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 Chemical peels, also known as chemical exfoliation or derma-peeling, are a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin. In this treatment, a chemical solution is applied to the skin, which causes it to "blister" and eventually peel off. The new, regenerated skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin. The new skin also is temporarily more sensitive to the sun.
What Conditions Do a Chemical Peel Treat?
Chemical peels are performed on the face, neck or hands. They can be used to:
- Reduce fine lines under the eyes and around the mouth
- Treat wrinkles caused by sun damage, aging and hereditary factors
- Improve the appearance of mild scarring
- Treat certain types of acne
- Reduce age spots, freckles and dark patches due to pregnancy or taking birth control pills (melasma)
- Improve the look and feel of skin that is dull in texture and color
- Areas of sun damage, which may contain pre-cancerous keratoses that appear as scaly spots, may improve after chemical peeling. Following treatment, new pre-cancerous lesions are less likely to appear.
Sags, bulges and more severe wrinkles do not respond well to chemical peels. They may require other kinds of cosmetic surgical procedures, such as carbon dioxide or erbium laser resurfacing, a facelift, brow lift, eyelid lift or soft tissue filler (collagen or fat). A plastic surgeon can help determine the most appropriate type of treatment for each individual case.
Although we have chemical peels available, we prefer to use mini-peels using the same chemicals but limiting the exposure, that stimulate the skin, but don't cause sloughing or wound formation. For full peels, we prefer using a laser such as the Q switched Yag or the Erbium which is more precise controlling the depth and reproducibility, limiting "down-time". We feel the results are more precise, reproducible with less complication.
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