| Why have a chemical
peel?
If your skin is blemished from sun damage, or
acne scarring then a chemical peel may be a good remedy for
removing the blemishes. Clinical signs of photoaging of the
skin include rhytids (wrinkles around the eyes), lentigines
(pigmented spots), keratoses, telangiectasia (broken blood vessels),
loss of translucency, loss of elasticity, and a sallow color.
A consultation with your dermatologist will help determine what
kind of peel is best for you, and whether it could be a single
treatment or a series of treatments performed over several months.
Chemical peels can effectively improve a wide
variety of skin conditions including:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Uneven pigmentation
- Shallow acne scars
- Sun-damaged skin
- Age spots
- Freckling
What is a "chemical peel"?
Chemical skin peeling is an established technique
for improving or erasing wrinkles, keratoses and areas of increased
pigmentation, including freckles, “age or liver spots”,
etc. This technique was developed in 1903 by Dr. George Miller
McKee - the founder of the practice of Sheard & Drugge.
A chemical peel is the application of an acid to the skin, usually
on the face, although any area may be treated. This removes
the superficial, damaged layers to reveal new, undamaged skin.
The depth of the peel depends on the formulation and the concentration
of the acid used. As the procedure has developed, the formulations
have greatly improved to allow for a much wider range of desired
results - and more comfort and satisfaction for the patient.
What will the immediate results
be?
This would depend on the type and strength of
the peel done. A mild peel may produce little immediately
discernible effects - the effect is more noticeable once the
skin layers treated by the acid have sloughed off, usually in
a few days. A deeper, more concentrated peel may produce redness
that lasts for a couple of weeks, this will gradually fade to
reveal the fresh, undamaged skin. A strong, one-step peel can
result in what appears to be a second degree burn - intense
redness, some blistering. This can last for up to a month or
so, until the new layers come up - these strong peels have the
worst short-term effects, but produce the best long-term results
for badly blemished skin.
Preparation, the Procedure
and After-care
Your dermatologist may instruct you to prepare
your skin in the week or two prior to the peel by using certain
skin products. These preparations help to remove dead skin cells
which improves the efficiency of the peel. The peel itself is
performed as a normal office visit in which the doctor will
clean the skin with alcohol, apply the peel and then, depending
on the peel used, either water or a special neutralizing agent.
You may experience some mild burning and stinging as the peel
works into the skin layers, but this is usually very short lived
(a few minutes). After care will depend on the strength of the
peel, but is usually very simple and straightforward - however,
we don't recommend the use of makeup for a little while, especially
for stronger peels. Therefore you need to be prepared to go
around looking a little "rough" for a while if you
have a stronger peel performed. Your dermatologist can help
you decide if a series of milder peels, or one strong peel is
better for your individual needs.
What is the price?
The cost of the chemical peel is $90 USD. |
