Welcome to our chemical peel blog! Chemical peels are one of the most common non-invasive skin treatments available, and they’re a great option for people who want to improve the look and feel of their skin. A chemical peel is a procedure that uses a solution to remove the top layer of skin, revealing new, smoother skin underneath. This process can improve signs of aging like wrinkles, acne scars, and other blemishes. It’s also used to treat sun damage and uneven pigmentation in darker skin tones.
Chemical peels work by breaking down the outer layer of your skin so that it can be replaced with new cells. This helps to promote healthier skin at every level—from your pores down to the deepest layers of your epidermis.
Read on to learn more about What To Know About Chemical Peel Symptoms, chemical peeling advantages and disadvantages AND skin looks worse after chemical peel
What To Know About Chemical Peel Symptoms
Want to get the kind of complexion that’ll have you ready for any selfie – even an #iwokeuplikethis one?
Then it’s time to introduce yourself to chemical peels. A chemical peel is a specific type of facial that uses an acid (like glycolic acid) to remove the top layers of the dermal tissue. Chemical peels can come in all strengths; gentle peels can provide excellent exfoliation, while deeper peels can undo decades of skin damage.
But chemical peels do come with side effects – and the stronger the peel, the more obvious the side effects. Let’s take a look at the five most common side effects that can happen with chemical peels.
THE 5 MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL PEELS
1. REDNESS.
Whether you opt for a gentle peel or a deeper peel, your skin is probably going to be red and irritated right after your treatment. Depending on peel strength, this redness can last up to two weeks.
2. SWELLING.
Deeper chemical peels can cause temporary trauma to the skin, so it may appear swollen and sensitive to the touch for the first week after your peel. This is perfectly normal and only lasts for a short period of time.
CHEMICAL PEELS CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE
3. PEELING.
Peeling is perhaps the most noticeable side effect of chemical peels, especially if you’re opting for a medium-to-deep peel. Peeling is a sign that your top layer of skin is shedding, making way for the beautiful skin that’s hiding underneath.
4. SLIGHT BURNING SENSATION.
Burning is another common side effect of chemical peels, especially during the first few days after your treatment. Your dermatologist can provide you with recommended creams that can help soothe any temporary burning sensations you feel.
5. INABILITY TO TAN.
This is a surprising side effect, but it’s common with patients who undergo deeper peels. You may have a harder time tanning after a chemical peel, which, to be honest, is a good thing for your skin!
Chemical peel or laser for rosacea
If you’ve got rosacea, then you likely know that one of the last things you should do when it comes to skin care is overexfoliate. Since rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition that results in a compromised skin barrier, it makes sense to want to avoid exfoliation all together – especially chemical peels – at all costs.
However, chemical peels in a clinic can be perfectly safe for those with rosacea (of course, depending on your specific condition, as everyone’s manifests differently). In fact, a gentler peel can have really great benefits for managing the condition along with other treatments – but only in a professional setting with someone who understands the complexities of rosacea.
We spoke with Spirithoula Koukoufikis, Skinfluencer skin clinic’s senior medical aesthetician to find out exactly how you can get the benefits of a chemical peel for rosacea without causing any adverse effects on your condition.
Skin Looks Worse After Chemical peel
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, affecting one in 10 people in the UK, that presents in a number of ways. There are various “types” of rosacea, including erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (redness), papulopustular rosacea (acne rosacea), phymatous rosacea (thickening of the skin), and ocular rosacea (symptoms of the eyes). Each of the rosacea types can come in varying degrees of severity, and people can experience more than one. Symptoms can include facial redness and flushing, pimples and bumps, visible blood vessels, sensitivity, sore eyelids, and a burning or stinging feeling.
What Is a Chemical Peel?
A professional chemical peel is a treatment done at a clinic (not at home) in which a practitioner will apply a solution made up of different types of acids in various pH levels to your face. Peels come in three depths – superficial, medium, and deep – each with varying outcomes and aftercare instruction. The aim of a chemical peel is to deeply exfoliate the skin and improve the overall skin texture, tone, and appearance, depending on your goals. It’s important to visit a trained professional who can take into account your skin type and skin tone to find a treatment plan best suited to your individual needs.
What Professional Peels Work Well For Someone With Rosacea?
When it comes to chemical peels for rosacea, Koukoufikis explains that it’s not so much “which acid but more a case of the pH of the acid peel chosen”. For a condition like rosacea, only a superficial peel “that does not have an excessively low pH” should be used, as “you only want to remove the surface of the dead skin, before proceeding with laser treatments to manage and improve the appearance of the condition.”
Benefits of Chemical Peels For Rosacea
When it comes to rosacea, chemical peels can help manage redness and breakouts, and reduce inflammation. However, Koukoufikis says they should be used as part of a bigger-picture treatment plan. “I really believe they should only be used to prep the skin before you tackle the rosacea with laser-based treatments.”
How Often Can Someone With Rosacea Get Chemical Peels?
Koukoufikis says you should only have a peel every four to eight weeks, but for a laser treatment, she recommends every four to six weeks because “the vascular network is so dense and needs to be targeted in a specific way.” Once this course has been completed, you’ll likely only need maintenance treatments once or twice a year.
What to Avoid When It Comes to Chemical Peels and Rosacea
Avoid over-resurfacing the skin. “Remember, in the case of rosacea, the skin’s surface is already compromised,” Koukoufikis says. “By using acid peels too often, the skin is unable to heal and repair. In fact, it is highly likely that you will just create more inflammation and enhance the skin’s sensitivity, which will lead to itching. The skin won’t be able to heal fast enough, and this could lead to other skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation and acne, to name but two.”
Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages
As Koukoufikis mentioned, she believes the best treatments for rosacea are peels combined with lasers. “Laser treatments that are specifically designed to target vascularity are great for rosacea. Over the years, rosacea will bring more vascularity to the surface of the skin, resulting in the appearance of thread veins or an overall blush/redness, depending on what’s happening beneath the skin,” she says. “You can never take away rosacea, you can only treat it so the appearance of it is improved. The gold-standard treatment protocol for rosacea is laser, and with its advanced technology, Cutera’s Excel V+ is the current industry leader. Excel V+ has been designed to target the excess haemoglobin that manifests as red veins or blushing.”
For that reason, Koukoufikis always recommends a course of laser treatments to “chip away at that dense vascular network, which will improve the overall tone and texture of the skin.” Of course, all of this needs to be in addition to proper skin care at home, curated with you and for you by a skin specialist.
“Rosacea is a complicated skin condition, and really you need a professional to assess and analyse the skin, determine the severity of the rosacea, and prescribe a programme that includes treatments and products to ensure you get the best possible outcome,” Koukoufikis adds.
Final Thoughts on Chemical Peels and Rosacea
In-clinic acid peels can have a wonderful outcome on those with rosacea but are typically best when used in conjunction with other treatments. “They should only be used to prep the skin before you tackle the rosacea with laser-based treatments,” Koukoufikis says.
Glycolic peel rosacea
Each year, we have more choices in our arsenal for effectively treating acne and rosacea patients. This past year was no exception. At the Cleveland Clinic, we’ve had much success with a number of treatments for treating patients who have acne and rosacea. Therapeutic Approaches for Acne Many patients with recalcitrant acne are already on comprehensive treatment regimens. To enhance the effectiveness of their acne medications, we’re increasingly turning to glycolic or salicylic acid peels. We can use a regimen of superficial peels to hasten the response of acne to treatment by reducing follicular corneacyte adhesion and promoting epidermolysis. At higher concentrations, glycolic acid can unroof pustules and penetrate the follicular epithelium to the level of the sebaceous glands. Also, glycolic acid products enhance penetration of topical medications by thinning the stratum corneum. We typically perform the glycolic peels for acne patients every 2 to 4 weeks. These in-office peels take only about 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Because patients usually experience some mild stinging, we give them a hand-held fan to help increase their comfort level. With glycolic acid peels, the patient washes with a glycolic acid cleanser. Then the facial skin is wiped with acetone, followed by application of the glycolic acid solution. The acid is neutralized with tap water after 3 to 5 minutes. For a few hours, the peeled skin is pink. The patient’s skin peels slowly and subtly for the next 3 to 5 days. We’ll do a series of four to eight peels over several weeks. Adding superficial peels to a regimen of an oral antibiotic and topical retinoid/topical antibiotic often prevents the need for isotretinoin in recalcitrant cases. Salicylic acid has been used as a keratolytic in dermatology for many years, and has been employed in topical preparations and soaps to treat acne. More recently, pure salicylic acid peels have been used in a series to treat acne patients, with the advantage of enhanced penetration into oil-clogged pores. Treating Acne Scarring Acne scars have a variety of morphologies, so scar revision must be individualized. Options include scar excision, punch grafting, punch elevation, soft tissue augmentation, subcision, dermabrasion, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, nonablative lasers and laserabrasion with carbon dioxide or erbium lasers. The best candidates for medium to deep resurfacing procedures are lighter skinned patients. Many patients require a staged, multimodality approach to acne scar revision for optimal results. The carbon dioxide laser can ablate thin layers of skin as well as cause contraction of collagen fibers, which can promote enhanced overall acne scar improvement. The erbium laser ablates thinner layers of skin and generates less heat, thereby causing less collagen tightening, faster healing, and less pronounced and less long-lasting erythema compared to the carbon dioxide laser. Most recently, nonablative lasers have been employed in a series of treatments to improve the contour of acne scars, and have the advantage of minimal to no down time and the ability to safely treat darker skin types. Therapies for Rosacea Treating rosacea includes avoiding known exacerbating dietary, environmental and emotional factors that may cause flare-ups. Sun protection measures such as broad spectrum sunscreens or sunblocks, protective clothing and hats, and sun avoidance are essential. Medical therapy includes oral and topical antibiotics. We may also use glycolic acid peels to hasten control of rosacea. Peels are performed every 2 to 4 weeks and may be used in combination with low concentration glycolic acid washes and creams. In general, we’ll use lower concentrations of the peeling agent (20% to 40%) to prevent excessive irritation. Topical rosacea treatments are resumed in 3 to 4 days. In addition to controlling the papules and pustules, patients often note overall improvement in prominent pores and skin texture. The telangiectasias associated with rosacea don’t respond to topical and oral therapy. Facial erythema may be camouflaged with green-based make-ups and moisturizers. Also, patients should choose cosmetics that are fragrance-free, alcohol-free, water-based, and nonabrasive. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light sources may be used to ablate the ectatic vessels, reducing overall facial redness. The treatments take 15 to 30 minutes and are performed at 6- to 12-week intervals. Patients may initially require two to four treatments, and may return on a yearly basis as needed for treatment of new blood vessels. The newer vascular lasers don’t produce purpura, but rather cause redness and minimal swelling which lasts about 24 hours. Sun protection is essential after laser treatments. Risks of vascular laser treatments include dyspigmentation and scarring (<1%). Patients must be continued to minimize the risk of flare-ups and new telangiectasia formation. Rhinophyma typically occurs in men older than 40 and involves hypertrophy of the nasal skin. In advanced cases, collapse of the nares may occur, causing obstruction of breathing. Treatment is mainly surgical and includes CO2 laser vaporization and or excision, erbium laser vaporization, dermabrasion or electrosurgery to sculpt the nose to a more normal shape. These are outpatient procedures performed under local anesthesia. Healing usually takes 7 to 10 days. Making Progress Treatment options for acne and rosacea continue to expand. Careful use of superficial peels can enhance treatment of acne and rosacea patients. Also, the ever-changing field of cutaneous lasers continues to offer improved care, and acne scar patients can benefit from both ablative and nonablative laser technology. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light have proven to be significant tools in the treatment of the sometimes symptomatic and cosmetically disfiguring telangiectasias of rosacea. The significant psychological benefit derived from improved acne and rosacea control, fewer scars, and less-prominent facial vessels will continue to encourage advances in both medical and surgical arenas. n Dr. Vidimos is a staff member with the Dept. of Dermatology, Section of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Each year, we have more choices in our arsenal for effectively treating acne and rosacea patients. This past year was no exception. At the Cleveland Clinic, we’ve had much success with a number of treatments for treating patients who have acne and rosacea. Therapeutic Approaches for Acne Many patients with recalcitrant acne are already on comprehensive treatment regimens. To enhance the effectiveness of their acne medications, we’re increasingly turning to glycolic or salicylic acid peels. We can use a regimen of superficial peels to hasten the response of acne to treatment by reducing follicular corneacyte adhesion and promoting epidermolysis. At higher concentrations, glycolic acid can unroof pustules and penetrate the follicular epithelium to the level of the sebaceous glands. Also, glycolic acid products enhance penetration of topical medications by thinning the stratum corneum. We typically perform the glycolic peels for acne patients every 2 to 4 weeks. These in-office peels take only about 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Because patients usually experience some mild stinging, we give them a hand-held fan to help increase their comfort level. With glycolic acid peels, the patient washes with a glycolic acid cleanser. Then the facial skin is wiped with acetone, followed by application of the glycolic acid solution. The acid is neutralized with tap water after 3 to 5 minutes. For a few hours, the peeled skin is pink. The patient’s skin peels slowly and subtly for the next 3 to 5 days. We’ll do a series of four to eight peels over several weeks. Adding superficial peels to a regimen of an oral antibiotic and topical retinoid/topical antibiotic often prevents the need for isotretinoin in recalcitrant cases. Salicylic acid has been used as a keratolytic in dermatology for many years, and has been employed in topical preparations and soaps to treat acne. More recently, pure salicylic acid peels have been used in a series to treat acne patients, with the advantage of enhanced penetration into oil-clogged pores. Treating Acne Scarring Acne scars have a variety of morphologies, so scar revision must be individualized. Options include scar excision, punch grafting, punch elevation, soft tissue augmentation, subcision, dermabrasion, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, nonablative lasers and laserabrasion with carbon dioxide or erbium lasers. The best candidates for medium to deep resurfacing procedures are lighter skinned patients. Many patients require a staged, multimodality approach to acne scar revision for optimal results. The carbon dioxide laser can ablate thin layers of skin as well as cause contraction of collagen fibers, which can promote enhanced overall acne scar improvement. The erbium laser ablates thinner layers of skin and generates less heat, thereby causing less collagen tightening, faster healing, and less pronounced and less long-lasting erythema compared to the carbon dioxide laser. Most recently, nonablative lasers have been employed in a series of treatments to improve the contour of acne scars, and have the advantage of minimal to no down time and the ability to safely treat darker skin types. Therapies for Rosacea Treating rosacea includes avoiding known exacerbating dietary, environmental and emotional factors that may cause flare-ups. Sun protection measures such as broad spectrum sunscreens or sunblocks, protective clothing and hats, and sun avoidance are essential. Medical therapy includes oral and topical antibiotics. We may also use glycolic acid peels to hasten control of rosacea. Peels are performed every 2 to 4 weeks and may be used in combination with low concentration glycolic acid washes and creams. In general, we’ll use lower concentrations of the peeling agent (20% to 40%) to prevent excessive irritation. Topical rosacea treatments are resumed in 3 to 4 days. In addition to controlling the papules and pustules, patients often note overall improvement in prominent pores and skin texture. The telangiectasias associated with rosacea don’t respond to topical and oral therapy. Facial erythema may be camouflaged with green-based make-ups and moisturizers. Also, patients should choose cosmetics that are fragrance-free, alcohol-free, water-based, and nonabrasive. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light sources may be used to ablate the ectatic vessels, reducing overall facial redness. The treatments take 15 to 30 minutes and are performed at 6- to 12-week intervals. Patients may initially require two to four treatments, and may return on a yearly basis as needed for treatment of new blood vessels. The newer vascular lasers don’t produce purpura, but rather cause redness and minimal swelling which lasts about 24 hours. Sun protection is essential after laser treatments. Risks of vascular laser treatments include dyspigmentation and scarring (<1%). Patients must be continued to minimize the risk of flare-ups and new telangiectasia formation. Rhinophyma typically occurs in men older than 40 and involves hypertrophy of the nasal skin. In advanced cases, collapse of the nares may occur, causing obstruction of breathing. Treatment is mainly surgical and includes CO2 laser vaporization and or excision, erbium laser vaporization, dermabrasion or electrosurgery to sculpt the nose to a more normal shape. These are outpatient procedures performed under local anesthesia. Healing usually takes 7 to 10 days. Making Progress Treatment options for acne and rosacea continue to expand. Careful use of superficial peels can enhance treatment of acne and rosacea patients. Also, the ever-changing field of cutaneous lasers continues to offer improved care, and acne scar patients can benefit from both ablative and nonablative laser technology. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light have proven to be significant tools in the treatment of the sometimes symptomatic and cosmetically disfiguring telangiectasias of rosacea. The significant psychological benefit derived from improved acne and rosacea control, fewer scars, and less-prominent facial vessels will continue to encourage advances in both medical and surgical arenas. n Dr. Vidimos is a staff member with the Dept. of Dermatology, Section of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Each year, we have more choices in our arsenal for effectively treating acne and rosacea patients. This past year was no exception. At the Cleveland Clinic, we’ve had much success with a number of treatments for treating patients who have acne and rosacea. Therapeutic Approaches for Acne Many patients with recalcitrant acne are already on comprehensive treatment regimens. To enhance the effectiveness of their acne medications, we’re increasingly turning to glycolic or salicylic acid peels. We can use a regimen of superficial peels to hasten the response of acne to treatment by reducing follicular corneacyte adhesion and promoting epidermolysis. At higher concentrations, glycolic acid can unroof pustules and penetrate the follicular epithelium to the level of the sebaceous glands. Also, glycolic acid products enhance penetration of topical medications by thinning the stratum corneum. We typically perform the glycolic peels for acne patients every 2 to 4 weeks. These in-office peels take only about 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Because patients usually experience some mild stinging, we give them a hand-held fan to help increase their comfort level. With glycolic acid peels, the patient washes with a glycolic acid cleanser. Then the facial skin is wiped with acetone, followed by application of the glycolic acid solution. The acid is neutralized with tap water after 3 to 5 minutes. For a few hours, the peeled skin is pink. The patient’s skin peels slowly and subtly for the next 3 to 5 days. We’ll do a series of four to eight peels over several weeks. Adding superficial peels to a regimen of an oral antibiotic and topical retinoid/topical antibiotic often prevents the need for isotretinoin in recalcitrant cases. Salicylic acid has been used as a keratolytic in dermatology for many years, and has been employed in topical preparations and soaps to treat acne. More recently, pure salicylic acid peels have been used in a series to treat acne patients, with the advantage of enhanced penetration into oil-clogged pores. Treating Acne Scarring Acne scars have a variety of morphologies, so scar revision must be individualized. Options include scar excision, punch grafting, punch elevation, soft tissue augmentation, subcision, dermabrasion, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, nonablative lasers and laserabrasion with carbon dioxide or erbium lasers. The best candidates for medium to deep resurfacing procedures are lighter skinned patients. Many patients require a staged, multimodality approach to acne scar revision for optimal results. The carbon dioxide laser can ablate thin layers of skin as well as cause contraction of collagen fibers, which can promote enhanced overall acne scar improvement. The erbium laser ablates thinner layers of skin and generates less heat, thereby causing less collagen tightening, faster healing, and less pronounced and less long-lasting erythema compared to the carbon dioxide laser. Most recently, nonablative lasers have been employed in a series of treatments to improve the contour of acne scars, and have the advantage of minimal to no down time and the ability to safely treat darker skin types. Therapies for Rosacea Treating rosacea includes avoiding known exacerbating dietary, environmental and emotional factors that may cause flare-ups. Sun protection measures such as broad spectrum sunscreens or sunblocks, protective clothing and hats, and sun avoidance are essential. Medical therapy includes oral and topical antibiotics. We may also use glycolic acid peels to hasten control of rosacea. Peels are performed every 2 to 4 weeks and may be used in combination with low concentration glycolic acid washes and creams. In general, we’ll use lower concentrations of the peeling agent (20% to 40%) to prevent excessive irritation. Topical rosacea treatments are resumed in 3 to 4 days. In addition to controlling the papules and pustules, patients often note overall improvement in prominent pores and skin texture. The telangiectasias associated with rosacea don’t respond to topical and oral therapy. Facial erythema may be camouflaged with green-based make-ups and moisturizers. Also, patients should choose cosmetics that are fragrance-free, alcohol-free, water-based, and nonabrasive. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light sources may be used to ablate the ectatic vessels, reducing overall facial redness. The treatments take 15 to 30 minutes and are performed at 6- to 12-week intervals. Patients may initially require two to four treatments, and may return on a yearly basis as needed for treatment of new blood vessels. The newer vascular lasers don’t produce purpura, but rather cause redness and minimal swelling which lasts about 24 hours. Sun protection is essential after laser treatments. Risks of vascular laser treatments include dyspigmentation and scarring (<1%). Patients must be continued to minimize the risk of flare-ups and new telangiectasia formation. Rhinophyma typically occurs in men older than 40 and involves hypertrophy of the nasal skin. In advanced cases, collapse of the nares may occur, causing obstruction of breathing. Treatment is mainly surgical and includes CO2 laser vaporization and or excision, erbium laser vaporization, dermabrasion or electrosurgery to sculpt the nose to a more normal shape. These are outpatient procedures performed under local anesthesia. Healing usually takes 7 to 10 days. Making Progress Treatment options for acne and rosacea continue to expand. Careful use of superficial peels can enhance treatment of acne and rosacea patients. Also, the ever-changing field of cutaneous lasers continues to offer improved care, and acne scar patients can benefit from both ablative and nonablative laser technology. Vascular lasers and intense pulsed light have proven to be significant tools in the treatment of the sometimes symptomatic and cosmetically disfiguring telangiectasias of rosacea. The significant psychological benefit derived from improved acne and rosacea control, fewer scars, and less-prominent facial vessels will continue to encourage advances in both medical and surgical arenas.