Q) What are chemical peels?
A) This is a procedure in which different medicines are applied by a trained doctor on the skin for short periods of time. The medicines are then neutralized/washed and you can resume your normal activites, but one has to avoid going out in the sun after a peel. It is a painless procedure. There many only be some burning and tingling sensation and sometimes some irritation of the skin for some time.
Q) how do the peels act?
A) Different peels have slightly different actions. In general they act by allowing the new skin to grow faster and stimulate the collagen and elastin (responsible for tightness of skin) to grow faster, they also have some antibiotic effects and some agents also decrease pigmentation/melasma.
Q) What chemicals are used and are they safe?
A) The medicines used are alpha hydroxy or fruit acids, e.g lactic acid used is present in milk, mandelic acid used is present in almonds, kojic acid used is present in mushrooms. They medicines now available are synthesized after extensive research and manufactured in European nations or the USA, under the most stringent quality control standards. Cheap substandard lab chemicals are no longer used. The proceure is very safe there are hardly any long term side effects (rare), however immediately post peel one may experience redness , irritation for some time. Black brown spotting may occur uncommonly and lasts 2 to 7 days before falling on its own.
Q) How long and how often we do the peel?
A) One session usually takes 10- 30 minutes, repeat sessions are required every 10-20 days depending on the problem and the medicine/medicines used. 6 to 8 such sessions may be need sometimes less sometimes more depending on the condition. The responses vary for each individual skin and you should begin to see some effects after the 3rd or 4th peels, therefore “selling packages” is not considered a wise option by most people.
Q) Is there a peel for me?
A) Peels are widely used for the treatment and management of pimples, oily skin, ageing skin , wrinkles, dullness of complexion, for removal of tanning, for wrinkles and pigmentation, and also for adding that “glow” to the complexion.
Q) Who should be doing the proceure and how to decide what to do when?
A) Your skin specialist or plastic surgeon is the best person to decide which peel you should undergo. The procedure should be done by trained personnel /qualified doctors with the requisite training in the procedure.