Saint Paul Chemical Peel doctors
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Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
4825 Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55) Suite 200, Minneapolis |
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2 answers |
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Joseph Campanelli, MD
Minneapolis Facial Plastic Surgeon
2080 Woodwinds Drive Suite 220, Woodbury |
1 answer | |
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Charles Crutchfield, MD
Minneapolis Dermatologic Surgeon
1185 Town Centre Drive Suite 101, Eagan |
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Mimi Cho, MD
Minneapolis Dermatologist
3316 W 66th St Suite 200, Edina |
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Julie Cronk, MD
St. Paul Dermatologist
1185 Town Centre Drive Suite 220, Eagan |
Recent Answers
I had done a 70% peel in the past that was left on for 2 and a half minutes. He was very gentle in the way he applied the acid - ie he was not using much pressure. I had 0 downtime - redness for a few hours and that is all) He also instructed me to use my topical retinoid up until the day of treatment in order to maximize results. I did this both times, however he said he wanted to be a bit more aggressive this time and really applied a lot more pressure and left it on for 2 minutes
The more aggressive the peel, the worse the skin looks initially. What you are describing sounds appropriate but if you have ANY concern that something is wrong make an appointment to see your physician immediately. Any reputable doctor would rather have you come in and find out it is nothing than have you come back with a complication that could have been prevented or treated.
There are many facial peels advertised and i wonder why these arent just as good as going to a facialist or spa. If you recommend home peels, what concentration is safe but effective at removing hyperpigmentation and sun damage?
Most do-it-yourself home health products are so mild that you trade essentially no results for safety. If you pay a lot for these products, shame on them for offering so little improvement for such high cost, and shame on you for thinking high cost implies stronger or better.
That being said, there are huge numbers of products that are relatively safe and give minimal degrees of improvement that consumers still find (more) attractive than the more expensive and more effective spa, clinic, or physician services.
If you are trying to affect skin pigmentation and lesions associated with sun damage, most home products would be too weak and ineffective at doing much more than emptying your purse or wallet! See a Board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon for expert advice.
Which is better for moderate acne scars and sun damage? Is one better for one or the other? Should they be combined?
Microdermabrasion will remove the top, dry, rough skin layers and will leave your skin softer and smoother. This procedure is similar to how your skin would feel after a nice facial. Microdermabrasion will have very little to no effect at all on acne scars (even mild ones), as these scars are within and often extend below the deeper skin layers. Even the deepest laser resurfacing, surgical dermabrasion, or strongest chemical peel will not completely remove or eliminate moderate or severe acne scars.
However, all of these options will have some beneficial effect on your skin, removing much of the sun-damaged irritations or rough patches (actinic keratoses), and improving, but not eliminating the acne scars.
As a general rule, you get what you pay for. Lighter chemical peels treat the most superficial layers, make minimal changes in true irregular scars or textural changes in skin, and heal quickly. That is why they are often done in a spa or skin care clinic by estheticians, and don't cost too much.
Stronger peels (higher concentration TCA or phenol peels) go deeper into the skin layers, remove more textural changes and scarring, but will still not be as aggressive as full-face ablative laser resurfacing, which gives the most improvement and best results, but costs more. No matter what procedure you have, the healing still takes about a week, and there may be redness that lasts somewhat longer.
