Skin surface / TREATMENT GUIDE
Chemical peels
An acid solution removes damaged outer skin in a controlled way. Strength ranges from a lunchtime glow to a deep peel that needs weeks of healing.
- Appointment
- 15 to 45 minutes
- Typical social recovery
- A few days
- When results may appear
- 1 to 2 weeks
- How long they may last
- Months to years depending on depth
- Typical course
- Light: a series of 3 to 6. Medium: 1 to 3. Deep: one
- Relative cost
- $ · Lower relative cost
Ranges vary by person, product, area and technique. Cost symbols are editorial comparisons—not quotes. Ask for the full course and follow-up cost.
How it works
Light peels loosen dead surface cells. Medium peels reach the upper dermis for pigment and fine lines. Deep peels reach the mid-dermis for heavy sun damage.
Four illustrative steps. Select a step to highlight it; the optional anatomy view explains the same mechanism.
Recovery, in practical terms
Light: up to 2 days of flaking. Medium: 5 to 7 days. Deep: 2 weeks or more.
What it can feel like: Mild stinging (light) to moderate burning (medium).
What people discuss
Dullness, acne, mild pigment; medium peels for sun damage and fine lines.
Reasons to pause
Isotretinoin within 6 months, active cold sores, darker skin for deep peels.
This list is not exhaustive. A clinician must assess your health, medications, skin and goals.
Risks worth understanding
- Redness and flaking
- Pigment change
- Cold sore flare, scarring with deep peels
Ask your clinician
- Which acid and depth for my skin?
- How do you protect darker skin from pigment change?
Sources, approval context & editorial limits
Device, product strength and intended use require local verification.
Sources support regulatory and safety context; not every efficacy claim or range has been independently verified.
Educational information, not medical advice or a personal recommendation. Independent clinical review is pending. A qualified clinician must assess individual suitability. Timings, relative costs and visuals are illustrative, not guarantees.
Read the editorial policyCompare different approaches
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