What is a chemical skin peel?
Chemical skin peels help to create a younger, fresher look by improving the texture of your skin. They can help to reduce the signs of ageing, treat scars and blemishes and create healthier, firmer looking skin without the need for surgery.
A facial peel could help if you have any of the following: fine lines or wrinkles, acne scars, sunspots or freckles, uneven or greasy skin. The aim is to rejuvenate the face giving you smoother, softer, blemish free skin.
How does a chemical peel work?
Chemical peels remove the top layer or layers of skin using a chemical preparation. As the new skin grows back, it is normally smoother than before and imperfections are reduced.
There are various types of chemical peel - superficial, medium and deep. They achieve different results depending on your needs and recovery times vary.
Superficial chemical peels are easy to apply and the time needed for healing is minimal, but they won't achieve long lasting or dramatic results. Superficial peels aim to smooth and brighten the skin. They are suitable for those who don’t have time to recover from a deeper peel or don’t want any visible peeling.
Medium chemical peels can achieve more noticeable and long lasting results for surface blemishes, fine lines and facial scarring, such as acne scarring.
A deep peel will help reduce more severe facial wrinkles, and is often used around the mouth and eyes.
One deep peel may be enough to achieve the desired result, while a course of superficial peels may be needed to achieve the desired results..
Chemical peels take between 30 minutes and an hour, and you will be able to return home straight away. Depending on the type of peel you have, your will begin to peel two to three days after the procedure, and the new smoother skin will emerge.
As with any cosmetic procedure, it is important that you review your expectations thoroughly before you decide to proceed. Your specialist will explain the results you can expect from each type of peel and will discuss the associated risks and alternatives before going ahead.