A chemical peel is a procedure in which a chemical solution is applied to the skin to remove the top layers. The skin that grows back is smoother. With a light or medium peel, you may need to undergo the procedure more than once to get the desired results.

Chemical peels are used to treat wrinkles, discolored skin and scars — usually on the face. They can be done alone or combined with other cosmetic procedures. And they can be done at different depths, from light to deep. Deeper chemical peels offer more-dramatic results but also take longer to recover from.

A chemical peel is a skin-resurfacing procedure. Depending on the issues you’re addressing with the procedure, you’ll choose a chemical peel in one of three depths:

• Light chemical peel. A light (superficial) chemical peel removes the outer layer of skin (epidermis). It’s used to treat fine wrinkles, acne, uneven skin tone and dryness. You might have a light peel every two to five weeks.
• Medium chemical peel. A medium chemical peel removes skin cells from the epidermis and from portions of the upper part of your middle layer of skin (dermis). It’s used to treat wrinkles, acne scars and uneven skin tone. You might need to repeat the procedure to achieve or maintain the desired result.
• Deep chemical peel. A deep chemical peel removes skin cells even deeper. Your doctor might recommend one for deeper wrinkles, scars or precancerous growths. You won’t need repeat procedures to get the full effect.

At YOUNIQ PLASTIC SURGERY we:

• Review your medical history, current and past medical conditions and any medications you are taking or have taken recently, as well as any cosmetic procedures you’ve had.
• Do a physical exam. Doctors at YOUNIQ will inspect your skin and the area to be treated to determine what type of peel you might benefit from most and how your physical features — for example, the tone and thickness of your skin — might affect your results.
• Discuss your expectations. Speak to us about your expectations. Make sure you understand how many treatments you might need, how long it’ll take to heal and what your results might be.

Before the procedure

A chemical peel is usually done in our outpatient surgical facility. Before the procedure, the doctor’s at YOUNIQ will clean your face, protect your hair, and cover your eyes with ointment, gauze, tape or goggles.

During the procedure

Doctor’s at YOUNIQ will use a brush, cotton ball, gauze or sponge to apply a chemical solution typically containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. The treated skin will begin to whiten. You might feel mild stinging while the chemical solution is on your skin. Doctor’s at YOUNIQ will apply a neutralizing solution or wash to remove the chemical solution from the treated skin.

After the procedure

After a chemical peel of any depth, your skin will be red, tight, irritated or swollen. Follow your doctor’s directions for sun protection, cleansing, moisturizing and applying protective ointments to your skin. And avoid picking, rubbing or scratching your skin.

Treated areas take about one to seven days to heal after a light chemical peel.

Once new skin completely covers the treated area in about two weeks, you can use cosmetics to conceal any redness. Use sunscreen every day.

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. After a deep chemical peel, you’ll see a dramatic improvement in the look and feel of treated areas.