Chemical peel as a treatment for acne

Chemical peel as a treatment for acne

I fought acne for over 20 years of my life but based on my experience of using glycolic acid to reduce my dark acne and spots, I would like to let you know that chemical peel is a treatment for acne which can only be palliative care and not an outright cure for acne. Therefore, this can be done in multiple sessions at an interval of 2 weeks depending on the texture of your skin. After the mild peel using glycolic acid, a maintenance solution of the acid was applied daily to the face till desired results were achieved.

2 days after application of glycolic acid

7 days after glycolic acid peel 

Chemical peeling is therefore a process of peeling off the epidermis of the skin to fade off the acne scars and black spots. It involves a treatment in which acid solution is used to remove the damaged outer layer of the skin. The chemicals mostly used are Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), Trichloroacetic acids (TCA) and Phenols. This treatment can be used in the management of an acne prone skinned and also  to reduce dark spots. Generally, it has some great effects such as improving the texture of the skin and brightening the complexion of the area of the skin where it is applied.

Acne is a skin disorder which affects skin's oil glands and hair follicles; usually not a serious health threat but can result in permanent scarring.  The severity of the acne scar and the skin type determine the type of the chemical peel to be used and this can be light, mild or deep peel. During mild peel, a patient might feel tingling or stinging sensation during the chemical application. Mild chemical peel using glycolic acid requires several applications, multiple times for desired results. However, deep chemical peel using phenol requires only one session of treatment in a life ime.

Different types of acne chemical peel: 

1. Light chemical peel is mostly administered using Alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid (found in sour milk and tomato juice), fruit acids and Beta hydroxy acids such as salicylic acid. This treats fine lines, areas of dryness, acne scars, dark spots and uneven pigmentation. No anaesthesia is administered because on application, the patient only feels slight stinging sensation.

2. Medium chemical peel uses solution such as Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) for the treatment of fine surface wrinkles, superficial blemishes and pigmentation problems. TCA peel does, not require anaesthesia but an oral analgesic is administered. On application, the patient feels a slight warm or burning sensation.

3. Deep chemical peel tends to be the strongest of all chemical peels and uses phenol acid or phenol-croton oil. This addresses deep wrinkles, creases, uneven colour due to ageing or sun-exposure and some pre-cancerous skin growths through removal of  several layers of skin. Therefore requires local anaesthesia or sedative. Deep peel can only be administered once in your life time.

5 tips you need to know before getting a chemical peel:

1. Multiple sessions: This is not a cure to acne but can be very effective in reducing facial blemishes, smoothening wrinkles though not too good on wrinkled skin, eliminating age spots and uneven skin pigmentation. Depending on the severity of the acne and the type of chemical peel, the treatment can be repeated several times at different occasions to achieve desired results. Chemical peel is not necessary for large or unusual scars such as keloids.

2. Medical advice: In addition, there is need for an expert advice on the detailed explanation of the benefits and effects of the procedure.  Know your skin type and the treatment that is suitable for your needs. If possible talk to a cosmetic dermatologist and seek medical advice before administering a chemical peel because different types of chemical peels provide different levels of treatment and as well as come in varying strengths.

3. Use of sunscreen: During the peeling process, skin may be irritated and scaling may also occur most especially during the healing phase. Avoid rubbing or pulling off the dead skin to prevent permanent skin discolouration. Use sunscreen of at least SPF 30 and above, apply lots of moisturiser. DO NOT use exfoliants. Although the procedure rarely results in serious complications but it has some risks which include infection, swelling, scarring and changes in skin tones.

4. Recovery time: Depending on the type of peel administered, recovery period which includes the healing period after the appearance of new layer of skin may take between 1 day for light peel to 2 months for deep peel.

5. Cost: The cost of chemical peel varies from practitioner to practitioner. It also depends on the condition your skin and type of peel. Light chemical peels are always the cheapest because it can be performed as an outpatient procedure while deep chemical peel are generally expensive due to the cost of anaesthesia, use of surgical facility and possibly an accommodation stay.