Chemical Peels: Which One to Choose

Human skin is very sensitive, and over time, it begins to show signs of deterioration due to aging, prolonged sun exposure, and environmental and health-related factors. Good self-administered skin care programs can go a long way toward improving the skin's appearance, but chemical peels offer more dramatic results. They can also be great alternatives to more intensive treatments, such as laser therapy.

There are three main levels, or grades, of chemical peels available. The following guide will give an overview of what to expect with each type of peel, including results, side effects, and downtime.

Low-Grade, Superficial Peels 

Using glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or light TCA (trichloroacetic acid) to target the outermost layer of skin (the epidermis), these lowest-level peels remove the surface-level dead cell layers to give the face, neck, or chest a freshened look.

Ideal for patients seeking a milder treatment, superficial peels immediately cause only slight skin redness and flaking, similar to a sunburn. Downtime is short, only a few days, but all post-procedure skin care instructions should be followed to ensure proper healing.

Medium-Grade Peels

As the name suggests, medium-grade chemical peels go a bit deeper than superficial peels, penetrating the mid-dermis to impart more dramatic effects on the skin. These peels usually use TCA and are ideal for patients looking to improve the skin's tone, texture, and color, and to remove wrinkles.

As these peels are more intensive than lower-grade ones, patients can expect mild skin swelling, redness, scabbing, and peeling immediately following treatment. Healing time will be a bit longer as well—at least five days to a full week.

High-Grade, Deep Peels

Ideal for patients with deep, coarse wrinkles and very visible skin imperfections, these intense chemical peels use phenol-based techniques to penetrate the reticular, or deep, dermis to achieve the most dramatic tone, texture, and color results, as well as maximum skin-tightening effects.

Patients should expect a healing period of a week to 10 days, or more. Deep peels cause more intense swelling, redness, and scabbing than other peels, so additional skin care will be necessary afterward. Pain medication may also be prescribed following treatment.

Patients considering a chemical peel treatment should consult all available patient resources, as well as a physician, to discuss what to expect. After recovery is complete, the skin should look and feel fresher, younger, and smoother than before.