Treatment: Chemical Peels

What is a chemical peel and how does it work?

It is an effective, yet safe and gentle, approach to improving the appearance of your skin. Peels can be used to treat fine lines, weathered skin, acne, acne scarring, brown spots and enlarged pores, freckles, sun spots, age spots and even melasma.

Peels can also be used to jump start your skin care regimen, as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other more powerful treatments such as Laser Genesis^®, IPL, TITAN^®, eCO2 or Mosaic fractional laser therapy.

Chemical peels work on the top layer of the skin, loosening the glue that holds the dead skin cells together. With the peeling process, unwanted pigment is shed and healthy new epidermal cells are stimulated to grow. New collagen fibres in the underlying dermis are created, causing the skin to feel firmer.

What types of chemical peels are available?

Vitalize® Peels that combine the benefits of alpha- and beta- hydroxy acids with resorcinol - which has been in use for over 100 years - and Retinol deliver an effective result with a minimum of downtime.

Medique® peels combine four alpha hydroxyl acids with two beta hydroxy acids thereby reducing the stinging and irritation associated with other peels. The peels are available at different strengths allowing us to carefully control the depth of the treatment. This peel immediately stimulates peeling and you can leave the treatment 'peeled' and looking bronzed.

Dermaceutic peels contain AHA and BHA, particularly glycolic acid, which is the smallest molecule in fruit acid. For medium peels, the most commonly used agent is TCA. Dermaceutic peels come in three types that are used for various conditions. These very effective peels are packaged with pre and post care products.

Dermaceutic gentle peels are perfect for the busy person who wants effective results with no down-time. With a Dermaceutic gentle peel, you will improve the texture and luminescence of your skin as well as reduce fine lines and pigmentation, increase hydration and decrease open pores. All this with a simple procedure with no down-time!

Dermaceutic de-pigmentation peels are perfect for the busy person who wants quick results with little or no down-time. With a Dermaceutic de-pigmentation peel, melasma and deeper skin marks will be reduced.

A Dermaceutic rejuvenation peel is a simple procedure with very low down-time. A rejuvenation peel is recommended for advanced signs of sun damage and ageing of the skin such as loss of elasticity, scars, wrinkles or a smokers complexion. With a Dermaceutic rejuvenation peel, you will improve the texture and luminescence of your skin as well as stimulate cell renewal, reduce lines and wrinkles and delay skin ageing.

Can anyone have a chemical peel?

Peels are not used if you are taking Accutane (or have taken it in the past year). It is also recommended to abstain from peels for women who are pregnant or nursing, and those with certain systemic allergies. During your consultation you will be asked to complete a health questionnaire. There may be other situations where chemical peels should not be used.

You must be sure to protect yourself from the sun for at least a month after treatment.

How effective are chemical peels?

An improvement can be expected in the texture of the skin through a reduction in fine lines and a decrease in the appearance of pore size. The unwanted brown pigmentation fades. The skin will appear smoother and more evenly coloured, creating a youthful glow. Acne blemishes will diminish and acne scarring may be less apparent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can be treated with Chemical Peels?

Fine lines
Weathered skin
Acne
Acne scarring
Brown spots and enlarged pores
Freckles
Sun spots
Age spots
Melasma.

How long does each treatment take?

Each treatment takes approximately 20 minutes. There may be temporary redness or discolouration which can easily be covered by make up. You will be able to immediately return to your everyday activities.

How will I look after treatment?

If you had a Vitalize® Peel, over the next few days mild flaking of the skin may develop, which can be concealed by the application of moisturizer. The amount of peeling depends on your skin type and may vary from treatment to treatment. A Vitalize® Peel will deliver a deeper longer lasting effect.

If you had a Medique® peel, all of the "peeling" has taken place and you may appear slightly bronzed after treatment.

If you had a Dermaceutic rejuvenation peel there may be some down time dependent on the type of peel that you select.

Is it painful?

During the treatment you may experience a mild tingling and warmth for 1 to 3 minutes and this is minimized through the use of cooling.

How many Chemical Peels will I need?

The number of peels required depends on the condition of your skin and the nature of the problems being treated. For maximum benefit we may recommend a series of 6 peels at intervals of approximately 3 weeks. However, some people notice a dramatic improvement after only 1 treatment.

The best results are achieved by combining peels with Laser Genesis®, IPL, TITAN® and our customized skin care program.

Before & After photos for Chemical Peels

Before Chemical Peel

After Chemical Peel

Before Chemical Peel

After Chemical Peel

Before Chemical Peel

After Chemical Peel

Chemical Peel treatments

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