Chemical Peel

A chemical peel removes the outer layers of the skin. This removes some sunspots, rough scaly patches, freshens the skin generally, reduces freckles and irregular pigmentation, and fine wrinkles.

A chemical peel can help improve a lot af skin conditions such as acne, uneven skin texture, brown spots, melasma (a dark skin discoloration found on sun-exposed areas of the skin), wrinkling and hyperpigmentation (a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin).

The classification of a chemical peel are ranked as follows : deep, medium, superficial and very superficial.Once the doctor has assessed the condition of the skin, they will decide which of these depths of peeling will be the most beneficial.

Superficial and very superficial peels tend to be the most popular, usually at skin clinics or health spas, while deep and medium peels have become less popular due to the introduction of laser treatments.Lasers can often produce equal if not better results than deep peeling and they have  a significantly shorter recovery time.

Ingredients in a chemical peel.

A lot of ingredients used in home skincare are used in much higher concentrates in a chemical peel.They include the following :

Glycolic acid

This is the most common ingredient in chemical peels.It is a member of the AHA (alpha hydroxy) group and is a dirivative of sugar cane.It works by inducing exfoliation and increasing the speed of the skin cycle.In a normal skin product it has a concentration of about 10% whilst in a peel it can be up to 70%.

Salicylic acid

It is the only member of the beta hydroxy group and is by far the best treatment for skin that is prone to acne.In a normal skin product it has a concentration of about 2% whilst in a peel it can be 20-30%.

Other peeling agents 

The most common peeling agents are resorcinol - a phenol derivative and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) .If used repeatedly in small concentrations(10-15%), TCA can reduce fine wrinkles and leave the skin with a smooth finish.Used in higher concentrates (35-40%) it gives a deeper peel but with a higher risk of hyperpigmentation and scarring.

Conclusion

Always consult the most experienced doctors as so many variables can affect the outcome of a chemical peel.In the hands of different doctors the same ingredients will produce different outcomes.

Just like the face,the chest, neck and hands are often exposed to the sun and can receive a fair amount of damage.The face responds very well to a stronger chemical peel because of the rich supply of oil glands, whereas other parts of the body a chemical peel cant be done as deeply without risking scars.