Medium Chemical Peels: For medium peels, the chemical trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is commonly used. This chemical works well for treating fine surface wrinkles, superficial blemishes and pigmentation problems. Similar to the light chemical peel, medium chemical peels require less downtime than a deeper peel. TCA peels are the preferred choice for patients with darker skin. These peels are used to smooth moderate wrinkling and creasing, to remove or smooth deeper acne scars and to remove age spots and other discoloration. Some individuals with heart conditions and diabetes may not be ideal candidates for mild peels. In addition, some individuals with darker skin may experience lightening of their pigment in the treatment areas. Sedation is generally required for medium chemical peel procedures, and recovery time may last from several days to a few weeks as old skin is shredded and replaced with new skin.

Deep Chemical Peels: Deep chemical peels are the strongest of the facial peels. The chemical used for deep chemical peels is phenol acid. These peels are reserved for the deepest, most significant scarring, wrinkling, sun damage and other issues. While a deep chemical peel produces the most dramatic, longest-lasting results, the procedure takes longer than other peels (one to two hours) and requires the most healing time. Recovery can extend from several weeks to months, depending upon treatment. Individuals with heart disease, diabetes and some other health issues are generally not considered good candidates for deep peels. Darker-skinned individuals are also generally not good candidates for deep peels because they can cause permanent skin lightening.

The right type of chemical peel for you will depend on the skin imperfections needing treatment and the results you desire. If you would like more information about chemical peels in Phoenix, schedule a consultation with Dr. Holy. Contact The Center for Advanced Dermatology at 602-867-7546 or mddermsolutions.com today.