Medium-Strength Skin Peels

Chemical peeling refers to the use of peeling agents significantly stronger than AHAs in order to induce a more profound resurfacing of the skin.

Medium-strength skin peels are most commonly done with tricholoroacetic acid (TCA) and may be combined with pre-peeling measures such as Jessner's or glycolic acid.

These contemporary peels are designed to produce similar results to the older and deeper peels but with fewer complications. Deep peels using phenol acid are no longer commonly performed as C02 and Erbium laser resurfacing have become the treatments of choice.

Medium-strength peeling such as TCA peels are used to treat:

• Pigmentation abnormalities such as freckling, sunspots and age spots;
• Moderately wrinkled skin;
• More severely sun-damaged skin, especially where skin cancers are recurrent. Medium peels reduce the risk of future skin cancers in people prone to recurrences.

The procedure

Chemical peels are usually performed as a day procedure in our rooms or in a hospital under a light general anaesthetic. A pre-peeling agent may be used to prepare the face, helping to produce a more even peel.  The peeling agent is then applied to the face until a smooth application is attained.

The healing process

Following the peel the face will appear sunburnt and the skin will flake. Some swelling may occur in the first few days. The skin will heal by about day 7 and will appear pink and fresh. Normal colour returns to the skin by week 3-6. It is important to avoid sun exposure during the healing phase.

To ensure that the correct peeling system is being used on your particular skin type, we encourage all patients who are considering undergoing this procedure to first complete a complimentary SCRIPT skin type test.