Which Skin Peel Procedure is Right for You?

This article discusses different types of skin peels and why they are used.

What you can do with skin peels and the available options.

A skin peel procedure is used to chemically remove layers of the skin, as with an orange! The procedure will not actually remove all the skin, but can remove several layers depending on the method used and the objective of the peel.

There are generally three types of peels in use:

• A light or superficial peels that will remove a few top skin layers
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• A medium peel that removes more skin layers than the light peel
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• A deep peel, used to remove several layers of skin in cases of severe skin damage or discoloration.

The most commonly used procedures and how they work are given below.

Light Peels

Light peels generally are made from citric acid and sugar. This procedure is normally employed to address minor skin problems, including acne. Several treatments may be required before the problem is resolved. The procedure is not very invasive and can be done even during lunch time with minimal or no discomfort.

The light peel will cost about $100 dollars at a medical spa and may cost half as much again if performed by a doctor.

Very little if any time is required for recuperation as the damage to the skin will be minimal. The effect on the skin will also be minimal.

However, if a deeper treatment is required, the light peel can be deepened using procedure known as tapering or layering. This would result in a medium rather than a light peel.

Medium Peels

Trichloroacetic acid is commonly employed for the medium peels. The procedure is usually just called TCA. This procedure can cost between $250 and $500 at a medical spa and from $300 to over $600 if done by a doctor. The peeling of the skin will be a lot deeper and more effective even than tapering using a light peel. The procedure would give the same effect as 4 to 5 light peels. TCA procedures however last much longer than light peels. You can now get home use TCA products for as low as $30.

TCA is very effective against most skin blemishes and is the procedure highly recommended by dermatologists for the majority of skin problem conditions. TCA can be used to remove light tattoos or make deep tattoos lighter. The procedure is also very effective against acne, poor skin pigmentation, freckles, sun damage and can also be used to make skin tighter and to reduce wrinkles.

Another medium peel is Accutane. This product is very effective but has some undesirable side-effects.

Deep Peel

The deep peel is phenol. This procedure is very effective and can result in permanent skin lightening, which some find rather unattractive.

The procedure is normally carried out by doctors under full anesthesia. The recovery period is also quite long and may require several days/weeks in doors before recovery is complete. This procedure will normal cost over $2000 dollars. The procedure is rarely used these days though.

*Chemical Peels, CosmeticSurgery.com