Chemical peels are a safe, non-invasive way to help manage a variety of skin conditions. They use acids such as AHAs (glycolic and lactic acid), which are considered to be antioxidants and extremely beneficial for skin health. Antioxidants protect the skin from toxins such as smoke, sun exposure or pollutants in the air.
Chemical peels are a type of acid-based treatment where special chemicals are administered to the skin to exfoliate the top layer (epidermis) and reveal new skin. Consequently, this improves skin texture; chemical peels are hence often used to treat pigmentation, acne scars, uneven skin tone or sun-damaged skin.
Chemical peels can also be used in acne treatment to clear up blemishes and spots. Some examples of chemical peels are AHAs such as glycolic acid or lactic acid (light chemical peels), BHAs (salicylic acid) and TCAs (medium chemical peels).
Physical benefits of undergoing chemical peels treatments include:
Chemical peels remove dead skin on the face through a chemical reaction between the acids and the skin cells. This encourages the skin to regenerate itself to form new healthy cells.
Chemical peels are suitable for all skin types:
Light chemical peels superficially remove the upper layer of the skin (epidermis layer). They can be used to treat wrinkles and fine lines as well as acne and uneven skin tone caused by conditions such as eczema.
Medium chemical peels remove skin not only from the top layer of your face but also the dermis (layer under the epidermis). They are effective for deeper types of acne scars and dark spots caused by acne or pigmentation.
Deep chemical peels are done to treat conditions such as precancerous skin growths and deep wrinkles which cannot be treated on the skin’s surface (epidermis).
Chemical peels are safe for common skin problems such as acne scars and pigmentation. Each session takes about 30 to 60 minutes and will include skin prep and safety measures such as protecting your face and hair during the procedure. It is advisable for patients who are prone to keloid scars to consult a doctor prior to undergoing a chemical peel as they may not be suitable for the treatment. Patients on retinoids must also temporarily halt product use 3 to 4 days before the treatment depending on advice from your aesthetic specialist.
The number of treatments will depend on the patient’s needs or on the treatment plan you and your aesthetic specialist has formulated. Light chemical peels can be done once every 2 to 5 weeks as they are gentler on the skin, while medium chemical peels can be done every 4 to 6 months. As there is more downtime for deep chemical peels, they are done every 1 to 2 years and patients usually do not need repeated treatments.
