Are the Scar Removal Results of a Chemical Peel Permanent?

Chemical peels can be used on sensitive skin for wrinkles and discolorations and work quite well if done gentely and repetitively but they usually do nothing for true depressed scars. Light TCA peels (10-15%) every 2-4 weeks @$250 each help with discolorations. Usually stronger ones are needed for wrinkles. Dermabrasions (sanding) of the skin or fraxel lasers or subcisions or punch grafting help with depressed scarring and usually need to be done a few times and are quite expensive but... more

There are very few cosmetic treatments that are "permanent." But I would not say that the results of chemical peels are temporary either. you will get significan improvement but many of the light peels will have even greater effect is they are repeated. There is little that light peels can do for depressed acne scars, however.

I have a lot of patients with sensitive skin and they seemed to do well with resurfacing. Obviously, everybody is different and you would have to get a complete history and physical exam to make sure that you are okay to receive this particular treatment. Here are some of the contraindications to having a resurfacing: previous cancers or active skin cancers, on Accutane within the last 1-2 years, medications such as tetracycline, chloroquine, bleomycin, amiodorone, St. John's wart, recent... more