SKIN REJUVENATION

Chemical peels are a great way to rejuvenate the skin and give it a youthful and healthy appearance. Aging, long-term sun exposure, and hormonal changes cause wrinkles, acne scars, pigmentary changes, and fine lines. Chemical peels can eliminate these imperfections and change the texture of the skin by removing dead skin cells and allowing the deeper skin layer to regenerate.

WHAT ARE CHEMICAL PEELS?

A chemical peel procedure consists of applying a chemical solution to the skin and allowing it to soak in and penetrate the skin. The procedure destroys the top layer of damaged skin (exfoliation), allowing the healthy new skin cells underneath to grow. The new skin is tighter (eliminating wrinkles), and has a more uniform pigmentation. Underlying collagen is also stimulated to grow, an important step in skin volumization. 

The chemicals used in a chemical peel vary based on how deeply they penetrate the skin and are chosen for every patient's skin characteristics. Some chemical peels can be bought over-the-counter, the more potent and effective ones are administered by physicians. The most common chemical peel used in our practice is TCA (trichloroacetic acid), a medium peel, and AHA (alphahydroxy acid), a mild peel. Chemical peels may be applied at the time of eyelid surgery. The application process takes about 15 minutes and can be applied to the entire face, or specific trouble areas.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER A CHEMICAL PEEL

There may be some stinging for a few minutes as the chemical peel is applied. The recovery time depends on your skin type and the strength of the chemical, but usually patients will experience flaky, red skin for 1-3 weeks.