Is Chemical Peel Bad For You

Is Chemical Peel Bad For You

The herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores, is one example of a virus that could be triggered by a chemical peel. Injury to the heart, kidneys, or liver. Carbolic acid (phenol), which is used in deep chemical peels, has been linked to heart muscle damage and arrhythmia.

The skin can benefit greatly from a chemical peel. They aid in the removal of oil and dead skin cells, making way for healthier skin to flourish. The good news is that chemical peels restore your skin to its healthy, natural state without altering its underlying structure by eliminating the superficial layers of dead skin that have accumulated over time.

Chemical peel is a procedure that uses chemicals to help the skin remove excess, dead or damaged skin cells. Whether the peel is done at home or by a professional, it should be safe when done correctly and following instructions. Read on to learn more on chemical peel side effects and is chemical peel good for skin.

Is Chemical Peel Bad For You

If you’re considering trying a chemical peel, you’ve probably heard at least one horror story about a long recovery, extreme redness, embarrassment of going in public, or worse.

But you’ve also probably seen beautiful results from a chemical peel. Brown spots disappear, the skin color is more even, and people seem to take years off their skin.

So, are chemical peels worth the risk?

Before you make a decision, you need all the facts. Here’s the scoop on the benefits of chemical peels, how chemical peels work, and how to make sure they’re safe for you.

What Are the Benefits of a Chemical Peel?

Chemical peels treat several skin abnormalities. They remove pre-cancerous spots and brown spots that came from sun damage or hormonal changes during pregnancy. Plus, as these peels exfoliate the skin, they improve the skin’s overall appearance. The result is much younger-looking skin and a more even skin tone.

How a Chemical Peel Treatment Works

Chemical peels selectively remove a very thin top layer of skin without damaging the deeper layers. Brown spots and pre-cancerous spots often stay on the very top layer. So, when we take off the surface layers, we remove the spots as well. You’ll end up with a more even skin tone without causing any damage to the underlying skin.

Where to Get a Chemical Peel

You can get a chemical peel on any area of skin where you’d like to see rejuvenation. The face, neck, and arms are the most common areas where people get chemical peels. But they can work almost anywhere on the body.

Are Chemical Peels Safe?

Yes, chemical peels are safe when they’re used in the right hands. But the process of a chemical peel can be harmful if it’s not done correctly. If someone has a bad experience, it’s usually because their practitioner didn’t do the peel according to procedure.

It’s always important to go to a physician with high-level training in the chemical peel process. Staff should also have extensive training about chemical peel benefits, risks, selections, and timing. They need to be able to select the right peel for your skin type and recommend when to get it. For example, certain peels are better for people with sensitive skin. And it’s usually better to wait until you’re not in the sun as often to see the most benefits from a peel.

Before you get a chemical peel, meet with your dermatologist for a consultation. Ask about their training in chemical peels and how often they do these treatments. You want to feel confident about the person you’re entrusting with your skin. If you go to an experienced, highly trained dermatologist, there’s not much risk beyond temporary redness and discomfort. But there’s plenty of benefits in the clear, even skin that awaits you.

Is Chemical Peel Good For Skin

Chemical peels can reduce or improve fine lines and wrinkles, acne, scars, uneven skin coloring and other skin imperfections. Different chemicals determine the depth of your peel and type of skin condition treated.

In certain skin types, there’s a risk of a temporary or permanent change in the color of your skin. Taking birth control pills, pregnancy or a family history of brownish discoloration on your face may increase your risk of developing abnormal pigmentation.

There’s also a low risk of scarring in certain areas of your face and certain individuals may be more prone to scarring. If scarring does occur, it can usually be treated with good results.

If you’ve had a history of herpes outbreaks, there’s a small chance of reactivating the cold sore. Your dermatologist can prescribe medication to reduce the chance of a flare up. Follow the instructions of your doctor.

Before your chemical peel, be sure to tell your dermatologist if you have a history of keloids (scar tissue overgrowth created at the site of a skin injury), any unusual scarring tendencies, any X-rays of your face or history of cold sores.

Infections are rare but still a risk.

RECOVERY AND OUTLOOK

What should I expect after the chemical peel?

What to expect varies depending on the depth of your chemical peel.

If you’ve had a light chemical peel:

• Expect a sunburn-like reaction to occur after your peel, meaning you’ll see redness followed by scaling that lasts between three and seven days.
• Apply lotion or cream as directed until your skin heals. After your skin heals, apply daily sunscreen.
• You can wear makeup immediately after treatment or the next day.
• Additional peels may be repeated every two to five weeks until you achieve your desired results. Typically three to five peels are needed to achieve your goal.

If you’ve had a medium chemical peel:

• Expect some redness, swelling, stinging and flaking of your skin. Swelling may last and/or worsen for 48 hours. Blisters can develop and will break open. Skin will crust and peel off over seven to 14 days.
• Perform daily soaks as directed by your doctor. Apply ointment after each soak. Apply lotion or cream daily. Don’t expose your skin to sunlight until completely healed.
• Antiviral medication will need to be taken for 10 to 14 days.
• You can wear makeup after five to seven days.
• Additional medium-depth peels may be repeated at six to 12 months intervals, if needed, to maintain results.

If you’ve had a deep chemical peel:

• The treatment area will be bandaged. Your bandages will be removed in a few days. Expect a healing time of 14 to 21 days.
• Perform daily soaks as directed by your doctor. Apply ointment after each soak. After 14 days, apply moisturizer as directed. Don’t expose your skin to sun for three to six months.
• Antiviral medication will need to be taken for 10 to 14 days.
• Wait at least 14 days before using any makeup.
• You can only have one deep peel performed on your face.

To get the best results, regardless of the depth of your peel, follow these tips:

• Don’t use a tanning bed or other type of indoor or even outdoor tanning while your skin is healing.
• After your skin heals, always apply a daily sunscreen.
• Apply a daily moisturizer, as directed, to keep your skin moist to prevent scarring.

Your new skin is fragile and more susceptible to complications. Your doctor will provide you with post-treatment instructions to reduce the chance of developing abnormal skin color after your peel and other complications.

Chemical peels can improve many skin issues. Let’s look at some of the most common ones that chemical peels may help treat.

Acne

Acne is a common inflammatory skin condition. It’s often treated with topical products or oral medication, but chemical peels may also help.

The procedure can:

• break down comedones (plugged hair follicles)
• decrease oil production
• kill bacteria
• reduce inflammation
• increase absorption of topical treatments

Light and medium chemical peels are usually used to improve acne.

Acne scars

As acne heals, the skin creates new collagen fibers in an attempt to repair lesions that have been created by inflamed skin.

The production of new collagen fibers can create hypertrophic scars, which are bumpy and raised, or atrophic scars, which create depressions in your skin. A chemical peel can help by exfoliating the top skin layer, which removes excess collagen. Medium chemical peels are typically recommended for acne scars.

Rosacea

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes redness, swelling, and red bumps. If it also causes acne-like breakouts, it’s known as acne rosacea. Sometimes, a chemical peel can help relieve these symptoms. It’s typically recommended for mild or moderate rosacea.

Aging skin

Chemical peels may reduce signs of aging, including:

• wrinkles
• fine lines
• age spots
• uneven skin tone
• roughness
• dryness
• liver spots

When skin grows back after a chemical peel, it triggers the production of collagen and elastin. This can help make your skin supple and strong, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The new skin that grows back is also smoother, which helps decrease roughness and dryness.

Chemical peels aren’t recommended for removing deep wrinkles, however. It also won’t tighten sagging skin.

Hyperpigmentation

In addition to acne scars and age spots, chemical peels can improve other forms of hyperpigmentation, such as:

• uneven skin tone
• melasma
• freckles
• surgical scars
• scars due to injury
• discoloration due to sun damage

Dullness

If you have a dull complexion, you may benefit from chemical peels. The treatment allows new skin to resurface, which may help your complexion look brighter and healthier.

Precancerous growths

Actinic keratoses are rough skin patches caused by years of sun exposure. They’re known as precancerous growths, since they can potentially turn into skin cancer. A deep chemical peel can remove these growths and decrease your risk of skin cancer.

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.

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.

Light chemical peel

After a light chemical peel, you may experience mild irritation and dryness. You can typically wear makeup the following day and resume your normal skin care activities, like cleansing and moisturizing. It will most likely take between 1 to 7 days for your skin to fully heal.

Medium chemical peel

The most common side effects of a medium chemical peel include:

• swelling
• redness
• stinging

In most cases, you can safely wear makeup within 5 to 7 days.

The recovery process typically lasts 7 to 14 days. You may have some redness for several months, though.

Deep chemical peel

The most common side effects of a deep chemical peel include:

• crusting
• swelling
• severe redness

The swelling can last for 14 days, while the redness may last for 3 months.

It may take up to 14 days for your skin to grow back. During this time, you’ll need to wear a surgical dressing and take medication for the pain.

You can typically start wearing makeup after 14 days.

Although rare, deep chemical peels can be associated with more severe side effects and complications, including:

• infection
• bruising
• delayed wound healing
• reactivation of herpes simplex virus.