Spending summertime enjoying the sunshine is a popular pastime. Unfortunately, now that the summer is over, you might notice frustrating sun damage on your skin from all that time outdoors, including sunspots, hyperpigmentation, and melasma.
Even with proper summer skincare, an accumulation of years of enjoying the sun’s bright summer rays can spoil your previously even skin. Happily, Raymund J. Llaurado, MD is a specialist in chemical peels and offers this skin-revitalizing outpatient procedure at his Arroyo Grande, California, office.
Find out more about chemical peels and how this simple treatment can heal and rejuvenate your sun-damaged skin.
Understanding chemical peels
Chemical peels revitalize your skin’s appearance through chemically removing your skin’s outer layer. Eliminating this layer shows the skin that had previously been under it, which is smoother and fresher looking.
Getting a chemical peel is a simple procedure in which Dr. Llaurado puts a solution on your face. The peel can be applied on your face, hands, and neck.
Along with peeling away skin damage from the summer, chemical peels reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scars and give you skin a smoother, more lifted, and youthful appearance.
Who can get a chemical peel?
Most adults can safely get chemical peels, but you’ll get the best results if you have fair skin. If you still have facial sunburns from being out in the sun, wait until they’ve healed before getting a chemical peel.
You also shouldn’t get a chemical peel if you’re pregnant or nursing, or have active skin infections, cuts, abnormal skin scarring, herpes simplex 1 sores, or certain skin conditions or certain recent acne treatments. Dr. Llaurado advises you at your consultation if you’re a good candidate for chemical peels.
Types of chemical peels
Depending on the type of sun damage you’ve had and your treatment goals, Dr. Llaurado recommends the best chemical peel for your needs. One popular peel is the Perfect Peel, which gives unprecedented results in only 15 minutes.
You can get a light, medium, or deep peel, all of which treat different levels of the skin. For light peels, Dr. Llaurado uses a mild acid-like alpha-hydroxy acid and peels away only your skin’s outer layer.
Medium peels eliminate damaged skin cells in your skin’s outer and middle layers using trichloroacetic acid or glycolic. Deep peels deeply penetrate your skin’s medium layers using phenol or trichloroacetic acid. You can only get a deep peel one time.
What to expect from your chemical peel
The chemical peel process usually only takes about 15 minutes, allowing it to fit perfectly into any busy schedule. During your appointment, Dr. Llaurado applies your chemical peel, then removes it after the allotted time.
After the peel, it’s common to experience redness, swelling, and blistering in the treated area. Your skin’s recovery time varies based on the type of chemical peel you received:
Mild peels heal within a week Medium peels heal in 7-14 days Deep peels take 14-21 days to heal
For best results from your chemical peel, follow Dr. Llaurado’s aftercare instructions. Often, you’ll need to avoid the sun for a specified time after your chemical peel and be vigilant with applying sun protection.
When your enjoyment of the summer is reflected in sun damage on your face, you can peel away all the negative memories with a nonsurgical chemical peel. To schedule your consultation, book an appointment online or by calling the Arroyo Grande office.