If you've ever overdone tanning on the beach and peeled afterward, you're halfway to understanding the cosmetic surgery principle used in chemical peeling. However, it’s not rays of the sun, but an acid solution which is painted on the skin of the face and, depending how deep you want the peel to go, there are a variety of peels to choose from.

Chemical peels use several types of acid solutions to improve and smooth the texture of your facial skin. The acid works by removing damaged outer layers and are sometimes also used on the back, neck and hands. Chemical peels have been proven to be among the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedures chosen by patients. For instance, The American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery estimates nearly 74,000 (UPDATE) patients underwent chemical peels in 2003, (the most recent year for which the academy has statistics) making it the third most popular among surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Chemical peels vary according to their specific ingredients and strength. The actual depth of the peeling can also depend on other considerations such as how long the solutions
remain on the skin and if they are lightly,

heavily or vigorously applied. The most commonly performed peel procedures are lightly applied to smooth rough dry skin and aids in control of acne. There are four common types of chemical peels:

AHA or Alpha Hydroxy Acids – these are the mildest of all the peels and are sugar derived which is why they have names like malic, fruit acids, lactic, and glycolic.

This type of peel is done on an outpatient basis and has earned the nickname “lunch time peel.” There's minimal healing time and they're effective on sunspots, skin pigmentation problems, acne, and light sun damage.

BHA or Beta Hydroxy Acids – The main difference between AHA and BHA is that BHA is oil soluble which makes it extremely effective for not only cleaning the skin, but also for removing bacteria, sebum oil, and dead skill cells. It's therefore effective for treating dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and any other skin inflammation that's a result of bacteria. It can also be helpful with hyperpigmentation problems.

TCA or Trichloaroacetic Acid – This is a medium depth peel and it's longer lasting and more effective than citric or sugar peels. Basically, with a TCA peel you get the benefits of both BHA and AHA peels. And because it's a deeper peel, it can take a couple of weeks to heal

depending on the depth of the peel that's produced. It's used for all stages of acne, freckles, scars, bad pigmentation, years of sun damage, signs of aging, and in recent years, it has been also used to lighten tattoos.

Phenol Peels – This is the deepest chemical skin peel, which reaches deep into the lower levels of the skin. This is the deepest of all the peels with a long heal time, but produces the greatest results.

Want to find out what peel is best for you? Give us a call today & schedule a FREE consultation and VISIA Skin analysis to see what we can offer you.

Appointments are limited, so call now to reserve your time with our aesthetician

Sharon K. Steele-Tran, Laser Certified
Aesthetician

281.484.0088