5 Skin Benefits of a Chemical Peel

If your face is marked with fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, or acne scars, it’s hard to feel like you’re putting your best face forward. To make things worse, several treatments guarantee to erase your most frustrating flaws, but they often fall short of their vows. 

The good news is that there’s another option — one that actually delivers on its promises. At Dermatology Specialists of Atlanta, Dr. Kathleen Smith and our team believe chemical peels are the best way to quickly and safely address a wide range of skin concerns. Here’s what you can expect. 

Covering the basics

Prior to undergoing a chemical peel procedure, our team guides you in selecting the appropriate level of chemical peel that is most suitable for your skin type and the specific issues you’re most concerned about. 

For example, light chemical peels primarily target the outer layers of the skin, whereas stronger chemical peels penetrate deeper into the skin's surface.

During the procedure, we apply a chemical solution consisting of several medical-grade acids to your skin. This solution loosens the outer layer of the skin, prompting it to flake off along with any imperfections. 

As this process essentially creates a controlled wound in the skin tissue, your body also initiates its natural healing response. This consequently stimulates the production of collagen, a vital protein responsible for enhancing the strength and suppleness of your skin, which tends to diminish with age. 

Combining the exfoliation from the flaking process and the collagen production, the result is the emergence of a fresh, healthy, and flawless skin layer.

It’s important to note that chemical peels cannot treat deep lines, sagging skin, or loss of volume. For these concerns, we recommend alternative cosmetic procedures, such as dermal fillers, laser resurfacing, or face and brow lifts.

Our patients in the Decatur, Georgia, area love chemical peels because of how fast and effective they are. Here’s a closer look at a few other benefits they offer. 

1. Minimize wrinkles

Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, which are the most common, visible signs of aging, is a primary goal for most individuals seeking chemical peels. These treatments can be administered on the face, neck, or hands.

To achieve a smoother and more youthful complexion, we use a superficial chemical peel, which involves applying a solution containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid to the skin, prompting the outermost layer to slough off. Your skin gradually sheds wrinkled skin, making way for a rejuvenated and refreshed appearance.

2. Diminish dark spots

A medium chemical peel, which reaches the superficial layer of your skin’s middle layer, can effectively address other skin concerns such as freckles, age spots, and patches of uneven pigmentation. This type of peel evens out your skin tone, leaving it looking cleaner and more balanced.

3. Improve acne scar appearance

Both superficial and medium chemical peels can reduce the visibility of acne scars. By exfoliating the skin and eliminating dead skin cells from the surface, these peels create a controlled "wound" that prompts your skin to start producing collagen. The new collagen effectively fills in and smoothes out the acne scars. Bonus: The peel can go so far as to assist in the prevention of future breakouts by unclogging pores.

4. Address sun damage

Exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays can accelerate the signs of aging and lead to the development of sunspots, which are dark spots on the skin. Additionally, sun exposure can trigger pigmentation issues like melasma, particularly in pregnant women. By targeting the outer layers of the skin, a light chemical peel can effectively minimize these blemishes and restore a more uniform complexion.

5. Treat precancerous lesions

While chemical peels are primarily cosmetic procedures, when performed at a deeper level, they can also aid in the prevention of cancer. Actinic keratoses are dry, crusty, and scaly bumps that can develop on the skin and carry a risk of progressing into squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. A deep chemical peel, utilizing a phenol solution, reaches the mid-to-lower dermis to target the source of these keratoses, helping to remove them and mitigate the risk of cancerous transformation.

If you’d like more information about chemical peels and want to see if they’re an option for you, don’t hesitate to reach out online or over the phone to request an appointment at our Decatur, Georgia, office.