What is the recovery time for chemical peels?

Chemical peels are effective in inducing specific changes to the deeper cells contained within the dermis of the skin.  Recovery from a chemical peel depends on the depth of treatment. 

When a chemical peel is applied to the skin, it causes coagulation and destruction of the upper layers of the skin to the depth of the proposed treatment.  In order to change the function of the deep melanocytes or pigment cells, the peel must extend to the deep layers of the skin.  More superficial peels will not affect the deep skin cells.

In terms of recovery, the skin has a special ability to epithelialize, or resurface.  The deeper the peel, the more time it will take for the skin to reepithelialize. In medium depth peels, the skin will take about 5 to 8 days to reepithelialize.

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Raffy Karamanoukian, MD www.karemd.com Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Clinic; Santa Monica, CA Los Angeles Plastic Surgery

If you have a non-medical peel (such as a glycolic acid peel), there is virtually no recovery time needed. The same is true for a superficial medical-grade peel, such as a salicylic acid peel. However, there is down-time or recovery time associated with the deeper, medical-grade peels, such as TCA peels.

The TCA peel is the gold standard for chemical peels and typically provides the best skin-rejuvenating results. In lower concentrations, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solution can deliver a minimal downtime result that reduces fine lines, improves skin texture, and softens sun damage. When provided in higher concentrations by well trained doctors, TCA can be used in place of laser skin resurfacing to soften acne scarring, erase wrinkles across the face, promote collagen production, and provide entirely new skin.

This medical-grade TCA peel requires 5 to 12 days of downtime until the healing process reveals smoother, younger and clearer, new skin.

Following a chemical peel, clients can expect 3-14 days of social downtime, depending on the depth of the peel.