With so many high-tech options like lasers available, why do so many people still love chemical peels? These highly customizable treatments offer skin rejuvenation that fits your schedule and puts you in control of your treatment time and results. With many options to choose from, your Capital Laser & Skin Care team can use chemical peels to address all your skin concerns.
What is a Chemical Peel?
You are most likely familiar with physical exfoliation, the process of scrubbing or buffing away the dead outer layers of skin. Chemical peels are a type of chemical exfoliation. They use compounds like salicylic, glycolic, and trichloroacetic acids to remove dead and damaged layers to brighten and smooth your skin. We can customize the concentration of each ingredient to make your peel unique to you.
How Long Does a Chemical Peel Take?
How long your provider leaves a chemical peel on your skin plays a major role in how intensive the treatment will be. As a result, the time a chemical peels takes varies widely. Some light peels only stay on for a few minutes, but the average peel stays on your skin for about 10 to 30 minutes.
Depending on the intensity of your peel, you may experience tingling or other sensations. Your provider will let you know what to expect from your chosen peel. While while most peels do not require any numbing, some extremely deep peels are intensive enough to require an anesthetic. In general, chemical peels are quick and convenient options for skin rejuvenation.
What Do Chemical Peels Treat?
Chemical peels can treat many different skin concerns. Light peels only target the outer layers of the skin, so they are most effective for brightening and refreshing your skin, although they have cumulative effects over time. Medium peels can treat deeper issues with fewer sessions but will require a bit more downtime. You may have chemical peels to treat:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Hyperpigmentation
- Uneven skin tone
- Enlarged pores
- Acne scars
- Sun damage
- Rough texture
- Age spots
- Acne
Deep chemical peels can treat severe wrinkles, sagging skin, and precancerous lesions, but they are only performed by experts under controlled conditions.
Is There Any Downtime With a Chemical Peel?
If you have a light chemical peel, you can usually return to your usual activities with no downtime, although your skin may look slightly flushed for a short time. Medium-strength peels will result in up to a few days of redness and sensitivity, and you may experience some flaking. Some people choose to take a day or two of social downtime while their skin heals. The recovery from a deep peel takes several weeks.
Take the First Step
Interested in learning more about chemical peels? We would love to speak with you. Please fill out the form on this page to request a consultation or call our Chevy Chase, MD office today at (301) 798-9699 to schedule your private consultation at our laser and cosmetic dermatology center, located just blocks away from Washington, D.C.
