Chemical Peel

Photo Gallery -- Chemical Peel
Chemical Peel At A Glance
Lips At A Glance
Phenol-Croton Oil Peel

A chemical skin peel, using a higher concentration Obagi Blue Peel or Croton Oil-Phenol Peel, is the strongest of chemical peels, and is reserved for individuals with deep wrinkles from sun exposure or is used to treat skin wrinkling around the lips and chin area. The procedure diminishes imperfections in sun-damaged, unevenly pigmented, or coarsely wrinkled facial areas by peeling away the skin’s top layers.

A full-face chemical peel takes about 1 to 2 hours to perform. A more limited procedure (such as treatment of wrinkling above the lip) will generally take less than a half-hour. A solution is applied to the area to be treated usually done with sedation.

Post-operative discomfort is controlled with medication. Three to ten days after the procedure, new skin with a bright pink color similar to sunburn will emerge; the pinkness fades during the next several weeks to months depending once again on the depth of the peel. Post-operative puffiness will subside in a few days. Patients should avoid exposure to sunlight and continue to use sun block.

From Left to Right: Illustration 1: Chemical peel is especially useful for the fine wrinkles on cheeks, forehead, and around the eyes, and the vertical wrinkles around the mouth. Ilustration 2: The chemical solution can be applied to the entire face, or to a specific area -for example, around the mouth - sometimes in conjunction with a facelift.

From Left to Right: Illustration 1: At the end of a phenol peel, a thick layer of petroleum jelly may be applied to the treated area. Illustration 2:  A protective crust may be allowed to form over the new skin. When it's removed, the skin underneath will be a bright pink.  Illustration 3:  After healing, the skin is lighter in color, tighter, smoother, and younger looking.

Benefits:

• Effects of a chemical peel are long lasting, and in some cases are still readily apparent many years following the procedure. Improvements in the patient’s skin can be quite dramatic. 
• Normal work schedule and other activities can be resumed after 1 to 2 weeks. 
• Variants in the peel formula can create a milder solution for more superficial peeling.

Other Considerations:

• Possible postoperative complications can include scarring, infection or abnormal pigmentation. Deep peels tend to have a bleaching effect, and patients may need to wear make-up to match treated and untreated areas. It is for this reason, deep peels are infrequently done.
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation 
• EKG monitoring is advised 
• A light peel is often done on the neck to obtain more even coloration 
• Not as effective in treating individuals with dark, oily complexions 
• Some facial skin disorders do not respond to chemical peeling 
• Skin pores may appear larger, and the skin may not tan properly 
• Can activate latent cold sore infections  
• All forms of deep skin peels include the risk of delayed healing and scarring