Are some chemical peels more painful than others?

Superficial chemical peels are performed routinely by most aesthetician with mild-to-moderate discomfort. Medium-to-deep chemical peels, e.g. TCA 25%-70% must be performed by an aesthetic physician, preferably a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon. TCA (trichloracetic acid) chemical peels are typically performed in sectors or small quadrants and will bring about an intense stinging sensation for 10-15 seconds until your physician neutralizes TCA with cool wet gauze. Some offices may apply topical numbing cream 30-60 minutes prior to chemical peel which can minimize discomfort associated with chemical peel.

Hi there-
Chemical peels vary in their levels of discomfort depending on the type of peel.
Solutions such as glycolic or lactic acid usually feel itchy and stingy when applied to the skin. Most patients find this sensation to be tolerable, with only mild discomfort.
Stronger solutions like TCA , Phenol and Jessner peels can be very uncomfortable as they cause the skin to feel increasingly hot as layers of the acid are applied.
The VI peel is a blend of TCA, Phenol, Salicylic acid, Retin-a and Vitamin C that also contains a numbing agent.
Despite the intense strength and effectiveness of this peel, once the first layer is applied to the skin the numbing agent takes effect and the skin feels cool and tingly as though peppermint oil has been applied. Even though the first layer feels hot and stingy, most patients feel that the numbing takes effect so quickly they find the VI peel to be only minimally uncomfortable.

Pain associated with medium or deep chemical peels is generally related to a lack of occlusion. In other words, if the peeled area is left exposed it will weep and crust, leading to a sense of contraction and discomfort. However, if the peeled area is effectively occluded, the patient remains fairly comfortable. In my experience Vaseline works well, acting as a form of petroleum gel band-aid. There are many other options available for occlusion; Vaseline happens to be inexpensive and quite effective.

My patients find the VI Peel to be very tolerable. It is a blend of several acids such as Salicylic, TCA, and Retin-a and also contains a numbing agent which makes it virtually painless. You can also return to your normal activities right away.  

With light chemical peels—such as the AlphaBeta Peel we offer,—the skin may feel tingly and may turn slightly pink afterward, but this goes away immediately, allowing patients to go back to work or daily activities right away.Medium depth or deeper chemical peels can cause slight stinging and redness (often described as a “sunburnt” look), which might last for several days.