when you get a chemical peel, including things like what happens before the procedure, what happens during the procedure, and what happens after the procedure.

The first thing we’ll cover is what happens when you arrive at your appointment. Your doctor will likely have some paperwork for you to fill out with your medical history and any questions they may have about your skin condition. After that, they’ll probably give you some information about the procedure itself, including what ingredients are in their solution and how long it should take for each area of your face or body to be treated. Next up is preparing for your peel. This means cleaning all makeup off of your face and washing it with warm water so that your pores are open and ready for treatment. The last thing before peeling begins is cleansing again—this time with an alcohol-based cleanser designed specifically for healing wounds from cosmetic procedures like this one!

Read on to learn more about What To Expect When You Get A Chemical Peel, What to Expect After a Chemical Peel

What To Expect When You Get A Chemical Peel

We’ll try just about anything to turn back the time on the too many days spent in the sunshine or rid our faces of acne scars. Although the fountain of youth may be fictitious, the chemical peel is the real deal. The words “chemical” and “peel” may sound scary at first, but this FDA-approved treatment literally gives you a fresh face of skin—and it’s been growing in popularity, with approximately 1.36 million treatments received in 2016. 

The chemical peel is the process of applying a chemical solution to the skin to smooth out its texture. It can be used to treat many skin issues like acne, fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. A form of chemical exfoliation, a peel allows your skin to shed off a layer, making room for new, healthier skin. “Peels are great for everyone to do,” says board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Ashley Magovern. “They slough off tired, dull skin cells and stimulate fresh healthy skin, allowing for accelerated cell turnover and the stimulation of collagen-making cells.”

To learn how to prepare yourself for a chemical peel properly and what to expect during and after the procedure, we sought advice from both Dr. Magovern and esteemed clinical aesthetician Jennifer Gerace.

How to Prepare for a Chemical Peel

1. Choose the Right Type of Peel for Your Skin

Before making the decision to get a chemical peel, Gerace recommends getting the opinions from at least three providers first, noting that “providers should take into consideration your age, the color of your skin and overall skin condition.” Don’t be fooled by the one-size-fits-all peel, as “the peel’s intention should be very specific to the patient’s needs,” she says.

2. Stop Using At-Home Exfoliants

To prepare the skin for the treatment, be sure to stop the use of all at-home exfoliants in the days leading up to your appointment. Exfoliants like retinol and salicylic acid hide in many of our beauty products. If you continue to use them before your appointment, it can cause trauma to the skin, which may result in more damage. If you have sensitive skin, it is recommended to stop using physical exfoliators like face scrubs and devices such as the Clarisonic.

3. Keep Your Skin Hydrated

Dr. Magovern stresses the importance of keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized before your appointment. “Try to keep your skin as hydrated as possible,” she says, also noting that “you may want to stop any creams or serums that may be causing dryness for two to three days.”

4. Evaluate Your Prescriptions

Also, take into consideration any anti-acne or anti-aging prescriptions you are using, as these might affect the way your skin reacts to a chemical peel. If you need help determining if your products are okay to use prior to your chemical peel, talk to your dermatologist or esthetician who will be able to assist you.

5. Don’t Plan a Peel Close to a Big Event

The last step in preparation is to be sure to plan accordingly! If you are getting a chemical peel before a special event, make sure you’ve budgeted plenty of time for your skin to heal so you look picture perfect on your big day.

What to Expect During Your Appointment 

“During a chemical peel, the skin will begin its intense peeling process,” says Gerace. You will have the option to choose which peel you want, though it’s wise to choose an intensity based on your professional’s opinion. “Chemical peels vary from very light to medium depth.” To begin, your skin care professional will ask you to lie face up to establish a smooth surface for application. The entire process usually takes under an hour to complete, and your skin care professional will typically stay in the room to ensure there are no adverse reactions as it dries. 

Once the peel is applied and begins drying, you may feel a burning or tingling sensation due to its high acidic chemical composition. The amount of burning or tingling will vary based on the type of chemical peel you are receiving and will differ case to case (e.g. you might be more sensitive than another person getting the same peel). However, Dr. Magovern notes that even those with sensitive skin can find a suitable chemical peel. “Contrary to popular opinion,” she says, “peels don’t have to sting or burn or cause a lot of redness and inflammation to work.”

What to Expect After a Chemical Peel

Your Skin Will Peel for 3–10 Days

According to Gerace, the type and depth of the solution will dictate how long the skin will peel. “The traditional medium-depth chemical peels take three to five days for the skin to peel off before the new pink skin underneath arises,” she explains, while “deeper peels that contain phenol can take seven to ten days to recuperate from.” Dr. Magovern notes that the peeling should start on or around the third day after a peel, not immediately after.

Treat Your Skin With Care

Dr. Magovern recommends the “use of a gentle cleanser and a hydrating serum or gel, like one that contains hyaluronic acid or ceramides” to help soothe the skin in the days following a chemical peel. You may also want to treat the new skin right away with a combination of stem cell and light therapy, Gerace explains. “This addresses the health of the new skin cells at a cellular level and is your opportunity to reset your skin and start fresh,” she says. Integrating potent aftercare solutions such as colloidal silver, Botaniceutical and marine algae extracts will help hydrate, stabilize and protect the new skin. “These ingredients will boost the skin’s ability to fight free-radical damage at this early stage, which is so important and often overlooked.”

Don’t Neglect SPF

The chemical peel is used to accelerate the exfoliation of dead skin cells to reveal fresh, new skin. The biggest risk during this process is sun exposure, and Gerace highly recommends using a high, broad-spectrum SPF to keep the skin safe during the delicate time following the procedure. “The skin is thinner after a peel and very susceptible to UV damage,” she says. “It is essential to use a physical block like makeup foundation along with your SPF for at least two months after receiving a chemical peel.”

Avoid Overheating the Skin

Gerace also explains the importance of keeping the skin cool, “You shouldn’t let hot water touch your face as any inflammation can spike post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).” She urges you not to take hot showers and keep your water at room temperature or colder.

Does botox for migraines help wrinkles

• Botox is used as a therapeutic treatment for many conditions, including for prevention of migraine headaches, and Botox Cosmetic is used for aesthetic purposes to lessen wrinkles like crow’s feet or forehead lines.
• Botox and Botox Cosmetic are prescription medicines that both contain the active ingredient onabotulinumtoxinA, but they come as separate products.
• Originally when Botox was first approved for wrinkles, doctors found it all also helped patients with migraine headaches. It was eventually approved by the FDA for migraine prevention in 2010.
• Both treatments are given as injections into the muscles of the face, neck or head, depending upon the use. You will need more injections per session for migraine prevention than for wrinkle treatment.
• Botox (for the treatment of chronic migraine) and Botox Cosmetic are for use in adults only.

Learn More: Compare Botox vs Botox Cosmetic

In addition to prevention of chronic migraine headache in adults, Botox is also approved to treat:

• overactive bladder
• leakage of urine (incontinence) in adults with overactive bladder due to neurologic disease
• muscle spasticity
• cervical dystonia (abnormal head position and neck pain)
• certain types of eye muscle problems or eyelid spasms
• severe underarm sweating

Botox Cosmetic is approved for adults to temporarily help improve the look of moderate to severe facial wrinkles:

• forehead lines
• crow’s feet lines
• frown lines between the eyebrows.

Botox Cosmetic is supplied in different unit vial sizes from Botox.

• Botox used for migraine comes in 100 and 200 unit single-use vials, while Botox Cosmetic for wrinkles comes in 50 and 100 unit single-use vials.
• Reconstitution and dilution instructions in the package insert vary between these two products.
• Potency Units of Botox Cosmetic or Botox are not interchangeable with other preparations of botulinum toxin products.

Botox dose for migraine: The recommended total dose for chronic migraine is 155 Units, as 0.1 mL (5 Units) injections per each site divided across 7 head/neck muscle areas, for a total of 31 individual injections. These areas include the forehead, bridge of the nose, the temples, the neck, the back of the head, and just above the shoulder blades in your upper back.

Botox Cosmetic dose for wrinkles: The recommended dose for wrinkles varies based on wrinkle type and typically ranges from 20 to 24 units per wrinkle area. The units per injection site will vary by patient and can be determined by a qualified injector for optimal results.

Can I get Botox and Botox Cosmetic at the same time?

Yes, you can receive Botox and Botox Cosmetic for different uses at the same time as long as the total dose received of onabotulinumtoxinA does not exceed 400 Units administered in a 3 month period for adults.

You may also receive Botox Cosmetic treatment for treatment of different wrinkle areas at the same time. It is not known if Botox Cosmetic is safe and effective for use more than once every 3 months.

The dilution and the resulting units per 0.1 mL (as noted in the package insert) are different between Botox and Botox Cosmetic. Health care providers should see the specific instructions for reconstitution and administration of each product.

Warnings: Botox and Botox Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can happen hours, days, or weeks after an injection and can be life threatening. These include:

• Problems breathing or swallowing
• Spread of toxin effects (leading to symptoms of a serious condition called botulism)

Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of these problems after treatment.

According to the manufacturer, there has NOT been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect away from the injection site when Botox has been used at the recommended dose to treat chronic migraine or when Botox Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat approved wrinkle areas.

What are Botox or Botox Cosmetic side effects?

• dry mouth
• discomfort or pain at the injection site
• tiredness
• headache
• neck pain
• eye problem
• drooping eyebrow
• urinary tract infection and painful urination
• inability to empty your bladder
• allergic reaction
• upper respiratory tract infection

Review these warnings and side effects in this Medication Guide for Botox and Botox Cosmetic. Tell your doctor if you have a side effect that does not go away or that concerns you.

Bottom Line

• Botox Cosmetic is used for aesthetic purposes for wrinkles and Botox is used as a therapeutic treatment for many medical conditions, including migraine headache prevention.
• Botox Cosmetic and Botox come as separate products but are both prescription medicines that contain the active ingredient onabotulinumtoxinA.
• The number of injections needed for migraine prevention are more than the number needed for wrinkle treatment.
• Both products are given as injections into the muscles of the face, neck or head, depending upon the use. You can receive both products as long as the total amount does not exceed 400 Units administered in a 3 month period for adults.

This is not all the information you need to know about Botox or Botox Cosmetic for safe and effective use for migraine. Review the full Botox or Botox Cosmetic information here, and discuss this information and questions with your doctor or other healthcare provider.

How to qualify for botox for migraines

I’ve suffered from migraine headaches since I was in my early teens. Over the years, I’ve missed out on much-anticipated trips, concerts, and family parties as I lay in bed with my head throbbing and the lights off. Migraine makes it nearly impossible to plan in advance and turns you into a flaky friend, which takes a toll on your relationships.

I thought I had tried everything-Advil, beta-blockers, Topamax-but none of them gave me the results I was looking for. Then a few years ago, my neurologist suggested I try Botox to manage my migraines. I knew about the drug’s wrinkle-reducing effects (I watch the Real Housewives franchises and Keeping Up With the Kardashians, after all), but I didn’t know that the same drug is a well-regarded preventative treatment for chronic migraine.

Admittedly I was hesitant about getting dozens of shots injected into my head, neck, and shoulders on a regular basis, but my misery made me open to trying it. Despite my initial concerns, Botox shots have completely changed how I control my migraine attacks. Though I’m still good for one or two migraines each month, Botox has drastically reduced the frequency of these attacks.

If you’re a fellow member of the migraine club, please accept my sympathy, and then read up on these must-know points about Botox for chronic migraine.

 The 14 Different Kinds Of Headaches You Can Get-And How To Treat Each One

First: What exactly is a migraine?

Most people believe a migraine is just a bad headache, but it can be more than that. According to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF), a migraine (sometimes just referred to as “migraine”) is a “disabling neurological disease with different symptoms and different treatment approaches compared to other headache disorders.”

It’s also important to note that, while some headaches can be the cause of underlying conditions (those are known as secondary headaches), migraines are usually their own thing. “Migraine is the most common primary headache disorder, which means that it’s not happening because of a tumor or an infection. It’s just how your brain is wired,” Umer Najib, MD, a board-certified neurologist and the director of the headache medicine fellowship program at West Virginia University, tells Health.

“Pain is often the predominant symptom, though many patients have other symptoms that can actually be more bothersome than the pain itself,” says Dr. Najib. Ferhad Bashir, MD, a neurologist with Mischer Neuroscience Center at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center in Texas, goes a step further: “It’s a state of misery,” he tells Health. “During that time period, you’re not yourself. If you’re at work, you can’t produce at your optimum level. If you’re a parent, you can’t enjoy time with your kids.”

Those additional symptoms, aside from often disabling pain, include:

• Sensitivity to light, sound, or strong smells
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Excessive Fatigue
• Language, speech, or balance problems
• Visual disturbances, like seeing zig zags, flashes of light, or blind spots.

It’s not entirely clear what causes migraine, though researchers believe that there’s a genetic component to the neurological condition, according to the US National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus resource. But the condition-which affects more than 37 million people in the US alone-is thought to have quite a few triggers, including stress, anxiety, caffeine (or caffeine withdrawal), and certain medications.

Migraine is also about three times more common in women, per the AMF, which points to a possible connection to fluctuating hormones. “For a lot of women with migraine, menses can trigger an attack,” Megan Donnelly, DO, a board-certified headache specialist and neurologist, and the director of headache and women’s neurology at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, tells Health. “We also have changes in migraine frequency in pregnancy and postpartum, as well as related to perimenopause.”

There’s no cure for migraines, per MedlinePlus. Instead, treatment mainly focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing or lessening future attacks through a combination of medications and lifestyle changes. This, in some cases, is where Botox-aka Onabotulinumtoxin A or Botox A-comes into play.

 5 Women on What It Really Feels Like to Have a Migraine

How does Botox for help migraine?

Botox is a preventative therapy for migraine, meaning that it can reduce the frequency of migraine, but it won’t stop one once it’s begun. Though Botox has been an FDA-approved treatment for chronic migraine for more than a decade, per the AMF, the science behind how it battles the disease is still a bit of a mystery.

Technically speaking, the AMF says that Botox is injected into the pain fibers in the head, neck, and back that are involved in headaches. That Botox then blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission, which then prevents activation of pain networks the brain.

Why Botox works in this way, however, is still not well understood. “We have animal data that shows that Botox causes a change in a certain type of calcium channel in the meninges, which is the covering of the brain as well as the critical part of the migraine process,” says Dr. Najib. “We think that’s how it suppresses migraine.”

Despite Botox’s efficacy (patients reported that two rounds of shots reduced their headache days by roughly 50 percent, per the AMF), Dr. Najib notes that the drug isn’t a cure-all. “As long as the disease is still active, you’ll have breakthrough headaches,” he says.

Because of that, some patients find that they need another preventative treatment, like an oral medication, in addition to their shots. It’s also common to need a rescue drug, and the risk of drug interaction is minimal.

Choosing a treatment of preventative method for migraine is a highly personal choice that should be done in close contact with your doctor. Here’s more of what I learned about Botox and migraine during my own journey-and what I want those considering the treatment to know.

 This Explains Why You Want to Crawl Into a Dark Closet When You Have a Migraine

It’s only approved for chronic migraine

Botox is FDA-approved to treat chronic migraine in adults, which is defined as more than 15 migraine days per month. It’s not approved for other kinds of headaches, like tension or cluster, nor is it approved for children or adolescents (if it’s used for them, it’s considered “off-label use”).

You’ll have to get dozens of shots

Though migraine symptoms vary from person to person, Botox for migraine is standardized. Every three months you’ll receive 31 shots (yes, you read that correctly) totaling up to 155 units of Botox. This includes injections in specific spots in the forehead, temples, back of the head, neck, upper back, and shoulders.

If you’ve got a particular concern, like muscle spasticity or tightness in the shoulders, your provider may adjust the shot pattern to tackle that specific issue.

If Botox is working for you, there’s no known health risk associated with staying on it indefinitely, though it’s not approved for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding because of minimal studies in these groups.

The risk of side effects is low

“Botox injections can occasionally trigger a headache, muscle weakness and neck pain, but this is rare,” Kerry Knievel, DO, director of the Jan & Tom Lewis Migraine Treatment Program at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, tells Health. “Eyelid and eyebrow asymmetry and droop can happen, but to prevent this we recommend that patients refrain from rubbing their foreheads or wearing a hat for 24 hours after their injections to prevent the Botox from spreading from the area we intend for it to be.”

In fact, Botox’s limited side effects are part of its appeal. “It’s not addicting. You don’t have to take a pill every day. It doesn’t work for everyone, but it does work for a significant amount of people. That’s why Botox is amazing,” says Dr. Bashir.

Your insurance may or may not cover it

Because it’s an FDA-approved treatment, your health insurance may cover all or most of the cost of Botox, though this depends on your specific plan. The drug manufacturer also offers a savings program that can help offset some of the expense.

To get approval, your insurance company may want to see that you’ve “failed” on two or three oral preventatives first. You may also need to keep a headache diary (I track mine in a note on my phone) that shows you’re having 15 or more headache days per month.

Once you’ve started the shots, your insurance will probably require documentation of improvement to continue paying for the treatment. Depending on your plan, you may also need to come for a follow-up visit between shots.

Note, however, that if Botox is used as an off-label treatment (meaning it’s used in a way not approved by the FDA, like in children or adolescents), insurance companies may not cover it, per the AMF.

It can take several months to see results

If you don’t experience relief from migraine right away, don’t swear off the treatment immediately. Dr. Najib recommends trying two rounds of Botox before making a decision about whether it’s working for you. Even if the treatment ends up helping after the first round, he says results typically take two to four weeks to kick in. There’s no taper required to discontinue the treatment.

It’s a little different than the Botox you receive from your esthetician

Though the same drug is used for both migraine prevention and cosmetic purposes, the amount and placement of Botox varies depending on your goals.

You may find some level of relief when you get Botox for cosmetic purposes. However, when you receive Botox from an esthetician, you’re not getting injections in the same spots as you would in a doctor’s office. This means you’ll miss the drug’s full migraine-busting effect.

You can technically get Botox for migraine and for cosmetic reasons at the same time-but you may not want to

This is where it gets a little murky, and opinions vary depending on who you ask. The manufacturer of Botox recommends not exceeding 400 units in a three-month span. Since your neurologist will administer 155 units, technically you have wiggle room if you want to visit an esthetician for Botox, too. However, this can be problematic.

“There is a theoretical risk of developing antibodies to Botox if it’s given more frequently,” explains Dr. Donnelly. If you’d like to do both, it’s best to check with your provider before booking an appointment with your esthetician.

Overall, if you’re finding yourself planning your life around your migraines, you may want to make it a point to chat with your doctor about using this multitasking drug to reduce the frequency of the attacks. I know doing so has drastically changed my life-and it might help you, too.