What is a Chemical Peel?
By: VI Aesthetics Research Center Specialist, Shannon Medlock.
A chemical peel is a skin-resurfacing procedure in which a chemical solution is applied to the skin to remove the top layers revealing fresh skin layers with improved tone, texture, and color. It is amongst one of the most effective dermatological treatments to assist with wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation. Chemical Peels are the 4th most common non-invasive aesthetic procedure in the US and over a million are performed on skin each year. Chemical peels have also increased by 24.6% since 2014-2015 according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
There are various layers of the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. The superficial, highest external layer of skin, is called the stratum corneum. Below the surface of our skin is the epidermis and the lowest level of skin is the dermis.
Chemical peels, in general, tend to be placed in three general categories:
–Superficial or light peels are the mildest type of chemical peels and are safe for all skin types. These peels do not penetrate the skin and are better known as topical or surface peels on the stratum corneum.
–Medium depth peels penetrate the skin typically to the epidermal level and can even reach the papillary level of the dermis depending on application technique. These peels can be very effective in treating aging in the skin, reducing pigment and eliminating sun damage.
–Deep peels penetrate all the way to the dermis and are a much more invasive procedure. The peels can take up to 14 days to recover from and actually “burn” the skin in order to eliminate damage and bring new skin to the surface layers. They tend to be more painful and have a longer downtime.
The types of chemical peels available differ based on the depth a peel solution can penetrate the skin
and are affected by many factors including:
- Skin Preparation
- Skin Type
- The amount of solution and passes applied to the skin
- Area treated
- Time of Treatments and length of time solution remains active in the skin before neutralizing
- Application method and technique
- Types of peeling agents/chemicals and concentration of formula
The VI Peel portfolios contain a synergistic blend of powerful ingredients that work together at lower
concentrations to transform and optimize the health of the skin. The VI Peel portfolios offer little
downtime and are light to medium depth peels, depending on application technique. The VI Peel will
transform the skin with long lasting results.
To find the VI Practitioner nearest you please click HERE.
