Laser Clinic Services | Chemical Peels Richmond Hill

Chemical peels are a cosmetic technique used to enhance skin's appearance. With this treatment, also known as derma-peeling or chemexfoliation, a chemical solution is applied to the old skin causing it to "blister" and eventually peel away. The newly regenerated skin generally appears to have a smoother texture with fewer wrinkles, although it is also more sun sensitive for a brief period of time.

What conditions can be treated with a Chemical Peel?

Applied to the face, neck or hands, chemical peels can:

- Minimize fine lines around eyes and mouth
- Diminish wrinkles from sun damage, natural aging, and heredity
- Improve the look of mild scars
- Deal with certain kinds of acne
- Decrease the look of freckles, brown patches associated with birth control pills (melasma) or pregnancy and age spots
- Enhance the colour and texture of dull skin

Chemical peeling may improve areas of the skin damaged from exposure to the sun's UV rays. These sun spots which appear as red and scaly skin patches may actually be pre-cancerous keratoses. Fresh pre-cancerous lesions are less inclined to emerge after treatment.

Can anyone benefit from a Chemical Peel?

Patients with fair skin and light coloured hair are generally the best candidates for this procedure. People with darker skin can also see positive results depending on the treatment method.

How does it work?

Once your eyes and hair are protected, a chemical agent is used to remove excessive oiliness and completely clean the skin. Either a single chemical solution (glycolic, trichloroacetic, salicylic, lactic, or carbolic (phenol) acid) or more than one of these agents working together will be used on a small skin area to create a wound that is controlled and allow fresh skin cells to regenerate.

What happens during chemical peel treatment?

Most patients describe feeling a brief burning sensation lasting between 5-10 minutes during a typical chemical peel procedure. A sharp stinging type sensation usually follows which can be alleviated by applying cool compresses. Pain medication may be necessary during or after a deeper chemical peel treatment.

What happens after treatment?

Most patients experience a similar reaction to sunburn after a chemical peel, although this varies depending on type of peel procedure. Peeling is usually accompanied by redness and then scaling of the skin that stops within 3-7 days. In order to achieve the desired clinical effect, patients can repeat mild chemical peels at 1-4 week intervals.

If necessary, moderate chemical peels can be repeated within 6-12 months. Swelling and blistering may occur with both moderate and deeper chemical peel treatments. Blisters usually break open, crust over, turn a brownish colour and flake off over a period of one to two weeks.

Depending on the condition of your skin and the desired effect you hope to achieve with treatment, a consultation with your doctor is the best way to determine the intensity of the chemical peel treatment best suited to you.

Some patients may require dressings or bandages to cover some or all of the treated skin area after certain types of chemical peels. Dressings may help to improve the treatment's effectiveness and are usually removed within a few days.

Since the newly regenerated skin is sensitive and prone to complications after treatment, patients are warned to avoid sun exposure. Proper after-treatment care will be prescribed by your doctor to lessen the likelihood of developing abnormal pigmentation after peeling.

Are there potential complications from Chemical Peels?

There is a potential risk for patients with certain skin types to develop temporary or permanent pigmentation changes in the skin after treatment. Other factors that may increase the chances of developing unusual skin color include taking birth control pills, pregnancy, or a family history of a skin condition that causes brown facial patches.

Although the risk of facial scarring for most patients is minor, some are more susceptible than others. There is effective treatment available if facial scarring develops.

There is also a minor risk of reactivating cold sores in patients with a history of oral herpes outbreaks and medication will be prescribed by your doctor to treat this problem. In order to prevent an outbreak from occurring, your doctor may decide to give you medication before or immediately after chemical peel treatment in Richmond Hill.

It is essential for patients to inform their doctor of their personal medical history regarding persistent cold sores, previous facial X-rays treatments, keloids (scar tissue overgrowth created at the site of a skin injury), or abnormal scarring tendencies before undergoing any type of chemical peel treatment.

Our cosmetic clinic services the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including: Newmarket, Aurora, Markham, Richmond Hill, and Thornhill. To learn more about chemical peels in Richmond Hill please see our contact page.