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What is a
chemical peel? |
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Chemical Peels and Your 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. |
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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 |
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Who Is a Good
Candidate For a Chemical
Peel? |
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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. |
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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 |
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Before You Get a
Chemical Peel |
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Tell your doctor if you
have any history of
scarring, cold sores
that keep coming back,
or facial X-rays. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Ask your doctor in
advance whether you will
need to have someone
drive you home after
your peel. |
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What To Expect After
the Chemical Peel |
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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. |
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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. |
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After treatment, you may
need bandages for
several days on part or
all of the skin that was
treated. |
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You'll need to avoid the
sun for several months
after a chemical peel
since your new skin will
be fragile |
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Possible
Complications |
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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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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Read more:
www.webmd.com |
