Top 3 misconceptions about chemical peels

Facial peels

Let’s address the elephant in the room: chemical peels have a bad reputation and patients are often afraid of them. Similar to any other advanced skin-care treatment there are risks and benefits. It is important to remember that when these treatments are performed by properly trained professionals, the benefits to the skin far outweigh the risks. When selecting the appropriate treatment for you, it is important to research the risks and benefits thoroughly prior to committing. There are many common misconceptions about chemical peels and deciphering fact from fiction is the first step to understanding if this treatment is right for you.

1: Chemical peels require significant downtime

There are a variety peels available. Some of these peels are very mild with no visible exfoliation or downtime at all including alpha and beta hydroxy peels. There are deeper peels such as Jessner or TCA that are stronger and may leave visible peeling and slight redness. For instance, doing a series of these peels can give you the results of one very deep peel without the downtime or the ‘lobster’ look.

2: Chemical peels are bad for you

Not all chemicals are bad. The word “chemical” often scares individuals away from these peels. The peels do indeed involve chemicals, but so does anything formulated from a chemist, including the ibuprofen you take for a headache. In fact, the active acids in most chemical peels are natural.

3: Chemical peels are only for those with problem skin

The truth is that chemical peels can be beneficial for most skin types – including sensitive skin. Not only are peels great for treating problem-prone skin, but they can also be used as a preventative measure. The normal rate of skin cell turnover is between 21-28 days. Depending on the amount of damage in our skin, this rate tends to slow down dramatically usually starting in our late 20s. Very mild skin peels, will help to increase this cellular turnover to stimulate healthy cell growth while exfoliating dead cells. In saying this, it is important to remember that prevention for the skin will only be effective if proper skincare products are used in conjunction with adequate sun protection.

As you can see, chemical peels may not deserve their infamous reputation!