Chemical peels are methods of skin resurfacing, and date back to ancient Egypt. Chemicals are applied and induce injury at specific depths in skin; the wound promotes collagen remodelling and improved surface appearance. There are three types: superficial, medium and deep according to the level of injury. The peel strength depends on the amount of free acid present. The selection of the peel depends on a number of factors including patient expectations, the skin type and condition. Past history and past treatments too affect the decision. There are a number of conditions that may experience post procedure complications. The author takes time to discuss these and is comprehensive regarding the consultation and treatment planning. The author also discusses chemical peels for the darker skin and preprocedural and intraprocedural priming. Finally, there is a good detailed discussion on the three levels of chemical peels and combination peels. Good comprehensive paper.
Chemical peels
Reviewed by Sunil K Bhatia
Chemical peels.
