(Return to index)
CHEEKS AND MIDFACE
From 550€
CHEMICAL PEEL
What is it for?
Improves the appearance and texture of skin, acne sequels and superficial wrinkles, freckles or spots
What does it mean?
Chemical peeling improves skin that is wrinkled, stained, irregularly pigmented and damaged by the sun, using a chemical solution to peel away the superficial skin layers. This procedure works best on light skin, thin and superficial wrinkles. Depending on the depth of the desired treatment, various products may be used, from glycolic acid (alpha-hydroxyl acid - AHA), trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid to phenol (deeper, and also with more risks)
One of the most popular agents is trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which has several formulations that allow it to reach different depths depending on the goals of the treatment. In addition, it has a good safety and recovery profile, since it allows more frequent treatments that do not prevent the accomplishment of social activities in the following days (it only looks like a sunburn), or single a treatment, although in this case the skin peels for about 1 week. Thus, the patient can adapt the treatment to the demands of her personal life
Procedure time
The process takes about 30 minutes to an hour for localized areas and up to two hours for the full face
Type of anaesthesia
Generally, not necessary, topical anaesthetics may be used
Scars
None
Hospitalization
It does not require hospitalization
Recovery
Depends on the depth of the peeling.
TCA Peeling: new skin is formed in five to ten days. The redness will disappear after several weeks
During the recovery period, sunscreen is essential because the skin is very sensitive
Most frequent problems and risks
Small white bumps (temporary), rarely there can be cases of infection, reactivation of herpes simplex labialis, unsightly scars, skin rash, wounds, excessive temporary skin pigmentation. In the case of phenol peeling, rarely cardiac abnormalities (e.g.: arrhythmias) may occur.
Generally, fair-skinned people are the ideal patients for chemical peels. Dark-skinned people may also have good results, depending on the problem being treated. However, the risk of skin tone becoming uneven after the procedure increases
Longevity
The result of a peeling depends on its purpose and its depth, but usually remains for some years
