Chemical Peel Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the Benefits of Chemical Peels

After the top layer of skin is peeled away, new, fresh skin regenerates without imperfections, lines and wrinkles. Deeper chemical peels are an effective treatment for the extreme wrinkling caused by spending too much time in the sun.

If your surgeon has selected an AHA peel, no anesthesia or sedation is needed. Sometimes, a single treatment can produce that radiant look of younger skin. Additionally, time off from your job and regular activities is not usually required with an AHA peel.
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How are Chemical Peels Performed?

A full face chemical peel usually takes one to two hours to perform and is safely done in the physician’s office. Your physician may ask you to eliminate certain drugs from your system before doing the procedure. But a more limited procedure -- like treating only the wrinkling above the lip -- will generally take less than 30 minutes. Overall, your surgeon decides which solution is right for your case and applies it to the treatment area, avoiding eyes, brows and lips. After the peel solution has worked on the skin, it is neutralized with water. About an hour later, a thick coating of petroleum jelly is layered over the face and covers the protective crust left by the acid solutions. That crusty layer stays in place for one to two days. Some physicians use another technique for cases of severe wrinkling, whereby a mask made of adhesive tape, covers the patient’s face during the early stages of the healing process.

The solution is applied using a sponge, cotton pad, swab or brush. The treatment begins with a thorough cleaning of the skin to remove any traces of grease with rubbing alcohol or acetone. The peeling solution is left on the face for a few minutes then removed.

The deeper a peel penetrates, the more visible will be the results. However, the recovery time may be longer.
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How Much Pain is Associated with Chemical Peels?

With AHA, the patient only feels some stinging or irritation and sees some redness on the face. All three procedures can cause puffiness in the face which subsides after several days. Medium peels usually do not require anesthesia while the deep peels usually require intravenous sedation. Temporary flaking or scaling, redness and dryness are normal after effects. Ointments, used for seven to ten days following surgery, keep the skin supple. Some deep chemical peels require a break from normal activities for one to two weeks. With the deeper peel, the patient is usually monitored with an EKG.
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What are The Long-Term Effects of Chemical Peels?

Sun block is always recommended after chemical peels, especially after a TCA treatment because your skin will be extremely sensitive to sunlight and may not tan evenly. The effects of a phenol chemical peel sometimes last as long as twenty years and have quite dramatic results, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Possible post-op complications can include scarring and infection of abnormal pigmentation. Some patients wear special make-up so treated areas will match the untreated areas. Physicians also caution that the acid solutions used in chemical peels can activate latent cold sore infections.
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Who would best Represent an Ideal Candidate for Chemical Peels?

The fair skinned, light haired patient who has a very wrinkled face or who has a face dotted with liver, age and sun spots, freckles or splotching due to taking birth control pills – and wants a looker, fresher look -- would be a good candidate for a chemical peel. The face that has a dull texture and color may be improved with chemical peeling. Precancerous keratoses or scaling patches may improve after chemical peeling. However, the procedure does not correct sags, bulges and deep furrows. Those conditions are often better treated by face, brow and eye lifts or soft tissue fillers.
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What Are the Risks and Limitations of Chemical Peels?

Experts say not everyone may be a suitable candidate for a chemical facial peel. Before surgery, your physician must evaluate the solutions’ effect on ethnic background, age, skin type and color. But because there can be serious consequences and unforeseen complications, the American Society for the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says Phenol chemical peels should only be performed by a qualified physician. (In some states, non-physicians can apply chemical peels. Some inadequately trained practitioners claim in advertisements they have “miracle treatments” to rejuvenate the skin.) Overall, you must be free of skin infections, including acne and any type cold sore, especially herpes simplex sores. You must have not taken Acutance for twelve to 18 months before treatment, depending on your doctor’s specifications. And, you will be asked to limit your exposure to the sun for at least a month before undergoing the peel.
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Ten Questions Every Chemical Peel Patient Should Ask Their Surgeon

Prior to all chemical peel procedures, a consultation will occur between the prospective patient and the providing surgeon. During this consultation the surgeon and patient will discuss the treatment plan like the desired outcome, various options that are available to achieve it, the procedure itself as well as various risks and limitations. The surgeon will also provide information regarding anesthesia options, the location and description of where the peel procedure will be performed (i.e., hospital vs. office surgical suite) and associated costs. A discussion regarding the patient’s medical history, as well as a physical examination of the area to be treated will also take place during the consultation.

To better educate the patient about chemical face peels, as well as assisting in formulating realistic expectations, it is recommended that the patient look at before and after photographs, speak with previous chemical peel patients, (you are always welcome to ask your doctor for referrals to previous patients and where to contact them) and get answers to the following questions:

1. Are the desired results I described realistic?
2. Where is the peel performed and how long will it take?
3. In my case, what technique and which peel are most appropriate?
4. What kind of anesthesia will the surgeon use during the surgery?
5. How much do chemical peels cost and what other elements factor into that cost (i.e., hospital fee, anesthesia, etc)?
6. What is the surgeon’s level of experience in performing chemical peels?
7. What percentage of patients experience complications with the peels?
8. What is the surgeon’s policy in regards to correcting or repeating the procedure if the peel does not meet agreed upon goals?
9. What should I expect, post-operatively, in terms of soreness, scaring, activity level and so on?
10. Have you ever had your malpractice insurance coverage denied, revoked or suspended?

You should also request and view several before and after photographs of recent patients who have received peels from the same surgeon. These photos may be supplemented with additional valuable information by requesting the names and contact information for several of the surgeon’s chemical peel patients.

In addition to the previously mentioned questions, it is imperative that chemical peel patients relay to their surgeon information regarding any allergies and serious medical conditions they may have. Furthermore, patients should inform the surgeon of any medications they are taking.

This site provides information about plastic/cosmetic surgery and is designed to help users make decisions regarding their own treatment options. But medical information is not the same as medical advice--the application of medical treatment to a person's specific circumstances. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a qualified medical practitioner if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.