Knowing Your Chemical Peel Options

The chemical peel is one of many effective skin treatments, but it’s also one of the best ways to rejuvenate the skin and treat many different problem areas. Although laser treatments can require less downtime, chemical peels are highly effective at offering the skin a chance to regrow with new, healthy cells, meaning it can treat blemishes that require a heavier treatment or even lightly rejuvenate the skin for an overall glow.

What is a Chemical Peel?

It uses a mixture of chemicals to form a gel-like solution, which is applied to the face to smooth out the surface of the skin. This technique can effectively remove fine lines, blemishes, and textural problems. Chemical peels are usually classified in three different levels– mild, medium, and deep. Each one of these types has different benefits.

Mild Chemical Peel

A light chemical peel is a great option for routine maintenance and a regular part of your skincare. These peels can use more concentrated of AHAs or BHAs that you might use in your skincare regimen, meaning they can be a more immersive treatment for your mild problem areas. Light peels affect only the top layers of the skin, meaning surface wrinkles or pigmentation can be treated, leaving you with a healthy glow and recovery time of only a day or two.

Medium Chemical Peel

Medium peels are a good compromise between maintenance treatments and deeper, more therapeutic techniques. This type reaches deeper into the skin, affecting the top portions of the dermis with stronger solutions made from trichloroacetic or glycolic acids. Depending on your tolerance, you may require a topical anesthetic to make sure you’re comfortable. Medium peels are best for deeper wrinkles, sun damage, and dark pigmentation.

Deep Chemical Peel

This type of peel is the most extensive and can be one of the best options for treating deep-seated conditions or even pre-cancerous growths. Deep chemical peels require an anesthetic because it uses very stong chemical cocktails to reach the deep layers of the dermis. This treatment can come with some recovery time because your skin will be vulnerable to infection or UV exposure. You’ll need to wear bandages for a few days and avoid sunlight for up to a few weeks to give your skin time to recover. Despite the downtime, it can be very effective at removing deep wrinkles, pigmentation, scarring, and serious acne.

 

Chemical peels can be a great option for your skin treatment plan, but Dr. Diggs should first assess which one will benefit your skin most. You’ll need to follow a specific skincare regimen afterwards to ensure your skin has everything it needs to recover and not become irritated or compromised. To learn more about your chemical peel options, contact our office by calling or filling out our online form.