Chemical Peels as a Non-Surgical Option

Peoplemostly associate cosmetic surgery with major surgical procedures like facelift or nose reshaping. The factis there are many non-surgical options available to address any level ofaesthetic appearance need. Facial chemical peelsas a non-surgical option for eliminating surface wrinkles is a good example.This procedure does not take a long time and does not require surgery, but canbe very effective in removing years off a person's visage.

Chemicalpeels effectively remove the outermost layers of skin in order to expose thefresher new skin immediately underneath. Small surface wrinkles fromover-exposure to the sun, minor scars like acne scars, and unwanted age spotsor freckles can be addressed. Depending on the depth of the wrinkles or thenature of the scars or unwanted pigmentation, the doctor determines thestrength of the chemical to be used. Any of these basic types of chemicals canbe adjusted by the doctor in different concentrations based on individualneeds.

Theprocedure can be performed on an outpatient basis in the doctor's office or ina surgery center as determined by the strength of the chemical used and thespecific needs of the patient. The skin is first cleansed to remove excess oilbuild up. The eyes and hair are protected while the chemical is applied to theskin in small areas. The acid basically creates a controlled wound thatstimulates the body's natural healing processes.

Typesof Peels

Themildest form of acids uses are alphahydroxy acids (AHA), such as glycolic,lactic, or fruit based acids these agents produce the lightest peel. Often,these treatments are for people who just want to freshen up their skin and donot have a lot of wrinkles or deep blemishes to be removed. They also requireless recovery time than the more powerful chemicals. In some cases, the AHA maybe added to facial creams that you can apply at home as part of a daily skincare regimen.

Trichloroaceticacid (TCA) is more powerful that the AHA solutions and is used to reach amedium depth. This application will penetrate the outer layer of skin moredeeply and get at the slightly harder wrinkles. The recovery time from TCA peelis slightly longer than what can be expected with the AHA based peel.

Phenolis by far the most powerful chemical used for exfoliation purposes. It isprimarily used to treat patients with coarse facial wrinkles and prominentareas of blotchy or discolored skin pigmentation. It is also effective againstareas of pre-cancerous growth. Phenol may be contra indicated when changingskin pigmentation is not desirable. The recovery time from a phenol peel istypically the longest.

Chemicalpeels are often performed in conjunction with other cosmetic surgical andnon-surgical procedures to give the patient total skin rejuvenation.While a chemical peel does not replace a facelift procedure, for example, itcan help improve the overall effectiveness of the procedure for an overallpositive aesthetic effect.