If you are considering a deep chemical peel then you should be aware that most plastic surgeons will not consider you for this procedure unless your face is in pretty rough shape. To understand why deep chemical peels are not encouraged for people who have mild wrinkling on their skin, you need to comprehend the way a deep chemical peel actually works on the skin.
Unlike
light chemical peels which often only consist of mild exfoilants such as alpha hydroxyl acids, tartaric acid or lactic acid (the chemical components that are found in sour milk, yogurt and fruits), deep chemical face peels consist of much “heavier” chemicals such as acetone, phenol and trchloroacetic acid. These substances work by essentially burning the face and creating a controlled injury to the skin. The skin is regenerated by the healing process that renews the skin’s surface giving it a smoother, less wrinkled appearance. Deep chemical peels (chemical facial peel) can also smooth out scars and bleach out old scars from the face.
Deep chemical peels are different from a light facial chemical peel used to treat acne or wrinkles. Deep chemical peels cannot be done too often in one’s lifetime so plastic surgeons have devised four categories of skin damage to determine one’s eligibility for the procedure.
If you fall into the Type III and Type IV categories of skin damage you will more than likely be recommended for a deep chemical peel. Keep in mind too that the age guidelines are just rough guidelines. It is entirely possible for a thirty year old to have Type III skin damage if they spent their entire youth in the direct sun without wearing sunblock! Smokers may also boast Type IV skin characteristics as early as in their forties.
However as a rule of thumb, a person with Type I or Type II skin damage who insists on having a deep chemical peel is more likely to cause further damage to their skin. They would benefit most from a light chemical peel made from glycolic or alphahydroxy acids.
Another exception to these rules might be the individual who has suffered from chronic acne all of his or her life. In this case, a deep chemical peel may be recommended to try and smooth out and reduce the discoloration caused by acne scars.
Whether or not you are eligible to have a deep chemical skin peel may also depend a lot on the pigmentation in your skin. Plastic surgeons grade the color of skin on a scale (the Fitzpatrick scale) of one to six with 1-3 representing the lighter skin types and 4-6 representing darker skin. Skin types 5 and 6, which epitomize dark brown and very black skin are usually not good candidates for deep chemical peels as the skin can bleach out and scar from the treatment.
If you have a history of heart problems you may also be discouraged from having a deep chemical face peel. One can not rule out chemical peel side effects. This is because phenol and other agents in heavy-duty chemical peel formulations can cause heart arrhythmias. The cost of deep chemical peels are also much higher than the normal cosmetic face peels.
If you have herpes you might also be prescribed medication to prevent an outbreak from being triggered by the peel. An outbreak of sores during the healing stages of the peel can result in permanent, unpleasant looking scars.
Perhaps your best line of approach is to forget about having a deep chemical face peel at all until you are at least in your late forties. If you opt to have a deep chemical face peel too early in life, you may accidentally do your skin more harm than good.
Deep Chemical Peel