We help you feel confident in your own skin
We help you feel confident in your own skin
Chemical Peel
Chemical peel ingredients vary, and we use several different types and brands that penetrate to different depths or layers within the skin to treat skin concerns including dull complexion, acne, pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, and acne scarring. All chemical peel treatments are tailored to your skin type and the problem we are treating.
Achieve healthy and glowing skin with a skin peel medical facial
The number of exfoliating skin peel products on the market is vast, and it can be difficult to understand the different compositions of ingredients to know which type of peel would work best for you. But you do not need to worry because owner of Blemish Clinic and dermatology specialist consultant nurse Jan Birch has carefully selected the individual products brands and peels that she feels give the best results for the various skin conditions that are presented to us in the clinic.
Medical facials with skin peels work on different skin problems based on the depth of penetration of the peel ingredients.
- A light or superficial chemical skin peel removes the epidermis, the top layer of the skin. It is effective in treating fine lines, age spots, skin discolouration, and dryness.
- A medium chemical skin peel penetrates the epidermis and the upper layer of the dermis, the middle layer of skin. It is effective in treating deep wrinkles, acne, acne scars, and pigmentation.
- A deep chemical skin peel penetrates the lower layer of the dermis and effectively treats deep lines and wrinkles, scars, and pigmentation.
At Blemish Clinic, we use skin peel ingredients such as TCA and glycolic acid and products from brands including Skinceuticals, Neostrata, Exuviance, Alumier MD, Perfect Peel, and Obagi.
*Data gathered via our post-treatment survey
Conditions treated with chemical skin peels
Fine lines and wrinkles, acne and acne scarring, pigmentation (age spots, sun spots, brown spots or freckles, and dark circles), uneven skin texture, enlarged pores, and rough complexion.
"I’ve been having treatments at Blemish for the past year with Katie for my skin concerns. The progress my skin has made is incredible. The staff are lovely and Katie is fantastic, she provides expert treatments and advice and you leave the clinic feeling great. If you have concerns that you cannot find a solution to I’d recommend visiting Blemish to see how they can help you on the journey to recovery. I found Blemish just as I was losing faith in finding any effective treatment and I’m so glad I did!"
FAQs
Skin peels are also known as chemical peels, and they work by chemically exfoliating the skin using a single or combined mix of acids or enzymes – these are usually the same acids that are found naturally in many foods, for example. You may have heard of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs); these include glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane), citric acid (from citrus fruit), lactic acid (associated with sour milk), and others. There are also Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) such as salicylic acid that comes from a plant source.
Chemexfoliation using skin peels is a controlled method for removing skin layers to various depths to remove dead, damaged or dying skin cells to promote healing and the regeneration of new, healthy skin cells in their place. They are classed according to the concentration or percentage of the ingredients and how deeply they penetrate the skin or dermal layers to achieve different results on a variety of skin conditions.
Skin peels are a great way to achieve real skin rejuvenation with very little downtime depending on the strength of peel required to get the best result for your skin concern.
At Blemish Clinic we will discuss the best skin peel solution for you and will assess the need for pre-conditioning of your skin with a skincare programme before we embark on a course of chemical peels.
At the Blemish Clinic we use the following types and brands of chemical peels:
- The Perfect Peel
- TCA Peel
- Obagi Blue Radiance Peel
- NeoStrata Retinol Peel
- NeoStrata 20% Glycolic Rejuvenating Peel
- NeoStrata 35% Glycolic Rejuvenating Peel
- NeoStrata 30% Mandelic & Citric Acid Clarifying Peel
- Exuviance 20% and 30% Glycolic
We use a variety of chemical peel products at the Blemish Clinic that include ingredients such as glycolic acid, mandelic acid, and citric acid, as well as retinol and trichloroacetic acid or TCA peels.
The Obagi Blue Radiance peel is a non-invasive, gentle chemical facial peel that uses salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid. It is a very effective chemical peel and is suitable for most skin types.
The Perfect Peel is a medium depth peel that combines five acids (kojic acid, TCA, retinoic acid, salicylic acid, and phenol) alongside an antioxidant called glutathione and other vitamins, making it a great peel for anti-ageing treatments that is suitable for all skin types.
Chemical peels can be used to treat a variety of skin concerns, including pigmentation such as dark patches, freckles, age spots or sun spots, acne and acne scarring, poor complexion with rough patches or dry, scaly skin, fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and dark circles. However, the correct ingredients and concentration of skin peel must be used to target the correct layer of the skin to see an improvement in the appearance of each individual problem; this is why we use a variety of skin peel options at the Blemish Clinic.
Superficial peels, such as glycolic acid peels are a great freshener for the skin, the ultimate medical facial, effectively removing the outermost layer of dead skin cells from your complexion, and revealing brighter, fresher skin. They come in a variety of strengths and skin peels that contain glycolic acid are used often to treat scarring, skin discolouration and signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and fine lines.
TCA or trichloroacetic peels, for example, are used to treat pigmentation irregularities caused by sun damage or hormonal disturbances like pregnancy. They can also be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, acne and to decrease large pores.
The exact nature of the chemical peel treatment will depend on the specific product used. In all cases, your skin will be cleansed and prepared ready for the peeling solution to be applied. Some skin peels require a single layer, other multiple layers, some will change colour or become opaque on the skin, and some need neutralising before the skin is cleansed again to remove it, whilst others stay on the skin’s surface, and you wash it off later on that day.
The exact nature of your skin peel treatment can be discussed with our skincare experts at your consultation, but you can expect all treatment sessions to last 30-45 minutes and you will require a programme or course of skin peels spaced out over several weeks to achieve the best result for your skin concern.
Most chemical peels are suitable for all skin types, including darker skins, and for both men and women. We will discuss the best product to use for your skin type at your consultation.
A full medical history will be taken at your appointment, but there are very few medical reasons why most people are not suitable for skin peels. If you are currently taking medication such as Roaccutane, please inform our specialist.
If you have open wounds or an active infection (viral, bacteria, fungal, or herpetic), such as cold sores in the area to be treated, then you will not be able to have a skin peel until that is resolved.
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, you will not be suitable for treatment until after this period in your life.
We want all our patients to be as comfortable as possible both during and after treatments at our clinic. The levels of discomfort from skin peels are linked to the depth of penetration of the peel ingredients, the inflammation this may or may not cause, again dependent on the product, and any prolonged ‘peeling’ or sloughing of the skin afterwards.
A superficial peel will likely not cause any pain during or peeling post-treatment, but skin will feel refreshed and renewed. With medium depth peels, you can expect some redness, irritation, and sensitivity for 3-5 days as the skin peels off to reveal newer skin layers beneath. For deeper peels, this is increased, and you may need 7-10 to fully recuperate and may require over-the-counter pain medication to relieve any discomfort.
Skin peels are a safe and effective method of skin rejuvenation, with many years of scientific research, however, they must be selected for your skin type and administered correctly by skincare experts. You can rest assured that our team at the Blemish Clinic, including dermatology specialist consultant nurse Jan Birch have considerable experience in the use of skin peels.
There are very few potential side effects, but dependent on the peel type, you can expect some redness, swelling, scabbing, and skin peeling.
With medium and deeper peels especially, you will be advised to avoid exposure to the sun by either staying indoors or wearing a hat and using high strength sunscreen (SPF 30+) whilst undergoing your chemical peel treatment programme. Your skin needs extra protection from the harmful effects of the sun as it heals and renews, to avoid the formation of a side effect called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) where unwanted patches of pigmented skin are formed due to UV light exposure on the new skin as it rejuvenates.
The results from skin peels very much depend on the strength of the peel product and the skin problem being addressed. In all cases, skin should appear renewed, refreshed, and healthier following a course of skin peels, and the appearance of the original problem will be reduced and more manageable or resolved.
Depending on the depth of the skin peel, most people return to their normal activities and work immediately after a superficial peel or within a day or so after a medium depth peel. Deep peels will cause more downtime as the skin with peel off over several days and be sensitive for around a week or more.
The longevity of results will depend on the type of skin peel, for example, superficial peels are designed to target the very surface layers of the skin as a medical facial to improve your complexion and give you back a healthy glow, the results from these last a few months and we would usually recommend a maintenance programme. Deeper peels that are used to resolve problems like pigmentation can have much long-lasting results as dark patches are removed, and the skin renews. When treating conditions like acne and acne scarring, we are aiming to make the condition more manageable, so this usually requires a continued approach to a skincare and skin peel programme.
We believe in being transparent with our prices and want you to be fully aware and comfortable with the cost of your treatment. A full list of our prices can be found here. We will always agree a final price with you though before treatment commences.
Fine lines and wrinkles, acne and acne scarring, pigmentation (age spots, sun spots, brown spots or freckles, and dark circles), uneven skin texture, enlarged pores, and rough complexion.
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