What is a Chemical Peel and What Does it Do?
A chemical peel treatment offers patients chemical exfoliation of the skin, and most commonly the skin of the face is targeted. In some cases, other areas such as the neck, décolleté, and hands are treated for the same benefits. A low- to mid-grade acid is applied to the surface layer of skin which then penetrates the next few layers to reveal fresh skin after several days. A deep layer chemical peel may require anesthesia and a more extensive healing time because further layers beneath the skin are affected. It is not recommended that patients undergo this deeper treatment more than once during their lifetime. A chemical peel is designed to create minor to moderate irritation of the skin, so the outermost layers are sloughed off to reveal a fresh, underlying epidermis. Doctor Williams and his staff offer patients the TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peel, which provides a medium-depth penetration of the solution.
Why the Need for a Chemical Peel?
Many people suffer from skin damage as everyday sun exposure creates irreversible changes to the epidermis. Other reasons to undergo a chemical peel are to improve other visible signs of aging, acne scars, and skin irregularities in both tone and texture. As humans age, the turnover of skin cells slows. Crucial components that make up the skin, such as collagen, decrease in production and lead to the formation of lines and wrinkles. A chemical peel prompts the newer, healthier skin cells to form the uppermost layers of skin. Skin imperfections may only affect certain layers of skin, so the epidermal layers are removed accordingly. Prospective patients can view Dr. Williams’ page on chemical peels to learn more information about the procedure and the different types of peels available.
Similar Treatments
There are other treatment methods that can be performed to improve the look of the skin, including micro-needling and laser skin resurfacing. Micro-needling is a mechanical method performed with the Eclipse Micropen and its 12 tiny sterile disposable needles, which pulsate rapidly to puncture the skin. The micro injuries created in the top layers of skin promote an automatic response from skin tissues, which helps to form healthier regrowth. There are limitations to the procedure, such as the depth the mechanism can penetrate to promote deep healing. Typically, because chemical peels are available in different strengths, this method is preferred as it can be customized to an individual’s needs.
Laser skin treatments will also exfoliate the skin by heating the tissues of the face to allow a better quality of skin to grow in its place. One important fact to note is that laser treatments are more costly than a single or series of chemical peels. Additionally, there may be more risks associated with laser treatments.
Chemical Peel Treatment Combinations
While chemical peeling is extremely effective in treating skin irregularities, certain patients may benefit from other procedures that are performed once the skin has healed from the peel. If a patient had deep acne scars that were greatly improved but remain visible, fat injections through a lipo fat transfer can be used to plump any depressed areas of the skin. Other injectable fillers such as Restylane, Radiesse, and Sculptra are equally effective in varying cases. The same methods can be used for deep creases of the skin. Botox injections are another way to supplement the treatment of aging skin. While the injections will not fill in sunken creases, they will temporarily prevent the muscles from forming certain lines and wrinkles like crow’s feet and frown lines.
Chemical peel is a lesser form of treatment than a surgery, and may be the first line of treatment for facial scarring. The doctor could expect a significant improvement in the look of a scar, but a scar repair surgery is an option when a chemical peel did provide results as expected. Because of the various factors that contribute to a person’s skin type, the extent of the correction cannot always be anticipated.
Schedule a Chemical Peel Consultation in our Rejuva Center
Contact the office at (518) 786-7004.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.