Is Chemical Peel Benefits For Skin
In the field of plastic surgery, chemical peels are extremely common. It aids in skin rejuvenation, giving you a more youthful, radiant appearance. Chemical peels are a way to remove the top layer of skin and reveal the healthier skin underneath. Use it on sun spots, wrinkles, acne scars, or discoloration. Those who are concerned about the visible symptoms of age on their skin are the most common candidates for a chemical peel.
Fine lines and uneven texture of the skin can be reduced with a mild chemical peel. Even with multiple applications, the effects are barely perceptible. You may feel the difference in the texture of your skin after a medium chemical peel.
Chemical peels are a non surgical procedure which is used to rejuvenate the skin or to improve an existing condition of the skin. The skin is the largest organ of your body and makes up for 15% of your total body weight. The health, appearance, and texture of the skin are largely dependent on the skin’s outermost layer called epidermis and how well it functions. Read on to learn more on chemical peeling advantages and disadvantages and skin looks worse after chemical peel.
Is Chemical Peel Benefits For Skin
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.
Chemical Peeling Advantages And Disadvantages
This can help minimize wrinkles, dullness, hyperpigmentation, and scarring. It may also help skin disorders like acne and rosacea. However, a chemical peel can’t treat deep wrinkles and scarring. It also won’t tighten loose skin or reverse sun damage.
A chemical peel is a restorative cosmetic procedure that may help reduce the signs of aging on your face.
During a chemical peel, a dermatologist will apply a chemical solution to your skin. This solution peels away damaged skin cells, allowing healthy skin to grow in their place.
This may help improve common skin concerns, such as:
- wrinkles
- hyperpigmentation
- acne
- uneven skin texture
However, the exact results will depend on many factors, including the severity of your skin issues and the type of peel you receive.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the different types of chemical peels, their benefits, and what to expect during recovery.
What to know about different types of chemical peels
Your dermatologist can work with you to help determine whether a light, medium, or deep chemical peel is best for your skin and the concerns you’re looking to treat.
Light chemical peel
A light chemical peel, or superficial peel, will lightly exfoliate your skin. It only removes the epidermis, which is your topmost skin layer.
A light chemical peel is usually used for:
- fine wrinkles
- uneven skin tone
- acne
- dry skin
This treatment uses mild chemical agents, so it’s usually safe to get light chemical peels every 2 to 5 weeks.
Medium chemical peel
A medium chemical peel is slightly stronger than a light peel. It removes your epidermis plus the top layer of your dermis, which lies beneath the epidermis.
A medium peel is typically used for:
- wrinkles
- uneven skin tone
- acne scars
You may need several treatments to get the results you want.
Deep chemical peel
A deep chemical peel removes your epidermis, along with the upper and middle layer of your dermis. It uses very strong chemicals, so you may need a local anesthetic before the procedure. This will help prevent pain and discomfort.
A deep chemical peel is best suited for:
- deeper wrinkles
- deeper scars
- precancerous skin patches
The effects of this peel can last for 10 years, so it’s done only once. You won’t need repeated treatments.
What are the benefits?
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.
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.
For people with a history of herpes outbreaks, there is a small risk of reactivating cold sores. Your doctor can prescribe medication to prevent or treat that.
Skin Looks Worse After Chemical Peel
A chemical peel can cause treated skin to become darker than normal (hyperpigmentation) or lighter than normal (hypopigmentation). Hyperpigmentation is more common after superficial peels, while hypopigmentation is more common after a deep peel.
skin looks worse after chemical peel
⏱️ 5 min read
The most frequent concern people have is that their skin looks worse in the days following a chemical peel. But does that mean their skin is ruined? No.
As your skin goes through the exfoliation and regeneration process it will be a peeling mess until you’re able to see the improvement.
So we’re not gonna lie – this treatment is beneficial, but it’s not exactly a pretty process. Let’s see what you can expect after this procedure and why skin looks worse after chemical peel.
Quick Recap of Chemical Peel Treatment
Chemical peels are resurfacing procedures that gently remove the top layer of skin by applying a chemical (often an acid) to the skin in controlled doses.
When performed correctly, chemical peels are quick, efficient, and safe face rejuvenation treatments that help balance out skin tone and minimize all kinds of blemishes.
If you’re thinking about getting a chemical peel, you should anticipate that this procedure has some temporary side effects that usually go away within a week. Nonetheless, they make skin look a bit…weird during the recovery.
Learn more about this procedure in our Ultimate Guide to Chemical Peels.
Can Chemical Peels Make Skin Worse?
While chemical peels are considered to be safe treatments, they do carry some risks.
The depth to which a chemical penetrates the skin during a chemical peel will determine how it affects the skin and if any issues may arise. Based on when they first manifest, complications can be divided into immediate and delayed skin reactions.
Immediate reactions happen within the first 24-48 hours and they include:
Pain, burning, itching sensations
Redness and changes in skin color
Swelling and blisters
Infection
Adverse reactions (usually an allergic reaction, contact dermatitis, or the form of persistent irritation)
After these calm down, there may also be some delayed skin reactions. These are often what make people worried about the state of their skin’s health.
So, How Can Skin Look Worse After Chemical Peel?
Following chemical peeling treatment, there may be some delayed side effects such as skin discoloration and patchiness, a feeling of dryness and tightness – the skin may even look more wrinkled.
These are all common. But where does normal skin reaction cross over into damaged skin?
Let’s see what conditions may be impacted by this treatment and to which severity is normal.
Can Chemical Peels Make Hyperpigmentation Worse?
A chemical peel may result in the treated skin becoming either lighter (hypopigmentation) or darker (hyperpigmentation) than usual.
Usually, hyperpigmentation is more likely to happen after more superficial peels, while hypopigmentation is more common after deeper peels.
Discoloration occurs due to the body’s natural response to an injury. The body works to defend itself by increasing the production of melanin, a protein that is also responsible for the pigments in our skin.
You can learn more about the relationship between post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and chemical peels here.
Can Chemical Peels Make Melasma Worse?
Melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation. Melasma appears due to hormone imbalance (which is why it’s often associated with pregnancy) or due to overexposure to harmful UV rays.
This is why it’s crucial you don’t skip using SPF after a chemical peel as that can further worsen the condition.
Can Chemical Peels Make Acne Worse?
Some people experience what is called a post-peel purge. The purge happens because your body pushes out toxins – it brings all the dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil from beneath your skin to the surface, before getting rid of them.
This leads to breakouts in tiny, red bumps that may be painful when touched. Often, there may be whiteheads and blackheads that appear along with the bumps – can be the reason why your skin looks worse after chemical peel.
During your treatment, a dermatologist will apply a solution of chemicals to the surface of your skin. When removed, the chemical peel will take dull surface skin cells along with it.
Shedding the topmost layer of your skin will tell living skin cells to multiply and move to the surface. This signals your body to boost collagen production, which will improve your skin’s elasticity. The reaction increases natural hyaluronic acid production, too.
As a result, your skin will begin to look and feel younger.
Smoother skin appears more radiant. It’s also more receptive to skincare products.
After a chemical peel, you’ll notice your skincare products will perform better. Now there are no longer dead skin cells at the surface of your skin. This makes it easier for your products to penetrate the skin’s surface and get to work!
2. Easy Exfoliation
At the beginning of your treatment, a professional will first thoroughly clean your skin. Then, they’ll apply a chemical solution (such as glycolic or salicylic acid) to a small area of your skin. Most chemical peels have a gel-like consistency.
This layer creates a controlled wound. You’ll feel a slight burning sensation, which lasts about 10 minutes. When the chemical solution is removed, new skin will take the place of old skin.
This process allows the chemical peel to reach deeper than other solutions.
One of the reasons many people request a deep chemical peel is to experience smoother-looking skin. Chemical peels also improve your skin tone and texture.
After removing dead skin cells, the peel will also deposit skin-healing ingredients into your skin. Now you’re exfoliating and giving your skin a boost.
If you’re looking for a skincare treatment that will leave your skin feeling like silk, try a chemical peel.
3. Minimize Sun Damage
A chemical peel benefits patients with hyper-pigmentation as well.
Hyper-pigmentation causes some patches of skin to appear darker than others. While normal, increased skin pigmentation sometimes occurs if you’re suffering from another condition. For example, Addison’s disease sometimes produces hyper-pigmentation.
Requesting a mild chemical peel can help heal your sun spots, freckles, and other pigmentation problems. Sun damage can also age your skin, causing fine lines and blotchiness.
With a chemical peel, you can ease these symptoms by treating your wrinkles to appear younger!
4. Control Melasma
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentary disorder that’s often resistant to certain treatments. While a common, chronic form of skin hyper-pigmentation, melasma can negatively impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.
In some cases, melasma is caused by hormonal surges. Patients who are pregnant may notice an increase in melasma during and after their pregnancy. While taking a birth control pill can help balance hormones and melasma, there still isn’t a permanent cure for this condition.
Many patients treat their melasma with sunblock and hormone management.
Other patients have found that a chemical peel benefits their melasma as well. If you’re noticing an increase in pigmentation problems, try a chemical peel for dark spots.
5. Soften Fine Lines
There are three main types of chemical peels you can choose from, ranging from mild to deep. Each formula can help treat different skin issues. The best option for deep scars and wrinkles, however, is a deep peel.
Unlike other peels, which may require more than one treatment, a single deep chemical peel often provides results after one session. However, you’ll need longer (about six to 12 months) to heal after a deep peel.
Deep peels are popular among older consumers.
These peels can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles near the forehead, eyes, and mouth. For moderate lines, a medium-peel is also effective.
After a medium or deep peel, make sure to protect your skin from the sun. Wear a hat and a layer of SPF sunscreen. Otherwise, you could permanently change your skin’s texture or color.
Protecting your skin after a deep chemical peel will also help prolong the treatment’s results.
6. Reduce Acne Marks
Some chemical peels can help ease your acne breakouts. They can also help reduce scarring from skin blemishes.
Chemical peels unclog your pores and remove blackheads from the surface of your skin.
At the same time, they’re also able to deposit ingredients into the skin that help your post-pimple marks fade away.
The best chemical peel for acne will contact salicylic and lactic acid. Salicylic acid also lingers in your skin’s pores. This allows the acid to keep the pores clear over a period of time.
You can also ask about acids like trichloroacetic acid to help scars fade away.
Unlike resurfacing lasers, choosing a chemical peel will require no downtime. It’s also safe for all skin tones. A surfacing laser could also result in an acne flare-up, so a chemical peel benefits acne-prone skin better than this alternative treatment.
7. Easily Customizable
The market for chemical peel facial rejuvenation is expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2026. One of the reasons for this popularity is the fact that chemical peels are low-risk. They’re safe for every skin color and don’t come with a risk of hyperpigmentation.
Doctors can also mix and match different acids to address specific skin concerns.
Since chemical peels are easily customizable, you don’t have to worry about a one-size-fits-all approach to your skin!