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Patient's Guide to Chemical Peels Treatment

Chemical peels are one of the most common used anti-aging treatments in cosmetic dermatology. The theory of chemical peels is to damage the surface of the skin, which induces the body to replace the damaged skin by producing more collagen, the building block of healthy skin. This creates a new skin that is improved in texture and appearance. Chemical peels are used to treat a variety of conditions from pigmentation problems to texture problems, and are convenient treatments. Chemical peels are far from uniform, however. There are different strengths of peels and are used to treat different conditions.

Chemical peels are categorized roughly by how deep the solution penetrates the skin. Generally, deeper peels improve the skin more significantly, but are more painful, and require longer recovery time. They also have a higher risk of side-effects.

Superficial peels:

Superficial or light peels are the most commonly used types of chemical peels. They damage only the epidermis-the uppermost layer of the skin that is very thin. Nonetheless, they can be used to treat a variety of conditions including acne, actinic keratosis, melasma, fine lines, and photo-damage.

AHAs or ahpha hydroxyl acids and salicylic acids are some examples of popular chemical peels.

Medium peels:

Medium strength peels create deeper injuries into the skin that extend into a part of the dermis, the main area of the skin. Jessner's solution and phenol solutions are examples of medium strength peels.

Deep peels:

Deep peels are rarely used as they injure tissue deep into the dermis, and require significant recovery time. When successful, however, they can provide improvements to the skin that are comparable to resurfacing lasers.

For more information about various chemical peels visit: