If I'm getting a series of VI peels for hyperpigmentation, should I start with the original and work my way up, or start strong?

Question

I have Fitzpatrick IV/V skin with pretty severe hyperpigmentation, and when I first booked a series of three treatments, I thought I should use them all on the VI Precision Plus. It would be my first experience with chemical peels, though, so now I'm thinking I should start with the original, which might not be as effective for me but would allow me to see how my skin reacts to a baseline before trying something stronger. Do you think it be a waste of time/money, or is it better to be cautious?

Ran Y. Rubinstein, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. The aggressiveness of VI peels can be adjusted according to how much pressure is applied during the chemical peel application, as well has how many passes are performed. The precision plus is specifically designed for hyperpigmentation and the strength can be adjusted according to your skin presentation as evaluated by your provider. In our practice we would usually perform all three peels of the same type however, for patients with more mature or sensitive skin, an original peel may be recommended first. Hope this helps! Esther Litenatsky AGACNP-BC on behalf of Dr. Ran Rubinstein facial plastic surgeon in Newburgh, NY and Montvale, NJ.

Anshul Gambhir, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Since you are a skin type IV/V you should absolutely start with the weakest peel to see how your skin reacts and to avoid hyperpigmentation. You should also pre-treat you skin with a cream called Lytera or something similar to Lytera in order to decrease your risk of hyperpigmentation. It is better to be safe than sorry because if you do hyperpigment that is hard to correct. If you handle the weaker peel okay then you can consider increasing strength. Hope this helps!

If I'm getting a series of VI peels for hyperpigmentation, should I start with the original and work my way up, or start strong?

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If I'm getting a series of VI peels for hyperpigmentation, should I start with the original and work my way up, or start strong?

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Everything you need to know about VI Peel

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.