What is a Chemical Peel?
Stockton Dermatology in Phoenix, AZ offers two strengths of customized Peels for optimal skin rejuvenation to Phoenix and its surrounding areas.
- The Gloss Peel treatment utilizes a mixture of acidic formulations that trigger exfoliation of the epidermis (top layer of skin) and encourages the production of new collagen. The exfoliation process combined with collagen stimulation effectively reduces pore size, reduces fine lines and hyperpigmentation, and improves the texture of skin.
- Micronage peel is a treatment option that works well for acne and hyperpigmentation. Both Peels can be formulated with different additives to achieve your personalized skin goals.
How do chemical peels work?
Customized chemical peels at Stockton Dermatology, are formulated to minimize fine lines and unwanted pigment that occur as the result of aging and exposure to the sun. Common ingredients used in our customized peels include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Arbutase, TCA, Kojic Acid and Salicylic Acid. Darker skin types may need to pre-treat their skin for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to their scheduled peel.
What Skin Problems Are Improved With a Chemical Peel?
At Stockton Dermatology, we use chemical peels for a variety of skin conditions:
- Sun damage
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Texture issues
- Pigmentation problems
- Age spots
- Acne and acne scars
- Freckles
- Scaly patches
Chemical peels are not meant to address issues such as sagging skin or deep lines and creases.
Are Chemical Peels Painful?
We don't offer deep peels at Stockton Dermatology. They can be fairly painful. Our customized light and medium peels create a stinging sensation (mostly with medium peels), but patients don't find it painful. We use a fan to blow cooling air across the peel area for our medium peels to help you keep comfortable.
How Are Chemical Peels Performed?
The actual process of getting one of our chemical peels takes around 30 minutes in our offices on 40th Street. We first thoroughly clean your skin and then apply the peeling agent. This is left on for a prescribed amount of time and is then neutralized and removed. Your skin is rinsed with cool water. For most peels, a calming mask is then applied. That's the actual treatment.
From there, your skin will peel. For light peels, the skin will lightly flake for up to a week or so, but there isn't wholesale peeling. For medium peels, more skin is removed during the actual peel, so there will be some light crusting for a few days afterwards. This will be followed by more involved peeling for a week to 10 days. This can be managed with moisturizer.
What Do Chemical Peels Do to My Skin?
The skin is our body's largest organ, consisting of three layers - the epidermis (outer layer), dermis (middle layer), and the fat layer. To fight off the damage from exposure to the elements, our skin is in a constant state of shedding and rebuilding. In fact, we shed our entire skin about once every month. This is called exfoliation.
At Stockton Dermatology, we use chemical peels to give the exfoliation process a boost. By delivering chemical agents that encourage some of the epidermis to shed, this reveals younger, healthier skin beneath.
In the process, age spots, acne scars, fine lines, dead skin cells, and other imperfections are peeled away. The purpose of a peel is to erase imperfections and improve skin tone and texture.
Are Chemical Peels Safe? What About Recovery?
You have to remember what the goal of a chemical peel is - to remove varying degrees of the outer layers of your skin. Because this exfoliation is forced to a deeper degree, there is some redness and tenderness after your treatment. Your face will feel a little dry. With a light peel, it will feel as if you have a light sunburn. With a medium peel, it will feel more like a medium sunburn. There will be some light flaking with light peels. Medium peels will have a little crusting of the skin. Other than that, our light and medium chemical peels are safe without any real side effects. Deep peels have a much more involved recovery and there can be a danger of infection; that's one reason we do not perform deep phenol peels at Stockton.
Is There Recovery After a Chemical Peel?
After a superficial peel, especially if you're not a regular customer, your skin will have some redness and irritation, but as your skin becomes more exfoliated this will pass and your skin will simply glow after your peel. There is no recovery; your skin may feel a little tight for a couple days and you may have some slight flaking, but that's about it.
Medium peels will require some recovery. This is because the trichloroacetic acid creates deeper penetration than the glycolic acids used for our superficial peels. Because they penetrate more deeply TCA peels loosen the skin bonds more deeply. They leave the skin red and stinging, and there will be some crusting. Facial redness can linger for up to a few weeks.
How Do I Care for My Skin After a Chemical Peel?
The main thing after a peel of any strength is sun protection. Because the peel has removed some of your epidermis and potentially some of your second layer, the dermis, the newly exposed skin doesn't have the accumulated layer of dead skin cells to help provide sun protection. After any peel, you need to protect your skin with 30+ SPF sunscreen and clothing. In our blazing Phoenix sun, that's a good idea all the time anyway!
From there, it makes sense to step up your skin care routine a little bit. If you've been winging it in the past, it would be a good idea to let our team at Stockton Dermatology give you advice on morning and evening skin care products and practices.
How Many Chemical Peels Can I Have?
Light peels can be done as much as you want. Our patients from around the Phoenix area often come in once a month for light peels to keep their skin turning over and vibrant.
Medium peels penetrate more deeply, so they cannot be done as often. We suggest having medium peels no more than once every three or four months.
Contact us Today
For more information about receiving a chemical peel in Phoenix, AZ, contact our office at 480.610.6366 today!