An Overview

It might not have the most pleasant sounding name in the world, but a facial chemical peel is a safe, commonly used method of treating acne, age spots, brown spots, large pores, fine wrinkles, bags under the eyes, and uneven skin pigmentation. The traditional chemical face peel procedure involves the application of a chemical solution designed to smooth and exfoliate skin while removing its damaged outer layer. The formula for this solution changes depending on your skin, but usually involves a combination of different types of trichloroacetic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, and sometimes phenol.

Many of the compounds used in chemical peels are found in nature, such as Glycolic acid (of the alpha-hyrdroxy family), which is derived from certain fruits and plants. It assists in the skin treatment by stimulating new collagen and skin growth while allowing dead skin cells to fall off naturally. Salicylic acid, a simple organic fruit compound, is an effective acne scar reducing chemical peel and by increasing cell turnover it also works for oily and acne prone skin. Mandelic acid, meanwhile, is an extract from bitter almonds, and is often used in a chemical peel for uneven skin tones and or patients with pigmentation problems.

Most chemical peels take only 10-15 minutes to perform, and the majority of patients report only a mild stinging from the chemical solution. With the less invasive chemical peels mentioned above the recovery time is quick, with most redness and dryness subsiding within a week’s time. There are chemical peels that require much more downtime because of the blistering that occurs after treatment.

Whether it’s pesky wrinkles or severe Rosacea, dealing with skin problems is… a problem. Fortunately, there’s good news! No matter how you feel about your skin today, exciting advancements in laser technology, light-based skin therapy, and dermal fillers have made it possible to dramatically improve even the worst skin conditions.