Chemical peels are effective for erasing signs of aging from your skin. This safe and successful cosmetic treatment can leave you with fewer lines and wrinkles, smoother, brighter skin and a more even complexion — all the requisites for looking younger. Chemical peels are popular skin rejuvenation procedures.
A chemical peel damages the skin in a controlled manner, producing a superficial wound. As the natural healing process repairs the damage, the skin's appearance is improved. The nature of the chemicals applied to the skin determines the depth at which the damage occurs.
Overexposure to exfoliants—such as alpha hydroxy, salicylic, glycolic and lactic acids used in chemical peels—causes inflammatory responses in the skin, including redness and skin damage. Once you reach this point, it is very difficult to get your skin back to normal.
Chemical peels are used to create an injury of a specific skin depth with the goal of stimulating new skin growth and improving surface texture and appearance. The exfoliative effect of chemical peels stimulates new epidermal growth and collagen with more evenly distributed melanin.
Treatment Options
Chemical peels improve the appearance of aging skin by using a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of old skin. The new skin that replaces it is usually smoother and less wrinkled in appearance. During the procedure, patients may experience a burning sensation lasting five to 10 minutes.
For deeper wrinkles, a medium or deep chemical peel is the best option. For rough skin caused by sun damage, microdermabrasion or a light chemical peel will work. If you have severe damage or are at risk of melasma, medium or deep chemical peels are better suited.
Results. A light chemical peel improves skin texture and tone and lessens the appearance of fine wrinkles. The results are subtle but increase with repeated treatments. If you have a medium chemical peel, treated skin will be noticeably smoother.
Who should avoid getting a chemical peel? Peels are not recommended for anyone who is pregnant or nursing, has inflamed acne or a sunburn or is taking Accutane. People who use retinoids can get a chemical peel but must stop using the product three to four days before treatment.
Deep chemical peels are recommended for coarse wrinkles; severely blotchy, sun-damaged skin; and precancerous growths. They can cause permanent darkening or lightening of the skin, and they are not recommended for darker skin tones.
Those who just need or want light peels can usually get them every month. For more intense treatments, like medium or peels, it's advisable to wait four or six months in between appointments. Those who wish to get deep peels should only do so once every few years.
Dermatologists recommend superficial peels if skin issues only affect the top layer of the skin, the epidermis. Because superficial peels do not penetrate the deeper layers, they carry a lower risk of side effects and the skin tends to recover more quickly.
Light peels are the most common type of cosmetic chemical peel treatment, but they also have the most variation in terms of results. A light peel generally lasts for about 1 to 2 months at a time when you first start using the treatment. Over time, the results of a light peel can last for about 6 months.
A retinol peel is ideal if you want to rejuvenate, hydrate and refresh your complexion. If you have more specific skin concerns including acne or aging signs such as fine lines and wrinkles, then a retinol peel could be the perfect solution for you to reduce symptoms.
The results of chemical peels can last anywhere from one month to the rest of your life. The longevity of a chemical peel's results depends on several factors, but the most significant factor is the strength of the peel. A light, or superficial, peel produces results that usually last between one and two months.
A chemical peel is a skin resurfacing procedure that works by gently breaking down the chemical bonds between individual cells in the skin's upper layers and so will not remove facial hair.
Chemical peels can reduce or improve fine lines and wrinkles, acne, scars, uneven skin coloring and other skin imperfections. Different chemicals determine the depth of your peel and type of skin condition treated.
Generally speaking, chemical peels are better for more advanced skin problems or signs of aging, as facials tackle more superficial issues. When used together, both skin treatments promise lovely, younger-looking skin.
Chemical peels generally work best on superficial imperfections; conversely, microneedling penetrates deeper to improve more troublesome issues. Many people with wrinkles find a combination of microneedling and chemical peels deliver the best results.
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.
While dermaplaning and chemical peels are effective apart, they work synergistically together. Dermaplaning helps to remove the outer layers of the skin, making the chemical solution in a chemical peel far more effective.
Laser treatments are superior to chemical peels in how controllable and precise it is. It's easier to just target an acne scar or a few spots on the skin with a laser. The laser is also better for deep collagen remodeling. If you are trying to address wrinkles or sagging skin, lasers will be a better option.
“You can definitely wear makeup just hours after a mild chemical peel,” shares Bowen. Makeup will work for discoloration, but may cause the skin to flake due to the application. Once most of the skin has flaked off, you will be able to wear makeup. ”