Chemical Peeling
Chemical peels are used to remove damaged skin cells, revealing healthier skin underneath. 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. it provides more shiny and healthy skin. It helps 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. It can be done on the face, neck, or hands.
Superficial or lunchtime peel: Alpha-hydroxy acid or another mild acid is used to penetrate only the outer layer of skin to gently exfoliate it. The treatment is used to improve the appearance of mild skin discoloration and rough skin as well as to refresh the face, neck, chest or hands.
Medium peel: Glycolic or trichloroacetic acid is applied to penetrate the out and middle layers of skin to remove damaged skin cells. The treatment is used to improve age spots, fine lines and wrinkles, freckles and moderate skin discoloration. It also can be used to smooth rough skin and treat some precancerous skin growths, i.e. actinic keratosis.
Deep peel: Trichloroacetic acid or phenol is applied to deeply penetrate the middle layer of skin to remove damaged skin cells. The treatment removes moderate lines, age spots, freckles and shallow scars. Patients will see a dramatic improvement in skin appearance. The procedure is used on the face and only can be performed once.
Superficial peelings may cause redness on treated area that takes 1-2 days; for medium/deep peelings it takes 3-7 days. 6-8 sessions with 2 weeks intervals needed for superficial peelings, TCA peelings can be applied with 3-4 weeks intervals.
Spot treatment is a complex treatment but the first preference should always be the peeling procedure instead of laser procedures. It is because trying to peel the skin very deeply leads to an increased risk of leaving light color spots on the skin. It makes much more sense to peel slowly from outside to inside in a controlled manner.