Chemical peels have been around for many years, they are a safe and non-invasive treatment option for acne, scarring, aging and sun damaged skin. It is a treatment used to improve the appearance of skin. Skin pigmentation such as sun spots, age spots, freckles and blotchiness can be improved with a chemical peel.
A chemical solution is applied to the surface of the skin that causes the top layer to peel off and allow for new skin cells to grow resulting in total skin rejuvenation. Skin will look smooth, even in colour and less wrinkled. Depending on the treatment area and desired outcome, you may have a superficial, medium or deep chemical peel. Usually the deeper the peel is, the longer the recovery time.
Chemical peels are most commonly applied to the face and neck. One or more chemical solutions may be used such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and retinoic acid. Applying the solution causes the skin cells to separate and eventually peels off a layer of the skin. During the procedure, most patients experience a warm sensation lasting about ten minutes; sometimes stinging will occur.
Following treatment, patients generally experience a feeling of a mild to moderate sunburn. Superficial peeling usually causes redness and scaling lasting three to five days. Peeling also occurs at the microscopic level; a process known as micro-peeling, that is invisible to the naked eye. Deeper peels are known to cause swelling and sometime blistering. Recovery time for deep peels is generally between 7-14 days.