Reveal vibrant and healthy skin

Perhaps you have heard of the term, ‘chemical peel.’ This type of medical skin resurfacing procedure uses various types of chemical solutions to peel away the top layers of the skin resulting in a healthier, smoother, and younger-looking facial appearance. Chemical peels, in some form, have been used for centuries to help rejuvenate skin.

Dr. Donn Chatham, Medical Director of Chatham Facial Plastic Surgery & Medical Skin Care offers medical grade chemical peels for healthier and more vibrant skin. Many people begin to notice the negative effects of aging, sun, and weather damage. Chemical peels remove the outer layer of skin (epidermis).

Chemical Peels improve a variety of skin conditions including:

• Sun Damage
• Fine Wrinkles
• Crepey Skin of the Eyelids or Cheeks
• Skin Texture
• Dark Spots
• Pigmentation
• Some Acne

If you are concerned about uneven skin pigmentation, sun damage, discoloration, fine wrinkles, acne, and a leathery texture of your facial skin, you may benefit from a deep chemical peel. Learn more about light skin resurfacing treatments.

The precise formulas of the peel’s acid balance are adjusted according to each patient’s needs by Dr. Chatham. Due to the complexity of mixing acids, especially with deeper peels, they are best performed in the office of an aesthetic surgeon with the experience, training, and expertise of applying medical grade chemical peels.

Types Of Chemical Skin Peels

Various ‘acids’ can be highly effective in helping skin be healthier and more attractive. Very superficial acids, such as citric acid (found in citrus fruits), glycolic acid (found in sugar cane), acetic acid (vinegar) and malic acid (found in grapes), have been used to benefit skin for centuries. Stronger acids such as trichloroacetic acid and phenol penetrate deeper resulting in the growth of new skin. We may recommend phenol peels when we need maximum improvement in aging or pigmented skin. 

So, what is phenol? It’s an organic compound (carbolic acid) that has antimicrobial properties and has different ‘formulas’ and strengths and works by removing the outer damaged skin layers. Deep peels are a time proven alternative to resurfacing lasers and there are pros and cons of each.

The primary peels we use are:

1. Mild formula peels such as Jessner’s, Glycolic, low & TCA and lactic acid, among others. We use advanced formulas from PCA Skin^® professional peels and Lindner Health peels. Applied by our aesthetician, these light chemical peels treat acne, uneven skin tone, fine lines or wrinkles, and other skin issues.
2. Median depth peels may use trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or light carbolic acid to treat light acne scars, uneven skin tone, and some lines and wrinkles.
3. Deep peels use carbolic acid (phenol) in one of several recipes and formulations which are for more wrinkled, sun damaged skin (brown skin pigmentation), superficial scars, blotchy skin, precancerous growths, age spots, and deeper lines and wrinkles.
   

How Is A Deep Chemical Peel Performed?

The deeper peel offered by Dr. Chatham is designed for more wrinkled and sun damaged skin. When small brown spots or precancerous lesions are treated, no anesthesia is needed, and discomfort is very minimal. When larger areas such as the crepey lower eyelid skin, mouth wrinkles or cheek aging skin is treated we recommend more preparation. Topical anesthetic cream is applied, and some of our patients may take a low dose of Valium for relaxation. The peeling solution is gently brushed on and there is an immediate warmth followed by an anesthetic effect. Later the discomfort returns but lasts about 2-4 hours and is easily managed with an oral analgesic we prescribe. Some swelling develops and the following day a brown color may develop in the treated skin.

Looking into the mirror the first few days may be initially scary, but by about day 8 the treated skin will exfoliate (peel) revealing new healing pink skin. We guide our patients in how to best care for this new ‘baby skin’ which becomes fresher, smoother, less wrinkled, and brighter. Over the week we recommend our patients refrain from social or outdoor activities and keep the peeled skin moist with petrolatum.

While there are pros and cons of deep peels and they are not for the faint-hearted, many of our patients have been incredibly pleased with their peel experience and their results.