Chemical Peel Recovery: Downtime after Facial Treatment with Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are effective in inducing specific changes to the deeper cells contained within the dermis of the skin.  Recovery from a chemical peel depends on the depth of treatment. 

When a chemical peel is applied to the skin, it causes coagulation and destruction of the upper layers of the skin to the depth of the proposed treatment.  In order to change the function of the deep melanocytes or pigment cells, the peel must extend to the deep layers of the skin.  More superficial peels will not affect the deep skin cells.

In terms of recovery, the skin has a special ability to epithelialize, or resurface.  The deeper the peel, the more time it will take for the skin to reepithelialize.

In medium depth peels, the skin will take about 5 to 8 days to reepithelialize.

Light chemical peels have no down time and are usually done every 2 weeks for 5-6 times @ $175-250 each. Medium TCA peels flake and peel for a week but can be covered up with a lot of makeup so you may not have any down time with them at $500-1000 each, and usually 1-2 are needed.

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