Chemical Peel Types

Chemical peels are defined as the utilization of one of a number of specific chemical solutions that is applied to the skin in order to improve its texture. Outer layers of skin are removed by the chemical solution, exposing fresh new layers beneath. People who have wrinkles, discolorations or blemishes can see a significant improvement in the appearance of their face following such a treatment. There are three different types of chemical peels, determined by which acid solution is used. The first is a Phenol Chemical Peel, the second is a Trichloroacetic Acid or TCA Chemical Peel and the third is Alphahydroxy Acids or AHA Chemical Peel.

Phenol Chemical Peel

This is the strongest of all three chemical peels and is used primarily when a deeper peel is required because of hard wrinkles, damaged skin, blotchy skin or even pre-cancerous growths on the skin. The Phenol acid peel is so deep reaching that it can actually lighten the skin on the face as it affects the pigment color of the skin. When used elsewhere besides the face, scars and other negative effects may occur.

Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA)

This acid peel is used for medium treatment results, as it does not go as deep as Phenol acid peels, but is still quite effective in what it is capable of doing. It works best on scars, fine wrinkles and skin blotches, and can also treat pigment issues that need to be addressed. Because the concentrations are different from one peel to the next, different results may apply. The recovery time is also significantly shorter, and the results do not last quite as long as a result of the milder acid formula.

Alphahydroxy Acids (AHA)

One example of an Alphahydroxy acid is lactic acid, though there are others including fruit acids. These are the lowest concentration chemical peels, and also offer the mildest results and the shortest recovery times. These are often referred to as light chemical peels, and they can be done in as little a time as a single lunch break with you returning to work straight away after. Alphahydroxy acids are used to treat smaller issues like uneven skin tones, scars, acne and eczema scars and very small wrinkles. These Alphahydroxy acid peels are usually conducted over a period of time to make sure that the proper results are achieved rather than rushed all at once.