{"id":25674,"date":"2023-09-12T16:08:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T23:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=25674"},"modified":"2023-10-12T13:08:42","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T20:08:42","slug":"phenol-peels-risks-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/phenol-peels-risks-alternatives","title":{"rendered":"Why Phenol Peels Are So Risky\u2014And What Treatments to Consider Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you think about risky cosmetic procedures, you probably don’t put chemical peels<\/a> on the list. And that would make sense, given they’re often performed by aestheticians and downtime is generally said to be just a few days of redness and peeling. But that’s not the case for all chemical peels. Their potency, efficacy, and risk level varies greatly, and there are none that are more intense—or potentially problematic—than phenol peels<\/a>. Take a quick scroll through TikTok<\/a>, and you’ll see what we mean; videos of the phenol peel aftermath are the stuff of horror movies. But what, in particular, makes these peels so risky, and are there any alternatives that aren’t quite so scary? Here’s what you need to know.<\/p>

What is a phenol peel?<\/h2>

First of all, it’s nothing new, despite how popular it’s become on social media. “Phenol peels have been used since the 1800s but really came into fashion 50 years ago, before we had the armamentarium of lasers that’s available now,” explains Dr. Cameron Chesnut<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Spokane, Washington. In a phenol peel, phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is often combined with croton oil, resulting in a peel that penetrates deeper into the skin than any of its counterparts. Chemical peels are graded according to depth, on a scale ranging from superficial to deep, notes Dr. Monica Kiripolsky<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, California. For context, the majority of peels performed by aestheticians are superficial, whereas those performed in a doctor’s office are medium. A phenol peel is deep—the deepest there is, as mentioned—penetrating all the way to the reticular dermis, the bottom layer of the dermis, she explains. It’s this depth of penetration that makes phenol peels so effective—and dangerous.<\/p>

What do phenol peels do?<\/h2>

“Because they penetrate so deeply into the dermis, they’re especially effective for treating any kind of scarring—acne scarring, in particular,” Dr. Chesnut says. Dr. Kiripolsky adds that they also tighten the skin nicely and are often used around the eyes to treat dark circles. This is because of the skin-lightening effect of the peel, but more on that in a moment. <\/p>

@doctoryoun<\/a> #duet<\/a> with @João Castro Phenol peel to treat pitted acne scarring! #acnetreatment<\/a> #acnescars<\/a> #acnescartreatment<\/a> #acnescar<\/a> #phenolpeel<\/a> #phenol<\/a> ♬ som original – Adriana senra<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>