The Chemical Face Peel: Good Idea Or Bad?

My ex-husband was a huge fan of the chemical face peel and used to get them on a regular basis. To me they were horrible because his face was bright red and raw for days – he would even avoid going places for a couple of days. It seemed a high price but he was a huge fan.

So if you have skin that doesn’t suit you any more, you might be a candidate for this skin treatment as well. The goal is to literally peel away some of the skin on the face – skin that has acne or has been damaged by too much sun and thus is wrinkled. The treatments will reveal fresh, new skin underneath the old.

One thing that I’ve just recently learned about chemical face peels is that there are different kinds, meaning their severity varies. The mildest ones are gentle AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) peels that supposedly aren’t much harder on our skin than exfoliants (definitely NOT the kind my ex used!). The strongest ones are serious peels that require medicine for pain and can easily require many weeks for recovery.

No matter what kind of peel you ultimately choose, the tender, new skin uncovered by the peel will be less aged and clearer in the case of acne. Obviously this is a Big Deal in our youth-obsessed culture.

AHA Chemical Face Peels

The AHA or alpha hydroxy acid peel may be the mildest of the chemical face peels but it isn’t a do-it-yourself job. A dermatologist applies the AHA – although sometimes Beta hydroxy acid is used instead, depending on the condition of the patient’s skin. There is supposedly mild pain or discomfort in the application of the peel but overall it isn’t seriously painful (or so they say). There will be some redness, irritation and stinging for a few days. This isn’t surprising since it is peeling skin off the face.

Alpha hydroxy acid comes from the natural acids in fruits like tomato and from dairy products. These peels reduce the appearance of lines and help to eliminate acne and rough or dry skin. If your face has been damaged by the sun, or your pigmentation is uneven, it will help to improve these effects. Be aware, though. that you won’t have model skin from one application but will need several peels. Also, your skin will inevitably continue to age and so damage will recur which will cause you to think about going through this process again.

Trichloroacetic Chemical Face Peels

Trichloroacetic acid is stronger than AHA and is usually used for folks with darker skin. Supposedly, trichloroacetic acid numbs the skin yet dermatologists and other professionals often offer pain killers and sedatives so presumably there is some fairly serious discomfort. According to doctors, you MUST use sun protection from now on, no matter how dark your skin is.

The Phenol Chemical Skin Peel

This peel is the most drastic of the peels mentioned here. It is composed to phenol and croton oil. It is definitely VERY painful because there seems to be no question that patients need an anesthetic and even heavy sedation. These peels are usually administered by cosmetic surgeons. As proof that this is a deep and significant peel, it’s worth noting that people with heart problems are not allowed as patients. Clearly its effect is significant.

On the plus side, you need only one of these, unlike the two types above that require several applications.

On the negative side:

We’ve already mentioned the pain …
It takes months to heal …
Your skin will peel for a long time …
You will look terrible for days – perhaps a couple of weeks …
You will need prescription moisturizers …
All cleansing products must be extremely gentle …
You are supposed to STAY OUT OF THE SUN! …
You will need extra sun protection for the rest of your life …
Doctors say it is critical that the patient not scratch or pull the peeled skin …

Like the other peels, the result will be more youthful skin and fewer or no wrinkles. This peel will also remove freckles and even pre cancerous growths. In addition, phenol-treated skin is often permanently lighter.

The three types of chemical face peels mentioned above are the most common. It’s obvious from this description that the decision to have a peel (or peels, plural) isn’t a casual choice. So meet with the cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist and make sure that every one of your questions has been answered.