Do you look in the mirror and groan at the acne scars, sun damage, age spots, or fine lines that you see staring back at you? Or perhaps you have an unusual pigment to your skin and you’ve finally decided to do something about it. Both chemical and laser peels will remove problematic skin layers to reveal healthier and blemish-free skin at the deeper layers.
You may also wish to have one of these procedures performed on your neck or hands to improve skin imperfections. It is simply a matter of deciding which one is right for you.
What to Expect with a Chemical Peel
Chemical peels are available in varying levels of intensity. If you struggle with uneven pigmentation, excessive skin dryness, acne, or slight skin wrinkling, a light chemical peel will give you the results you seek by removing the top layer of skin.
During the chemical peel, you sit with the mixture on your face for several minutes before your dermatologist washes it away. It gives you an immediate healthy glow that continues to improve over the following days.
A medium chemical peel is a good option if you have acne scarring, an uneven skin tone, or a moderate degree of wrinkling. It removes the top and middle layer of your skin and requires that you sit several minutes longer with the mixtures on your face than a light chemical peel. Deep chemical peels are appropriate for people with sun-damaged skin, pre-cancerous growths, blotchy skin patches, and scarring. You may need to pre-treat your face for up to eight weeks prior to a chemical peel.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Like its chemical counterpart, you can request varying levels of intensity with a laser peel depending on your treatment goals. It’s important to keep in mind that more intense sessions require a longer recovery time. When you have a laser peel, your dermatologist holds the device close to your skin to focus its light energy on your problem areas. People with active skin infections, have taken steroids in the past 18 months, have acne, or who have very unusual scarring generally are not good candidates for this procedure.
Laser treatment could be the better option for you if you dislike placing chemicals on your face. Both types of peels offer the same end result, but just use a different method of achieving it. Chemical peels tend to cost less, but it depends on the level of intervention you desire and several other individual factors.
At Dermatology Associates, we are expert at both procedures and would be happy to tell you more about each. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, just click here and we’ll get back with you right away.
Dermatology Associates offers a full spectrum of leading edge medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services from offices in Savannah and Vidalia.
