People mostly associate cosmetic surgery with major surgical procedures like facelift or nose reshaping. The fact is there are many non-surgical options available to address any level of aesthetic appearance need. Facial chemical peels as 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 can be very effective in removing years off a person's visage.
Chemical peels effectively remove the outermost layers of skin in order to expose the fresher new skin immediately underneath. Small surface wrinkles from over-exposure to the sun, minor scars like acne scars, and unwanted age spots or freckles can be addressed. Depending on the depth of the wrinkles or the nature of the scars or unwanted pigmentation, the doctor determines the strength of the chemical to be used. Any of these basic types of chemicals can be adjusted by the doctor in different concentrations based on individual needs.
The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis in the doctor's office or in a surgery center as determined by the strength of the chemical used and the specific needs of the patient. The skin is first cleansed to remove excess oil build up. The eyes and hair are protected while the chemical is applied to the skin in small areas. The acid basically creates a controlled wound that stimulates the body's natural healing processes.
Types of Peels
The mildest 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 do not have a lot of wrinkles or deep blemishes to be removed. They also require less recovery time than the more powerful chemicals. In some cases, the AHA may be added to facial creams that you can apply at home as part of a daily skin care regimen.
Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is more powerful that the AHA solutions and is used to reach a medium depth. This application will penetrate the outer layer of skin more deeply and get at the slightly harder wrinkles. The recovery time from TCA peel is slightly longer than what can be expected with the AHA based peel.
Phenol is by far the most powerful chemical used for exfoliation purposes. It is primarily used to treat patients with coarse facial wrinkles and prominent areas of blotchy or discolored skin pigmentation. It is also effective against areas of pre-cancerous growth. Phenol may be contra indicated when changing skin pigmentation is not desirable. The recovery time from a phenol peel is typically the longest.
Chemical peels are often performed in conjunction with other cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures to give the patient total skin rejuvenation . While a chemical peel does not replace a facelift procedure, for example, it can help improve the overall effectiveness of the procedure for an overall positive aesthetic effect.
