Chemical Peeling: How Does It Work?

What Is Chemical Peeling?

Chemical peeling is an acne treatment procedure used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin. This is done by applying chemical acids to your face, which help remove dirt, oil and dead skin, effectively cleansing and unclogging your skin’s pores.

Chemical peeling is often performed to treat acne, scars and wrinkles on the face as well as the back of the body. These two areas are usually prone to excessive sebum and dirt— a perfect recipe for acne formation.

Types of Chemical Peels

There are different types of chemical peels available, depending on the severity of your acne. Each chemical peel has its own properties, and they mainly differ in the depth at which the acids penetrate your skin.

They can include:

• Superficial or light chemical peel. This type of peel removes the outer layer of your skin (epidermis) to treat fine wrinkles, mild cases of acne and dark spots.
• Medium chemical peel. A medium chemical peel removes the epidermis and the upper portion of the middle layer of your skin (dermis). It’s typically used to treat mild to moderate forms of acne, scars and wrinkles.
• Deep chemical peel. As the name suggests, this type of chemical peel penetrates even deeper into your skin. It’s usually performed for severe acne scars, deeper wrinkles and skin with excessive sun damage.

Benefits of Chemical Peeling

The benefits of chemical peeling include:

• Treat acne problems such as whiteheads and blackheads
• Improve the appearance of the skin
• Lighten skin pigmentation such as dark spots, mild acne scars and superficial melasma
• Reduce fine wrinkles, especially around the eyes and mouth region
• Eliminate precancerous growth and minimise the risk of certain skin cancer

What Happens During Chemical Peeling?

Your dermatologist will first cleanse your skin to remove any makeup, oil or sunscreen, which might block and prevent the acid from penetrating your skin.

During the actual chemical peeling process, an experienced dermatologist in Singapore will apply one or a combination of acids such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid or lactic acid to your skin. How long the acid remains on your skin depends on the type of peel required to treat your acne.

You may experience a slight burning and stinging sensation during the process as the chemical acids penetrate and destroy the outer layer of your skin. Although this causes a minor injury to your skin, it is perfectly normal as this helps to stimulate the building of collagen and allows the skin to regenerate new skin as the old, dead skin sheds.

How to Care for Your Skin After Chemical Peeling?

After chemical peeling, proper care and treatment for your skin should be taken to ensure complete recovery of any side effects as well as maximise the benefits of a chemical peel.

The recovery process is mainly dependent on the type of chemical peel used and the severity of your acne. During this period, you may experience symptoms of a typical sunburn, such as redness, swelling, and blistering. Generally, the greater the depth of the chemical peel, the more severe the side effects become (resulting in longer recovery periods).

Your dermatologist will likely provide several instructions on how to care for your skin, which may include the following:

• Frequency of skin cleansing and moisturising, and what products to use
• Avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible until your skin has healed, and apply sunblock
• Apply bandage to your damaged skin
• Avoid touching or peeling any scabs
• Use ice packs to alleviate swelling and pain
• Avoid wearing makeup