Types of Chemical Peels
With a brief introduction of chemical peels taken care of, I thought it right to discuss the different types of chemical peels available in more detail. As you know, there are three types of chemical peels:
Light peels:
Here alpha hydroxyacids like salicylic acid and glycolic acid, which are found in fruits and other foods, are used for treating dry skin, acne and liver and sun spots. It also helps lessen the appearance of fine facial wrinkles, reduces pore size and improves the texture of old and sun-damaged skin.
You need six to eight treatments over a span of 2-3 weeks for best results. This is best for those who want a chemical peel but don't want to spend so much time recovering from it like in medium and deep peels as there is practically no recovery time here. In fact, at the most you may experience some mild irritation and redness after the peel, and can thus return to your activities immediately after the peel.
Medium peels:
Trichloroacetic acid is used in medium peels for treating deeper skin layers and for removing deeper wrinkles and precancerous lesions. It is done once every two to three years.
You can see the new skin layer appearing after 3-7 days of the treatment. In fact, the skin gets completely healed after two weeks of the treatment. You may experience redness resembling severe sunburn with a medium peel that lasts a week or so.
Deep peels:
Deep peels are not carried out frequently. These peels treat much deeper skin layers, like for treating skin damage. It is carried out using phenol, which may cause heart rhythm problems when absorbed by the skin.
Besides giving heart problems, deep peels can cause permanent whitening of the skin. Moreover, though you may see a new skin layer appearing in 7-10 days, complete healing requires 1-2 months. This is why people undergoing deep peels usually take a week off from work. These peels are however not advised for people with dark skin.
These peels give the most dramatic and long lasting results, but take longer than other peels and require longer healing time. Moreover as deep peels bring about permanent lightening of the skin, it is better to consult a qualified cosmetic dermatologist before undergoing the procedure.
Are you fit for a chemical peel?
I found it interesting to learn that people with light skin and hair were the best people for chemical peels. Of course, even people with other skin pigmentation can undergo chemical peels. But the best candidates are those who are not happy with their skin appearance, hold realistic expectations from it and who don't smoke.
No matter what your skin condition is, and what type of peel you opt for, once done, you have to protect yourself from the sun. You have stay away from sunlight for a few days, after which you have to use sunscreen and protective clothing and hat when you go outside. Also drink as much of water as possible for skin hydration.
